Posted on August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 by lacy-lain

6 Easiest Smoothie Prep Recipes Perfect for Adults AND Kids

The absolute best and easiest smoothie prep recipes perfect for adults and kids. These recipes will make meal prep and planning a breeze. Our entire family enjoy smoothies almost every single day and on occasion multiple times a day. As vegans, I am passionate about our kids getting all the nutrition their growing bodies need and a smoothie is a great way to add fruits, veggies, and protein into their diets.

I know there is a lot of debate about “sneaking” foods into our kids’ diets, but in my humble opinion, I don’t care what other people say. I know people think that my kids will have some sort of complex about what I fed them. But my kids need the nutrition and I need to sleep at night without worrying if they are getting it. So, I think they’ll be fine and have a healthy relationship with food.

Do I maybe also tell my kids that diced up dates are candy? YES! And they will do quite literally anything (clean their toys up or make their beds) to get a tiny chunk of a date!!! So, that’s where I stand. To each their own, but my kids are healthy and that’s more important to me than them having some weird feelings about how I “snuck” foods into their diets when they get older.

Honestly, I know our parents didn’t know what we know now, and there were probably way less additives and things when we were kids, but sometimes I wonder why my mom let us eat Starcrunches and Oatmeal Cream Pies every single day after school. So, I’ll just leave it at that. My kid’s will be healthy and I don’t think they feel like they are missing out. On another end of the spectrum my son has legitimate allergies and can’t have a lot of things “normal” (whatever that actually is these days) kids have anyway.

6 Easiest Smoothie Packs for Adults and Kids. Easy Meal Prep for Families.

Okay, so if you are still trekking with me and in the same, I don’t care what people say, my kids will be as healthy as possible if it’s up to me boat, then here are your smoothie recipes:

6 Easiest Smoothie Prep Recipes Perfect for Adults AND Kids

Bananas & Strawberries: I think this is something I got from Tropical Smoothie. They call it the jetty jr. (I think). I’ll need to double check that, but we love us some good Tropical Smoothie. HOWEVER, I like to add some protein and we like to add this protein powder to our smoothies. You can read why here. Sometimes we will have this as a breakfast (I believe that “drinking” our breakfast is good for our bodies and I will be writing a very detailed post on this very soon and I’ll link it with resources with research too) but aside from that we like to have it for breakfast sometimes and I will add 1/4 C to 1 C of quick oats to the blender and milk.
Tropical Crush. I have no idea why I call it that. I think the first time I made it we talked about how we had it a virgin drink that tasted similar and then I said something cheesy about having a crush on my husband and the name just stuck. Idk. I am weird. Vanilla Bean Protein Powder + Superfoods, Tropical Fruit Frozen mix from Target. Other stores most likely carry a “tropical” blend frozen fruit bag too. We just use Target because I do Shipt and order our groceries from Target. 1/4 C quick oats and milk.
Choco-Cherry. I have read over and over that cherries are a natural source of melatonin, so if I am giving the kids a smoothie right before nap or bed time, it is usually this one. Frozen cherries, Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/4 C quick oats, and milk.
Blueberry Pie. Simply put and delicious! Frozen Blueberries, Vanilla Bean Protein Powder + Superfoods, 1/4 C Oats, Milk. That’s it!
Sneaky Green. Full cup of fresh spinach, Apple, Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/4 C Quick Oats, Frozen Bananas, and Milk.
Berry Blast Off. This is good with either of the protein powders and we just use whatever we have on hand or whichever canister seems like it has the most in it. 1 C Mixed Berry Frozen Fruit. Again, we use the Target brand, but other grocery stores have their own berry mix. Target has a normal berry mix and one they call an antioxidant mix. Milk and that is it!

IMPORTANT NOTES! PLEASE READ!

In every smoothie, there is an option of adding fresh or frozen spinach! I would recommend 1/2 cup.
Oats are always optional and you can also used gluten free oats.
I use approximately 3/4 C of frozen fruit in all these smoothies
I put a full cup- a cup & 1/2 of milk in each smoothie.
I linked the Almond Cow to all the smoothies above. You can use any milk you like, but we bought an Almond Cow this year and I love it so much I tell quite literally all my friends about it. I love it that much! You can make any kind of milk you want in it. I made a banana/coconut milk this week that we drank an entire 1/2 gallon in 2 sittings! It is a big cost up front (I sold some things on fb marketplace to buy ours) but it was well worth the money! My link will also give you $10 off if you decide you want one too.
If you do not have protein powder, do not worry! You can add in things like cocoa, chia seeds, flax seed, vanilla, nut butters, etc. You can customize it and use any protein powders you want. I prefer these ones and recommend them because it’s what my family uses and there is no added sugar in them. (I hate added sugar in things and we have cut all added sugar products out of our kids diets. Mostly out of ours too, but I have a hard time giving up my Silk coffee creamer, haha).
I also linked our blender in one of the smoothies up there. I love our blender so much! We went through 5 Walmart/Target blenders before we got our Vitamix and I will never go back! I use it for everything from smoothies, to soups, to vegan cheeses, to chia seed jams, etc. I used it every day and some days multiple times a day. Today alone I used it about 5 times. Have I said that I love our Vitamix yet? HA! I really really do!
I also plan on buying a Nutribullet this year. I have read great reviews on them (as far as one-person smoothies go) so that my husband can take smoothie packs to work and keep them up there in the freezer with a Nutribullet. Right now he just takes smoothies that make in the morning in jars, but I think he would enjoy them better if he could blend them right then. I would also not recommend blending lots of smoothies for the week and just doing them a day or two ahead of time. They start to change consistency (especially ones with oats) after that and they don’t taste as good (in my opinion). Which I think is why smoothie packs are such a big rage, because they are better when freshly blended.
One last note. If you choose to used any kind of nut butter in your smoothies, prior to adding it to your frozen pack, it is much easier use a cookie scoop like this one, and freeze the nut butter on a cookie sheet with parchment paper prior to putting it in your pack, so that it doesn’t make everything stick together and then it is hard to take out (especially if you use bags to store your freezer packs in).

Okay one more last quick note on the blender and the almond cow. I just want to encourage other middle-class mommas out there that don’t have an extra $250-$600 laying around in our budgets. I used to read blogs from friends (that made a whole lot more money) and they had all these “fancy” appliances that I didn’t think we could afford. BUT I got creative and still to this day no matter how much money we have, I sell something to get something. It gets harder when you start selling all your stuff (lol) but you can have these appliances that are such major game changers (plus I feel like we paid just as much for the cheap blenders we broke trying to use them everyday as a Vitamix cost). I have learned that if I get creative and I prioritize my spending, then we can actually have nice things.

So, those of you looking at a $600 blender thinking I am crazy. Well, I may be, but if you put your mind to it, and take advantage of things like fb marketplace or have a garage sale, etc. you can have them too. I once threw out a few things in our driveway because I saw my neighbor was having a garage sale the next day and I wanted the $75 refrigerator she was selling. I ended up paying for it with the money I made that day (which was the goal). I have wanted a garage fridge for so long and then got it and made a little bit extra.

I don’t say that so you’ll use my link right now and buy a new blender (although that would be nice of you). But I say that to encourage you if you are serious about eating healthy and having smoothies in your diet regularly, but on the fence about getting a new appliance that cost just as much as a brand new dishwasher or oven. I know these smaller appliances are investments. BUT I believe wholeheartedly they are worth it and they make our health journey so much easier on this mom of 2 two-year olds and a 4-year old.

There are also options out there. I obviously, can only recommend what I have, but I know Vitamix has cheaper options and refurbished options (ours is refurbished) and I think the quality is probably just as good. It’s a trusted name and lives up to expectations. If you shop around you can find good deals. I love Amazon because it gives you other options than just the exact one you are looking at and options for ones that have free returns in case you get it and hate it (which you won’t but it’s a nice safety net).

All of that to say that I hope you enjoy your smoothie packs! I would love to hear your quick recipes for your family! We love smoothies here and are always making up new “recipes” and fun names for them.

Blessings,

Lacy

6 Easiest Smoothie Packs for Adults and Kids. Perfect and easy Meal Planning and Meal Prep for Families.

One reason I love smoothies is because they are an EASY meal prep item on my menu each and every week. I figured if you are reading this post you might also be into meal planning & prep ( I could literally talk about it forever because I am a nerd about meal prep and grocery shopping and good, cheap, easy, & healthy meals for my family) then you might also be interested in my free menu planning sheet and my meal prep course. So, if you are, here’s the links to both of those things. I know that sounds like a plug, and it is, but I have worked my bum off creating the course and tweaked it several times with feedback and honest criticism and I think it’s a life-changing system that I (with the help of some feedback from friends) have created for you and I wish I had several years ago. So, there’s that, it’s a plug for my products, but a shameless one, because I believe in it.

Posted on August 13, 2020August 13, 2020 by lacy-lain

7 Best Tips for Starting a Vegan Diet

I have had so many people ask me over the past 4-years about going Vegan and if I have any recipes. Well, a lot has happened in 4-years. Grocery stores now many options that we used to have to go to a specialty store for. It’s pretty awesome for us, especially since Covid-19 as our family’s quarantine continues. All that to say that this has been a long time in the making. I am going to do a blog series on being Vegan with recipes (that aren’t just beans, rice and pasta), tips and tricks from our home to yours.

I would also like to note that a lot of what I will post will have a soy-free option because my son is allergic to dairy and soy because just being vegans wasn’t good enough for him. Since my husband’s stem cell transplant (this past December) he doesn’t like much of our normal vegan food, or any food really that we used to eat. He doesn’t like beans anymore! Kills me because I love beans. So cooking for my family has proven hard! Who has ever heard of a soy-free, bean-free, non-salad-eating, And I have actually gone back through my own e-course, re-read all the emails trying to reconfigure my meal plan, our meals, and my meal prep since all the new food changes in our house.

Ya know, the ol’ reminding myself of what I already know because sometimes our brains get stuck on autopilot until someones furniture falls out of the back of their truck going 75 mph on the hwy and you have to swerve? You know what I mean? Life.

7 Best Tips for Starting a Vegan Diet

Don’t skimp on the good appliances. This is the link to my very favorite “going Vegan tool.” It will not disappoint. I promise. You will use them daily (if not, nearly everyday). I literally use mine every single day, multiple times per day. Today alone I used it 3 times.
Don’t get too legalistic about it that you forget the simplicity there can be in cooking as a Vegan.
Don’t wig out about weird stuff like “cashew cheese.” Try it! I promise you will not be disappointed. But also try to refer to things that are way out of the norm as what they really are. Example: Cashew Sauce instead of Cashew Cheese It helps the [mind over matter] process we have to go through sometimes when we veer way out of the normal lane of life we have always lived in.
Your taste buds will eventually change. This was one of those things I wasn’t sure I believed. BUT 4-years later and after a cheat night at Chili’s (because hospital food gets old, and we were celebrating so much) neither one of us liked the cheese, the queso, or the sour cream. (and side note: our stomachs did feel the after effects of the cheat meal).
Don’t do swaps! At first. I know some people can do this with ease, but for others it is hard! My dad would know a fake burger or chicken strip without skipping a beat and he’d dramatically shake his head, close his eyes and make a sour face because it’s fake. I find that being honest with myself about what things are helps me to not be weirded out about swaps. We do some swaps and until my son was born and eating big people food we did use Gardein on a more regular basis. However, now that he is here, we don’t do it much anymore and if I do, I have to make him something else. Once you are accustomed to eating differently, then I think swaps are great. But call it what it is.
Don’t allow yourself to fall into the habit of eating too many carbs. At that point (especially if you are vegan for health reasons) it’s not exactly a healthy diet even though it is technically vegan. So, be careful with that.
Consider doing a juice cleanse or a smoothie diet for a week or so before you start eating a plant based diet. We started our Vegan journey this way and after drinking carrot juice for what seemed like a year, eating pretty much anything sounded good. It made the transition much easier and I was just excited for “food food.”

Okay, I will stop rambling now, but here are my top 7 best tips for starting a Vegan diet. Some days in the beginning can be difficult and you might miss things like cheese, or milk, but I PROMISE the rumors about our taste buds changing is true and your cravings will change. I no longer crave normal things that I used to crave. I crave things like cashew cheese, my Cuban stew, tofu coconut curry, tofu scramble with salsa, etc. You will get there and it is worth it.

Your body will feel better (if you don’t fall into the beans, rice, and pasta trap) at least ours does. It was definitely a noticeable change. But I am not here to convince you. I assume if you are here it’s because you are already wanting to be a Vegan. So, happy eating!

Posted on July 31, 2020August 8, 2020 by lacy-lain

5 SALAD KITS YOU CAN MAKE AT HOME FOR A HEALTHY VARIETY EVERY WEEK

Before you read all the salad ingredients please note that you can easily substitute things that you enjoy and take out things you don’t in each kit.

I love eating salad but absolutely hate how much they cost (because I am, after all, a tightwad and love a budget). Making salad kits at home are not only cheaper, you can customize them, and making kits saves a ton of time while also fixing kids lunches and doing laundry… you know…

#momlife

So, here we go. on to

5 SALAD KITS YOU CAN MAKE AT HOME FOR A HEALTHY VARIETY EVERY WEEK

5 Salad Kits You Can Make At Home for a Healthy Variety Every Week

Spicy Southwest Salad: Greens: I prefer romaine and iceberg lettuce Protein: I always add black beans but you could also add chicken or beef (fajita meat would be great) Veggies: Roasted Corn, Bell Peppers, Grilled Onions, Avocado or Guacamole, Pico, etc., Other: Mexican Rice, French fried onions, tortilla strips or broken up chips, salsa, sour cream, etc.
Asian Peanut Appetizer: Greens: Iceberg lettuce ripped in small pieces Protein: chicken and/or peanuts Veggies: Carrots, Cucumbers, Red or Purple cabbage, onions Other: fried rice, jasmine rice, peanut sauce, soy sauce, wonton strips
Classic Caesar: Greens: Romaine lettuce Protein: chicken ( I used chickpeas & sunflower kernels #vegan) Extras: croutons, cheese, dressing
Strawberry & Spinach: Pretty simple add sliced almonds, avocado and olive oil. That’s it!
Quick Cobb Salad: Greens: Romaine and/or spinach/kale Protein: boiled eggs (again chickpeas for vegan and a few nuts) bacon bits, cheese (sharp cheddar or blue) & chicken Veggies: tomatoes, black olives & avocado Dress it with ranch for classic flavor.

To make these simple salad kits, there are several ways you can go about it. If you are environmentally conscience then you can use reusable containers to put greens and veggies together. Keep in mind that fruits and veggies that are “wetter” like a strawberry should be kept separate from the greens in a different container and they should be used within a week of slicing or cutting.

If you are more of the plastic baggie kind of gal, then they work just fine too. Whatever container you use, just remember to keep wet and dry ingredients separated and keep note of any ingredients that should not be kept in the fridge. For example, french fried onions can be put in the fridge, but if you do they might be soggy instead of crunchy.

I hope you enjoy your salads this week!

Lacy Lain

5 SALAD KITS YOU CAN MAKE AT HOME FOR A HEALTHY VARIETY EVERY WEEK

P.S. I attempt to use this blog to make a little extra income for our family. If you enjoyed this post or it was helpful in any way to you at all, please consider pinning one of the images in this post. I work very hard to make this a useful (&beautiful) resource for other women and I truly appreciate all of your help and support in making that happen. Thank you so much for being here!!!