A Lady Goes West

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Kicking a habit and adding some green

February 27, 2014 By Ashley 3 Comments

My kitchen cabinets have been full of protein bars for as long as I can remember.

Times — they are a’ changing.

Starting Thursday of last week, I decided to eliminate protein bars from my diet for a while. I’ve become too reliant on them for their convenience. There are days when I eat more than one protein bar, as a snack, usually alongside some fruit. It was just too much. Although I didn’t officially adopt any New Year’s resolutions this year, eating less processed foods has gradually come to the forefront. Eliminating protein bars is my first step.

It’s been one week, and I’m going strong.

What have I used to replace protein bars? Bananas, almonds, apples and Greek yogurt, any combination of it all.

I often eat a protein bar before I head to teach a class in the afternoon after work, but lately have felt they just don’t give me a jolt of energy as I hope. What they always do, is fill me with ingredients I cannot pronounce.

I had a hefty stock left of bars when I made the decision last week, but I have divested of them all by giving a couple to a co-worker and sending the rest with Dave to his work to put in a communal area. At first I thought about finishing what I had before swearing off bars (because I hate to waste things), but once I realized other people would eat them, it helped me to feel better about getting rid of food I had purchased.

Don’t get me wrong, I love packaged foods … but this is a small change I am making for the better.

Adding some green

While I’ve eliminated one item from my day, I’ve also added a new one.

I’ve been talking about making smoothies for some time.

This weekend I pulled the trigger. With some encouragement from Dave’s Dad who is a big proponent of smoothies, we purchased a Nutribullet, so I could have the easiest, top-of-the-line way to turn fruits and veggies into a luscious liquid.

Nutribullet
The Nutribullet is incredibly easy to use, especially for a kitchen-challenged Lady like myself. The only downside I see so far is that you have to hand-wash the blades. Not a huge deal, but I prefer to throw things in the dishwasher when possible.

Once we procured the device, all I had to do was purchase some healthy ingredients.

Here’s what I’ve been using: A concoction I’ve just decided to call the “Sweet Green Smoothie.”

Green smoothie

Sweet Green Smoothie Recipe

  • 1 cup fresh chopped spinach
  • 1 cup frozen chopped kale
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
  • 2 packets of Stevia sweetener
  • Enough almond milk to cover the ingredients

Directions: Pop it all in the large-size to-go cup in the order listed above, blend it up, and voile.

The first one was runny, the second one was decent, and the third one was just right. Now I’ve got the hang of it.

I’m excited about making more and more smoothies with different recipes.

Goodbye packaged protein, hello creativity in the ‘bullet.

Filed Under: Apartment, Food Tagged With: Green smoothies, Nutribullet, Protein bars

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About Ashley

I'm a mom, writer and group fitness instructor, and A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness and wellness tips, as well as stories and learnings from my life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
 
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Trackbacks

  1. Must-try zucchini smoothie recipe | A Lady Goes West says:
    March 23, 2014 at 7:25 am

    […] zucchini bread and zucchini muffins that are on my to-do list, but since I am obsessed with my new NutriBULLET, my first zucchini attempt happened in the form of a […]

    Reply
  2. Dinner at Farina in the Mission | A Lady Goes West says:
    March 27, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    […] I taught a lunchtime BODYATTACK class, followed it up with one of my go-to green smoothies, and here I am checking […]

    Reply
  3. What I ate and drank all day | A Lady Goes West says:
    July 23, 2014 at 6:55 am

    […] that has made Dave and my lives a lot easier), I needed more liquids and some greenery, so I made a green smoothie, with spinach, almond milk and blueberries. I also had a baked sweet potato topped with gobbs of […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Ashley. I started this blog when I moved from Florida to the SF Bay Area, and I love to help you live a balanced life, making sure you never skip a rest day. I'm a mom and fitness instructor, and A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals and wellness tips with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

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A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!

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