Shakeology: Testing out a new nutritional supplement

Hello all! I have recently added something to my green smoothies...Shakeology from Beachbody.

Full disclosure: I did recently become an Independent Beachbody Coach. This means I'm working as an independent contractor for them.However, I am not paid to write anything about them or the supplements. I am writing this because I use the Shaekology and really like it. So rest assured that this is my honest opinion!

At first, I was worried that it would be your standard nutrition supplement powder or protein powder, full of chemicals and fructose. But I found that it was a WHOLE FOOD nutritional supplement. In order to equal what you get in one serving of Shakeology you would have to spend over $41.00 in groceries and eat more food than most of us are capable of. They even came out with a vegan version (hooray for me!) that uses plant protein instead of whey. They use quality plant proteins instead of soy protein which made me happy as well.
I can't vouch for the flavor of the non-vegan versions of Shakeology (I'm a vegan and allergic to dairy anyway), but I can say that they are made from the same whole food ingredients with the only difference being the protein source. 
People who have replaced one meal a day with Shakeology have lost weight, with some people even losing 65 pounds or more. Shakeology contains prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes (which have really helped me already), greens, and fiber.
And if you aren't looking to lose weight but want to tone up or get in better shape, Shakeology is still for you! I'm using it as one of my snacks every day because I am working to get fit and gain muscle.
Follow this link to get more information: http://myshakeology.com/thomimarshall

I have been using the Shakeology daily for the past week and a half and I am really loving it. I feel energized after my smoothies and I was struggling with fatigue. I have tried the Tropical and the Chocolate (the two vegan flavors, hopefully they make more soon!). I like them both.

Here's a recipe to use with the Tropical flavor:

Tropical Shakeology Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup water

1 scoop/packet Tropical Shakeology

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup spinach

Blend and enjoy!!!

Some Sauteed Greens

After my chocolate treat, my body told me it HAD TO HAVE some greens. I listen to my body and it usually tells me what it needs. So I sauteed fresh garlic, bell peppers, onion, kale. spinach, and lentils and made a batch of quinoa to go with it. I seasoned the greens and lentils with a little cayenne, Bragg's seasoning, and fresh pepper. It really hit the spot and grounded me after the chocolate buzz. Sorry for the cruddy pic, I only have a camera phone to work with right now =[

Sometimes you just HAVE to have some chocolate

At least that's the case for me...and many other women =]

I worked out this morning (just some cardio/aerobics and dancing) and I was starving when I finished. And I had a huge craving for chocolate.  I have been trying to strictly limit my chocolate consumption. I seem to be sensitive to it. It exacerbates my acne and heightens my anxiety. So I try to avoid it but I don't like to deny myself when I'm having a persistent craving. I also do not drink soy milk very often at all. A couple times a year is how often. But we had some chocolate soy milk so I used it as the base for my smoothie. I think soy milk is okay to drink sometimes but the chocolate kind has a lot of sugar so it should be used even more sparingly! Just a disclaimer and explanation of my normal eating habits.

So I made this smoothie:

1/2 cup chocolate soymilk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc

 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or whatever milk you prefer

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup frozen strawberries, raspberries, or combo (that's what I used)

1/2 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp plant based protein powder

1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Optional- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used a cocoa powder with the cayenne already mixed in)

Place the chocolate & almond milks in your blender with the chia seeds. Let chia seeds soak for at least 15 minutes. Add the other ingredients and blend. YUM!!! 

Oh glorious green smoothies!

I have been keeping up pretty well with starting my day out with liquids and not having solids until lunch. Most days this has been one or two green smoothies (YUM) and then salad and soup for lunch.
Yesterday I made a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie that I will post the recipe for. I then had some Organic Tomato Soup, low sodium as a snack before lunch. We've all been under the weather. Poor Little Owlet has had the worst of it. He has a cold and an ear infection. He has been coughing so bad that it made him choke and spit up. I feel so bad because he can't tell me exactly where it hurts and how to comfort him. So there has been a lot of cuddle time these past few days!

Something that is VERY important when a baby/infant/toddler is sick with a cold or flu is to keep them extra warm. This can be achieved by using warming oils, such as sesame, massaged on the body. I have been massaging Owlet with sesame oil and he loves it. He was falling asleep on the diaper changing table as I was doing it yesterday. After rubbing the oil on your baby it is obviously important to wrap them up in warm clothes. If you must take them outside, it is imperative that you put a hat on that little head! Some sources say that up to 65% of the baby's heat can be lost through their head (although I imagine that estimation is a little high). Either way, it is important to have a warm hat on their head especially during these winter months. We live in Cincinnati and our temperatures went from 75 degrees to 40 degrees in one week. It has stayed cold since then.
Another important thing to remember is that baths cause babies to lose some of their body heat so bathing them every day during a cold should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

I made Owlet a grilled "cheese" yesterday because he seemed to be wanting solid food. I made it with organic whole wheat bread because I have recently decided to try limited gluten in his diet to see if he can handle it. I also used vegan rice cheddar cheese slices and coconut butter. He devoured it with some of the organic tomato soup I was enjoying. He is one of the odd kids out because he actually enjoys the crust on bread and eats it first =]

And for that Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe (I know this post was titled glorious GREEN smoothies but I wanted to share this recipe and just talk about how much I've been enjoying my smoothies, green and otherwise):
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix, organic if possible)
1/3 cup coconut greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1 cup almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, etc.
1 tbsp chia seeds, soaked in the almond milk
1/2 scoop plain or vanilla plant protein powder 
Cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste. I like a lot!
Soak chia seeds in almond milk and yogurt for at least 5 minutes. Add other ingredients and blend!