Berry and Acai Smoothie and Food Update

I recently had a Superfruit Smoothie from Panera and it was awesome. So, I decided to create a berry and acai smoothie based on that deliciousness, but without all the crap. Smoothies are an excellent way to consume a lot of nutrient-dense produce with minimal work. I also notice a boost in energy when I have them.

How to make it

Although there is no added sugar in the way I make this, the natural sugar in the roughly 3 cups of fruit in this may be too much for some. In that case, you would want to half this recipe.

• 1 cup of frozen strawberries

• 1 cup of frozen blueberries

• Packet of unsweetened acai puree

• Handful of spinach

• 1 tbsp of seeds like chia or flax

• Roughly 2 to 4 oz. of unsweetened almond milk

• 1 tbsp of brain octane oil (optional). I add this when I consume this smoothie as a breakfast meal.

• 1 mandarin orange or you can substitute part of the almond milk with orange juice (optional). This optional step makes the smoothie a little more tangy if you’re in the mood.

• A couple spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt (optional). You can add less almond milk this way. My husband makes this smoothie with vanilla yogurt. I’ll admit, it is better this way. The flavor is more creamy and sweet. I avoid dairy and added sugar as much as possible, so I do not add yogurt when I make it. But, if you have no qualms about yogurt, go for it.

Add the liquid first, thaw out the frozen ingredients in the microwave, add the ingredients in any order, and blend until smooth. I recommend using a high quality blender, otherwise you will have a chunky mess on your hands. I use the Cleanblend blender.

Food update

You may be wondering how I eat now after my hot mess express situation. First of all, I eat significantly less meat. On average I eat meat about twice per month and eggs once or twice per week. This is partly inspired by my conversation with the doctor that urged me to consider transitioning to a plant-based diet. It is also spurred by the fact that meat grosses me out. I have always been a huge wuss about handling raw meat. It is a relief to not have to force meat upon myself and instead eat it intuitively.

Another big change is that I quit the paleo restrictions. I am eating beans, lentils, and some grains again. Adding them back in has greatly increased my enjoyment of food. Whenever possible, I purchase dry beans and grains and soak them to reduce the phytic acid.

I am careful with added sugar, processed food, gluten, and dairy. However, I am not 100% strict about anything. If my appetite is rubbish from a crash and bread and butter is the only thing that appeals, I roll with it. If I’m eating away from home, I don’t sweat it. Occasional situations don’t seem to bother me.

My focus is primarily eating as much real, nutrient-dense food as I can. I have been using the Plant Pure Nation cookbook and the Love Real Food cookbook to make a lot of delicious dishes. The recipes are all fairly easy, but pack a lot of complex flavor and nutrition. I especially enjoy the Love Real Food cookbook, everything that I have made from it has been crazy good.

Anyone have any good recipes to share?

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Statements on this site are not meant to be taken as medical advice. These statements reflect my personal experiences having mild-ish post-viral POTS and ME. Due to the wide spectrum of these diseases, comorbidities, and everyone being different, your experiences may be very different than mine.

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