Lavenda's Closet

Health

20 May 2018

His & Hers Raw-Food Smoothies

Whooooo! Luke and I are SO excited to share our first post together and what’s more fitting than a His & Hers Recipe for our Raw-Food Smoothies? I’ve been sharing a lot about them via stories and while I’ve been experimenting tons to make sure my first recipe is TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS, I’ll let Luke tell you HIS STORY and why these raw-food packed smoothies have become a daily part of his diet.

*Note that Luke eats 4 of these smoothies, plus one additional meal per day. He works out 4-6 days a week and requires a high-calorie and high protein diet to maintain his desired physique. Luke also snacks on anywhere between 3-4 raw fruits, 10-12 oz of nuts and a bar of chocolate per day. 

Because I require less calories overall, I eat up to one full smoothie each day, plus one hot meal and 1-2 fresh fruits or veggies per day. 

Scroll Down for the Two Final Recipes
Shortly after first meeting Luke, I noticed him pulling out these mason jars and downing smoothies periodically throughout the day. I was so surprised to learn that they were a daily part of his diet, which he first incorporated about 3 years previous after a great liver-detox experience. Luke is incredibly passionate and dedicated to both Mind & Body health and fitness, which is evident by his strong figure and high energy. Despite suffering from several major injuries in his pro-football days, Luke has found a way around using daily pharmaceuticals that includes a diet founded on organic and plant based foods.
 
While Luke is frequently asked about these smoothies, his physical fitness routine and overall regimen, he never found quite the right time and opportunity to do so. Until now. Which is why I’m so honored and super excited to share with you his first ever recipe and a little more insight into the handsome man behind the smoothies.

If there’s one thing people can hope to get out of green smoothies, what would it be?

Luke: Physical, emotional and spiritual energy will sky-rocket.

Lavenda: So, we can expect sky rockets? Like a prize in a cereal box?

Luke: That is the million dollar idea. We can be like McDonald happy meals, only green shakes. Toys in each one. 

Let’s get personal. What originally drew YOU to drinking your greens instead of eating them?

Luke: A lot of greens are difficult to eat and take a long time to prepare. I found myself not enjoying the experience of gnawing on kale, chard, and broccoli. Blending them into a smoothie and make them taste delicious when mixed with specific fruits.

Lavenda: That’s SO true. I like the ease and portability of them. Especially how you store them in mason jars. When did you get that idea btw?

Luke: I steer clear of plastics due to BPA’s, so I looked for the most efficient and inexpensive way to store smoothies in glass. The 16oz  jars work best for me, because I consider them to hold a complete meal for my nutritional needs.

What’s your favorite green-smoothie ingredient and why?
Luke:Frozen mangos are my favorite. They take almost all bitterness away from any greens I mix into the smoothie. And my shakes usually turn out a rich red color because I’ll mix a in a beat.
You’ve told me a couple of times that the key is to incorporate more raw–foods through these smoothies. You’ve mentioned the 70/30 rule. Can you tell me more about this?

Luke: It’s difficult to eat a 100% raw diet these days. But if you can, more power to you! I find myself in social situations where I’m at dinner with friends, hosting guests, at parties, or eating out with my kids that doesn’t always accommodate eating raw foods. Plus, I love a good hot meal every now and then to keep myself somewhat sane. 

Experts say that consuming 50% of your foods raw is the “right” number. However, I’ve experienced a complete overhaul of my life through these diet choices, so I’ve been more motivated to eat as many raw foods as I can. 70/30 is the number I eventually landed on that works for me personally, as well as my lifestyle.

Lavenda: So you give in to social pressure from your two year old is what I’m hearing…  Also, where does your amazing cook-of-a-girlfriend come into the picture? (hint hint)

Luke: Sometimes when my 2 year old doesn’t finish her Mac & Cheese, I eat it. After all I can’t let a delicious meal go to waste. 

And hell yeah! I love eating a warm, delicious meal. My amazing cook-of-a-girlfriend makes the effort to prepare and eat healthy AND great tasting food, which is a God-given gift (her words) that I don’t always honor. My athletic background has me accustomed to using food as fuel instead of something to be enjoyed. She reminds me that good food, prepped correctly can be not only incredibly delicious, but fun.

My followers are most curious about the FLAVOR of these smoothies. “Do they really taste good?” is the most asked question so far. What are your tips for making these smoothies the most tasty?
 Luke: Yes! We want these to taste amazing and they can! A lot of people have a bad first experience with raw-food or green smoothies tasting too bitter and then never try them again.  It’s such a bummer, because they’re missing out on such a life-changing opportunity. 

Definitely mix enough fruit into the smoothie to ensure good taste. 

I’ve found that green apples, frozen mangoes, coconut water, blue berries, peanut butter, flavored raw proteins powder, and  cucumbers help with texture and taste.

We make our smoothies in a VitaMix blender and each recipe produces enough smoothie to fill three 16 oz Mason Jars. You can freeze the additional smoothies until the morning of OR you can cut these recipes in half to make 2 smaller smoothies if preferred.

HIS RECIPE:

1 cucumber

3 carrots

1 avocado

4 tbsp coconut oil

One bushel broccoli

2 kale leaves

2 chard leaves

1 lemon

3 scoops (60 grams) raw plant based organic protein powder

1 beat

1 apple

1 cup pineapple

4 strawberries

2 cups celery     

3 cups almond milk

1/2 cup chia seeds

16 oz coconut water (add more for desired consistency)

1/2 cup hemp hearts

This contains about 33 grams of protein per 16 oz shake.

 

HER RECIPE:

This is a bit sweeter & lower in protein.

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup of coconut milk

2 cups of Mulberry Juice

  (Or use Apple/ OJ to taste)

1 lemon

2 cups of fresh pineapple

3 cups frozen mango

1 cup of spinach

4 stalks of celery

2 cups of broccoli

4 medium carrots

16 tbsp chia seeds

16 tbsp hemp hearts

This contains 26.5 grams of protein per 16 oz shake.

NOTE: We strongly recommend using Organic Produce and liquids for the most trusted and greatest nutritional value. Blend your leafy greens with the liquids FIRST then chop your veggies to continue until fully liquified. These raw-vegan shakes will boost your energy in the short term and give you many anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits in the long run. 

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Comments

  2. Thanks for giving me so many new smoothie ideas! I’ve been wanting to up my smoothie game, that’s for sure! You two live such healthy lives!

    Reply

    • Yeah, it’s super fun to do it together. Especially since he taught me all about these smoothies, haha!

      Reply

  6. This sounds awesome! I actually happen to love cooking all of these veggies but I think it’s easier to consume in smoothie form too. I’ll have to try this recipe!

    Reply

  14. What a great post! And the frozen mangos are a fantastic idea. I never thought about adding those to the smoothies that I make. Now I just need to get out of the habit of eating badly and having these more!

    Reply

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