My new favorite smoothie...The Kavacado!

I have been bombarding my body lately with chlorophyll! Sounds odd, I know. Just bumping up my intake of green vegetables in general, less fruit, no wheat. I have been doing this now for 2 weeks and feel unbelievable. My anxiety is 95% gone, I feel more clear headed, no headaches, I have tons of energy, and I didn't even have 1 cramp when my monthly friend came to visit...amazing!  Avacado is my new best friend. I love avacado, so I have no problem eating one a day. I was missing my fruit smoothies and most green smoothies sounded disgusting. I like green juice, but a chunky smoothie did not sound appetizing. However, I went out on a limb and tried an avacado one...which I put my spin on my adding kale. I prefer it to a fruit smoothie and it has been kid approved. So, you know if my picky Jackson is drinking it that it must be good. Here it is:

Kavacado Smoothie
- 1/2 of an avacado
- 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk (I can't say how almond, rice, hemp, or cow's milk would make it taste, 
                                              but I am sure any one would be fine)
- 2 big handfulls of frozen, chopped kale (such a good thing to keep in your freezer to add to 
                                                                  any smoothie....can't even taste it)
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- 1 or 2 packs stevia or sweetner of choice (stevia works wonders at balancing your blood sugar)
- 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tsp. almond extract
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1/2 Tbsp. chia or flax seeds

Blend and enjoy. If it seems too thick, add some more milk or water. Tastes very much like pistacio:)
Everything beyond the basics are optional. If you don't have any protein powder, chia, or coconut oil...not a big deal. Without them this is an extremely nutritious smoothie, but with them it is a powerhouse!

Stinkies & Thieves

Jackson working hard alphabetizing my oils.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I cannot sleep at night without my "stinkie." It's technically a rice sock. My mom made one for me at one time and Don simply could not stand the lavenderish smell, so from than on they became known as "my stinkies".  Heat it up in the microwave and it is a great soother for a sore tummy or muscles. It can also be put in the freezer for injured muscles. It, honestly, calms me down at the end of the day. Some, of which I am sure, is the fact that it makes me think about my mom. Kinda like a hug from her at the end of the day:) They are WAY to easy to make and you can totally personalize them. We like to buy holiday socks on sale to fill ours and since pairs are 2, you get 2 for the price of one! So many fun patterns to choose from as well. Plus, the also give me a chance to play with my aromatherapy collection. Jackson is home and on the mend from an earache today, so he was my helper. We made Sleepy Stinkies and Sad Day Stinkies. Aromatherapy has been proven to have all kinds of beneficial effects on the body. So, why not try another solution to calming down your kids before bed or helping them come out of a bad day? Even if you do not have all the oils listed, a simple lavender or grapefruit sock would be lovely as well. Here are the things you need:

Sleepy Stinkies:
1 knee high sock
2 1/2 cups of non-instant rice
few drops of lavender essential oil
few drops of sage essential oil
few drops of bergamont essential oil
few drops of marjoram
(I buy So Essential Oils ay Health Hut)

Mix uncooked rice with oils in bowl and funnel into sock. Tie end of sock...DONE!
Heat for 1 minute or more to your liking.

These oils are good for calming down or relaxing.

Sad Day Stinkies:

1 knee high sock

2 1/2 cups of non-instant rice

few drops of lemon essential oil

few drops of grapefruit essential oil

few drops of mint essential oil

few drops of sweet orange

(I buy So Essential Oils ay Health Hut)

Mix uncooked rice with oils in bowl and funnel into sock. Tie end of sock...DONE!

Heat for 1 minute or more to your liking or this one can just be room temp.

These oils are uplifting oils good for bringing up moods or enhancing alertness.

I also made my own Thieves Blend. Anyone who has ever heard of Young Living Oils knows Thieves. I think it is the most popular oil in the brand. Known for it's immune boosting and sanitizing properties...but SUPER expensive. So, of course, I found the recipe online and I made that up today too. I can't take credit for this one, but here is the recipe if you are interested and there is also a list of the million things it can help with listed on the site:

http://www.natural-aromatherapy-benefits.com/thievesoilrecipe.html