The other morning I woke up starving! I also really craved a smoothie. I haven’t been drinking smoothies recently as I went off them a couple of weeks ago. I think it has something to do with the fact that since I have gone off grains (for my trademark 80% of the time!) I have not been half as hungry as before. I decided to have a smoothie and created this one with as many fats in it as possible. I cannot describe how satisfied I felt after this! At lunch I had a salad with pomello and shrimps and scallops and I was still satisfied until dinner- with my blood sugar levels for the past 15 years that is practically unheard of.
Here is what I did;
Ultimate Fat Smoothie
2014-06-28 05:38:57
A smoothie designed to get a wide range of fats into your daily diet. Delicious too! Includes kefir to maximise absorption of the fats.
I love keeping orange, mandarin and tangerine peels. I dry them in the dehydrator and I blitz them in my blender to powder. As a natural Vitamin C supplement the peel has numerous benefits. Organic oranges are ideal as oranges do get sprayed and retain a high amount of pesticides. However Organic oranges are hard to come by in Hong Kong so I first soak my peels in a kombucha and water solution to help remove the waxes and chemical residues.
The Limonene and flavonoids found in orange peel (also grapefruit, lemons and limes) have been seen to have some anti-carcinogenic properties. Especially in Breast and colon cancer cases. The limonene oils may inhibit cancer cell growth. Studies have shown that limonin and limonene can start the enzyme activity an important detoxifying enzyme called of glutathione S-transferase. This helps as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory which blocks the need of the cell to mutate to protect itself. The citric acid in the peel also plays a key role in this.
Orange peels are a natural source of pectin, a natural fiber which may decrease the rise in blood sugar after a meal. Thus being of some benefit to pre and type 2 diabetes. Pectin is also a pre-biotic- helpfully feeding and balancing our bacteria friends so necessary to the body (see Culture Your Life which is all about the benefits of bacteria).
This gives orange peel has antiseptic, bactericidal, and fungicidal properties by helping out the bacterial environment. D-limonene may also be helpful in dissolving kidney stones and beneficial in eliminating any kidney or urinary tract infections. Especially when the peels have been slightly fermented by the Kombucha in the soaking process. The Kombucha not only removes the chemical residues it may also begin the digestive process by increasing the bioavailability of the nutrients in the peel.
The natural properties in orange peel have also been seen to helpful in lowering cholesterol.
“In a May 2004 “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” article, Canadian researchers and the United States Department of Agriculture reported that isolated compounds from orange and tangerine peels showed promise as a natural alternative for reducing LDL cholesterol without the side effects of mainstream cholesterol drugs.” (source)
They may also help with heartburn. According to a 2007 Alternative Medicine Review article by Jidong Sun, Ph.D., Sun notes that an active ingredient found in the orange peel, d-limonene, possesses the ability to neutralize gastric acid and support normal peristalsis. (source)
This great powder is so easy to make and I add it to so many things!
A great way to get some vitamin c into your diet. Also a great anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient that can be added to homemade cosmetics, chocolate, drinks, baked goods, muesli, teas, kefir and kombucha. The possibilities are endless!
Soak your orange, mandarin, tangerine or other citrus peel in a solution of water and Kombucha (use about 1 tbs kt to 500mls water)
Use a dehydrator (at 100F) or oven at the lowest setting and dry your peel until it is hard and completely dry.
When your peel is completely dry put in a high speed blender and blitz until powder.
Add to fizzy water and drink otherwise it can be added to; chocolate, drinks, baked good, use it to flavour Kefir, kombucha or add it to teas, stocks and smoothies! Why not use in your homemade cosmetics!
Notes
so easy- give it a go- you were only going to throw the peel away anyway!
Another good way to use the peel is to add it to bath water
I am such a massive fan of apples. They are great for digestion, the fibre feeds bacteria and helps to regulate blood sugar levels, the acids in apples also help liver detoxification and digestive healing. The peels are also packed with nutrients like antioxidants! It’s no wonder they have the ‘apple a day keeps the doctor away’.
I am glad my kids love them too as we often have apple slices with nut butter as snacks (cut the apple into disks without coring and they even make good ‘sandwiches’!). You can make apple sauce with peels on or off- I then use my peels to make apple cider vinegar or in my stock pot so every bit of goodness is used
I am not a huge coffee fan. I LOVE the smell of it but I do not crave it. I do love smoothies in the morning though. I prefer to drink breakfast most days! I also am constantly looking to increase nutrients! This morning I fancied trying a mix of the bulletproof coffee I have been hearing about forever, but doing it my way. Man was this tasty! Completely sugar free, this tasted great and the mix of banana, chocolate and coffee with the smooth coconut oil and butter was great and adding the chia just helps me to feel fuller for longer!
Bullet Proof Smoothie
2014-03-11 10:20:43
A spin on my morning smoothie- an maybe your morning coffee!
We normally have one of these or a combination! I either use Almond/Oat or my Hazelnut Cashew milk and always some Kefir. I then try to pack it with as nay nutrients as possible. banana/avocado, nuts, seeds, chia, berries or cacao, coconut oil/butter, gelatin and then I may add milk thistle, Maca, bee Pollen, for added benefits. I thin may sweeten it with maple syrup or raw honey to kick start my metabolism (from Matt Stone’s book Eat for Heat)
