Enchanted Chameleon

December 15 - Green Smoothie Resolution

#1 - Hawaii!!!!

#2 - Green Smoothie Challenge!!!!

The first is obvious.  As for #2 I am hosting my 2nd Green Smoothie Challenge starting on January 2nd, 2010.  It will run for one week and it requires its participants to drink one Green Smoothie a day for a week.  I know many people make a commitment to eat healthier or lose some weight when the New Year comes around and I can't think of any better way to do this than by starting to drink one Green Smoothie a day.  The last challenge was back in May and the feedback was phenomenal.  I encourage you all to sign up, just send me an email and confirm that you are participating and I will email you back info and recipes to get you prepared for the first big day.

But first, check out Victoria Boutenko's Ode to Green Smoothie if you need a little more inspiration...  Or if you are curious of what this is all about, check out my video on You Tube that I made for the last challenge on how to make a Green Smoothie.  

You can email me anytime up to 5 pm (PST) on January 1st to get started.  Last challenge I surprised all of my participants with a draw for Victoria Boutenko's book Green For Life.  This time there will be no surprises:  Anyone that register's with me will have their name included in a draw for Victoria Boutenko's newest book Green Smoothie Revolution.  Anyone that includes a picture of them and their green smoothie by the end of the challenge will get an additional entry into the draw.  

Don't hesitate my friends.  Please join me and do your body something better than a diet or a trip to the gym - give it the gift of greens!  Truly, green smoothies are a blessing in disguise.  Fill up on green smoothies and see the difference for yourself.  

In the meantime, we're off!  I've committed myself to a wordless holiday so before I go have a happy, happy, happy holiday!  I can't wait to rejuvenate.  I can already feel a great year coming on and I'm so looking forward to sharing it with you.  Aloha!  Suzanne

 

Green Smoothie Challenge - Everyone Wins!

Well, the Green Smoothie Challenge week has come and almost gone!  I'm so amazed by the amazing people that tried it out and even more amazed by the people that plan to continue on!  It's wonderful news.  I was so inspired by the participants that I held a draw for everyone that contacted me about signing up, for an autographed copy of Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko.  

The winner is:  Desiree Leal, Vancouver BC.  Congratulations Desiree and thank you for all the wonderful comments back.

Like I said to my participants today, everyone was a winner in this.  I honestly believe you can't go wrong or just can't lose by even incorporating one Green Smoothie into your regular diet once a day or once a week.  Here's more of what people had to say:

For the short time I've made green smoothies, it's funny how I seem to crave greens. Not only do I make one in the morning, I make one in the evening too.  I'm gonna try doing this not just this week, but, for as long as possible - Patrick 

Just starting to enjoy those green things.  I think I will keep it up on a smaller scale.  It sure was good. When I took it to work,the girls looked at it and said what is that?  I said it looks green, but it sure tastes good - Mom
 
So far - so good.  Both of us feel more energised after drinking them so I think we'll be keeping it up longer than a week.  Thanks for all the updates and support! - Diana 

We are really loving this challenge. I'm actually feeling more energy just with one smoothie a day and my 2.5yr old is taking sips which is amazing because she does not eat veggies normally!  Thank you Suzanne for this opportunity; it's opened up a whole new wonderful world of nutrition for our family. Cheers! - Karen

 

Today PQ (my daughter) made the smoothies!  I've been telling so many people about the green smoothies and sending them your emails. I was even chatting up one of our guests in the store I work in about the green challenge.  She was SO interested.  Word is spreading! :)  Thanks again! - Katie

You are very sweet and very inspiring!  Thank YOU for your blog, your video, and for having the Green Smoothie Challenge and for inviting me to participate!  It is community builders like you that bring out the best in all of us! You're absolutely right, we ALL win!  Thank you so much Suzanne!!!!  - Desiree 

Thank you all for the wonderful comments and for participating!  This was an amazing experience for me as well and because of all of you I also made it through my week of just Green Smoothies and fruit, easily and effortlessly.  Here's some of the awesome things I am experiencing:

-  I've been waking up earlier without the mental fog and drowsiness in the morning
-  I've been sleeping more soundly
-  My skin suddenly felt like I had had a facial part way through the week
-  My big pants are now too big
-  I haven't had any strong cravings for junk foods
-  I tried some new greens I had never tried before

Thank you thank you thank you friends.  Until the next Green Smoothie Challenge....  Suzanne

I'm Lovin It

... Random Mama/Cillian photos...

...Bus ride adventure with the boys...

...To the beach with my main boys...

... Quiet morning cuddling in the hammock...

... My kid...

... The way perfectly cut squares of fabric for quilts feel ...

... 6 days of nothing but fruit and Green Smoothies = my face feels like I've had a facial and my pants are too big...

... Beautiful, heart made gifts from friends...

... the Farmer's Market, the house to myself, sitting on a blanket in the sun, inspiring music (see Sweet Sounds), a clothesline full of Cillian's clothes, doing, my kitchen, summer, being outside all the time and there is this one other thing that I'll talk about soon, another creative spurt that I am really loving but I don't want to ruin any surprise Father Day gifts....  Happy Weekend, Love Suzanne

Tickled Green

I am absolutely tickled Green at some of the responses I have received from my friends that are participating in the Green Smoothie Challenge with me this week.

A friend commented yesterday that she would love to see a way to "marry" raw foods and baby/toddlers.  I would love to see the same and I am committed to seeing something like that through in the future.  I have already even spoken with Westside Family Place about teaching a short workshop for parents to learn how to make easy, delicious raw foods that their kids would enjoy.  And of course I'll teach them Green Smoothies!

As for now, Green Smoothies is the best way I can think of to start getting more greens and delicious raw foods into your little ones diet.

Check out these awesome photos from an old high school friend Katie and her kids:

Katie informed me that her son woke up yesterday and asked for Green Smoothie before he even got out of bed!!!

I am absolutely thrilled and excited for them and everyone else in this challenge.  In fact, they don't know it yet but I have a little surprise waiting for one lucky person out of all the people that signed up.

  

Can you feel it??  Can you?  It's me, beaming the biggest smile ever at this computer, shooting out of yours - and I've got greens stuck in my teeth!  In JOY SUZANNE.  

Eye Sparkle

Hey Friends

Sorry I missed yesterday.  I actually didn't.  I wrote a beautiful blog I was quite proud of than poof, I tried to attach a photo from a disk and the whole site shut down and bye bye beautiful blog!  I wasn't feeling so blessed and gracious as I had been when I wrote it so I moved onto other things for the day and never seemed to make my way back here.  

But it's currently 6:30 am and I am wide awake (some new found energy the past few days) and enjoying my second favourite time of the day - the quiet morning when I'm the only one awake. It's so precious and rare but I certainly do love it.

My first favourite time, I actually wrote about yesterday in my blessed mood.  Since I'm back in a blessed mood I'll share.  My first favourite time of the day is putting Cillian down for his nap.  His room is dark, we put the heartbeat sound on from the sound machine, he cuddles in my lap for mama's milk and I wrap him up in a handmade flannel blanket from his Auntie Di (the ONLY time Cillian will allow blankets on him - it's just one of those things I pictured before we had him).  I love watching him drift off and placing him down on his bed all cuddled and asleep and peaceful.  It's the most still he ever gets!  That's the time of the day that I don't even have to try to love myself, or love life or love at all, I just feel warm fuzzies and there is always hope for whatever we have going on.  

Yesterday truly was a great day despite my mishap with my blog.  As you can see, Cillian used me as a canvas as well we got some painting and cutting and other creative pursuits done.  I was certainly 'in it' yesterday.  That mom place that I admire and aspire.  It felt good.  Maybe it's the Green Smoothies? Maybe it's the affirmations I've been doing lately....  but I think that it is just the plain truth, I'm just seeing things a little more clearly.  Much love Suzanne

Besides the Green Smoothie Challenge

I feel like everything is Green Smoothie this and that over the past week and I've yet to actually write a real blog.  We are up to other things besides the Green Smoothie Challenge!  However I am glad that I posted all the info in case anyone out there is silently following the Challenge on their own.  

We headed out straight from bed to a friends house to play nanny...

We hit the beach.  I like to call this one "The Odd Couple" - me in retro one piece short set and Cillian in fleece pjs and chucks...

We feasted like raw kings...

We caught up with an old University friend that was working out our fire hall on the corner...

and we jammed until the rain cleared up this morning. 

I'll get back to Green Smoothie bantering tomorrow.  Suzanne

The Green Smoothie Demo Video is UP!

For the millions of people out there that DON'T own a $500 Vitamix blender, here's me showing you how to make Green Smoothies with a regular blender or a Magic Bullet blender to taste just like those in a Vitamix!  Hope you enjoy it!  Love Suzanne

Prepping for Tomorrow's Green Smoothie Challenge

Hi Friends

I'm so glad that you've all decided to join in.  I hope you are ready to start.  Today is the day to go and pick up your greens and fruit for the next day or so.

Here's some greens that you can pick from:

arugula, beet greens, bok choy, carrot tops, celery, chard, collard greens, grisee, kale mustard greens, romaine, green/red leaf, spinach, dandelion, aloe vera, baby dill, basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, clover sprouts, radish sprouts, sunflower sprouts

Unfortunately our demo video isn't complete, there is still some editing left to do and Jeff has been busy working the past few days and will be working today.  We'll get it out to you as soon as we can, but in the meantime here are my directions for using a regular kitchen blender or a Magic Bullet for making smoothies (all the demo videos on youtube use Vitamix's to demonstrate which is quite different from a regular blender):

Regular Kitchen Blender:

1.  Add 2 cups of water.

2.  Add all of your greens (usually 4-5 leaves or a couple of handfuls)

3.  Blend the greens for up to about 20 seconds, making sure they are totally dissolved and no chunks remain.

4.  Add your fruit 

5.  Blend for another 20 or so seconds until the smoothie is complete.  

Drink and be merry!

Magic Bullet Blender:

1.  Add 1 cup of water 

2.  Add all of your greens (usually 4-5 leaves or a couple of handfuls)

3.  Blend  the greens or up to about 20 seconds, making sure they are totally dissolved and no chunks remain.

4.  Add as much fruit as you can fit into the cup and blend.

5.  Pour the first cup into a pitcher

6.  Add second cup of water

7.  Add the rest of your fruit

8.  Blend for another 20 or so seconds until the smoothie is complete.

9.  Pour into the pitcher and stir.

Drink and be merry!

Here's a few things to keep in mind:

-  Green Smoothies can keep for 3 days if refrigerated.  If you don't drink the whole quart of smoothie everyday then just save it for the following day by keeping it in the fridge.  You can always throw it back in the blender to mix it up again, or sometimes giving a good shake will be enough.

-  If you are just starting out I really recommend greens like spinach, romaine and green/red leaf lettuces.  If you want to dive into the really green ones like kale, parsley and collards, try using half the greens in the recipe or just 2-3 leaves to start.  You want to enjoy them and not scare yourself into drinking them!

-  If you do make a smoothie and it's a little too "green" for your taste buds you can always throw in more fruit, bananas and dates are really good at sweetening up a smoothie (remember to take out the dates pits)

-  When using greens like kale, chard or collards, remember to peel the green leaves off the stems.  The stems are starchy and could cause you so tummy gas in the end.  Also remember to keep out other starchy veggies like cabbage and carrots.

That's it friends.  Feel free to ask my any questions throughout the week.  I'll try my best to send you some daily inspirations to keep our momentum going.  Thank you so much for taking the plunge into Green Smoothies with me!  Your bodies will thank you.

Cheers

Suzanne

Green Smoothie Mania!

I absolutely must post but I absolutely must make it quick.  I finally figured out how to cut material to make a quilt and I really want to spend some time on it tonight since my original intent was to make it for a gift.  It was a dramatic quilting weekend to say the least.  I was doing it then I was giving up, back and forth every other piece I cut or sewed but I learned something important in the process:  I'm so unable to fail!  Recently my acting teacher told me I was a fighter.  Well, I tell you, sometimes I want to quit being a fighter and because I'm a freaking fighter, I CAN'T!  It's impossible for me to ever give up.  I'm so relentless and for the first time I accept that it's amazing and a gift!  Now if I can get my positive alignment with the Universe (in between all my chiro appointments lately) than maybe I'm going to really make things happen...

Oh wait!  Things are happening!  I can't believe the Green Smoothie Challenge.  There are 26 people set up and waiting for the big day on Monday.  I'm so beyond thrilled.  I had no idea that I had any influence or that people are even reading this blog, but you're out there and we're all in it together! I'm amazed and ecstatic and excited.  There's so much potential here waiting for us all to just tap in.  In any case, if you are interested in the Green Smoothie Challenge - one week, one Green Smoothie per day than give me a shout:  [email protected] and let's get the ball rolling with you too!

Stay tuned for a video post on how to make a Green Smoothie, starring ME!  Lot's of love and green sloppy kisses, Suzanne

This weekend we picked up stinging nettles from the market and made a Green Smoothie from weeds picked out of our garden - the 2 most adventurous smoothies I've ever made!

Green Smoothie Challenge

I'm wondering if there is anyone out there interested in going on a Green Smoothie Challenge with me? One week of either nothing but Green Smoothies or add a Green Smoothie to your regular diet once a day for a week, starting Monday May 25th to Sunday May 31.  Send me an email at [email protected] and let's set something up.