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Healthy Nutribullet Smoothie Recipes

By: Saturday, February 2, 2013 Diet and Foods, Healthy Beauty, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Organic Beauty, Recipes , , , , Permalink 1

Nutribullet Recipes

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

I’ve gotten a lot of requests for Nutribullet smoothie recipes… Although you can make any smoothie creation in your Nutribullet, the proportions are on a smaller scale since you’re using a single serving blender. If you’re using a full size blender like a Vitamix or Ninja Pro, just double the recipe for two servings!

Delectable Detox Smoothie

This is an amazing smoothie for detoxifying the organs.  Loaded with diuretics and super foods, this is a perfect start to a detox day or to cleanse the body after a night of drinking and poor food choices.

1 cup  organic kale (stems and tough rib removed)
1/2 cup frozen organic mango
1 medium rib celery, chopped
1 cup filtered water
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil

Combine ingredients in a Nutribullet or blender.  Add a touch of raw agave or stevia, if desired.

Mega Protein Smoothie

This is a great smoothie for weight loss, since it will control appetite and cravings until lunchtime. It’s also great for a post-workout boost.

1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 avocado
1 cup organic spinach
1 tbsp hemp seeds
A handful of raw almonds or 1 tbsp raw almond butter
1 cup water or coconut water

Combine ingredients in Nutribullet or blender. Add a touch of agave or stevia if needed.

Perfect Skin Smoothie

This smoothie is loaded with skin protecting antioxidants, smoothing and anti-aging omega-3’s, and moisturizing healthy fats for clear, youthful skin!

1/2 cup organic blueberries
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 cup organic dandelion greens
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 cup coconut water

Combine ingredients in Nutribullet. Add a touch of agave or stevia if needed.

Super Energy Smoothie

Perfect for those days when you need a little extra something, or before a grueling workout!

1 frozen banana
1 cup organic kale
1 tbsp spirulina powder
2 tsp maca powder
1 tsp acai powder
1 tbsp raw organic almond butter
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp royal jelly
1 tsp raw organic honey (optional)

Combine ingredients in Nutribullet or blender.

Women’s Fertility Smoothie

This smoothie is wonderful for balancing hormones, increasing fertility, and giving women the nutrients they need for healthy eggs and baby-making! It’s also a great libido booster.

1 kiwi
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup organic spinach
A handful of pumpkin seeds
2 tsp maca powder
1 tsp acai berry powder
2 tsp bee pollen
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp flaxseed oil
1 cup water

Combine ingredients in Nutribullet or blender. Add a touch of agave or stevia if needed.

Men’s Virility Smoothie

This smoothie is loaded with nutrients to improve male libido, reproductive health, virility, and increase testosterone!

1 frozen banana
1/2 piece ginger
1 cup spinach
2 tsp maca
1 tsp acai berry powder
A handful of walnuts
1 cup coconut water
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
(Optional) Add a stick of celery for a virility boost!

Combine ingredients in Nutribullet or blender. Add a touch of agave or stevia if needed.

What’s your favorite Nutribullet smoothie? Click here to share it in the comments section!

Best Natural Treatments for Rosacea

By: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 Healthy Beauty, Holistic Health, Organic Beauty , , , , Permalink 1
By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Rosacea is one of those pesky, mysterious conditions that can often be rooted in the mind-body connection.  A frustration a lot of people with rosacea have is that nothing seems to consistently help them manage their breakouts.  A new face wash or magic serum may work for a month or two, but those red blotches just keep coming back.

So what’s the trick?  A less is more approach to skincare, and a holistic approach to self-care and eating that nips those triggers in the bud.  Read on for some natural rosacea treatment facts you may not know!

Continue Reading…

Tastes of Brooklyn 2012

By: Monday, October 22, 2012 Healthy Eating, Lifestyle, Organic Beauty , , , , Permalink 0

Saturday was one of those days that makes me feel sooo lucky to live in Brooklyn, the best city around!  Our beautiful neighborhood played host to not one but two awesome food events, Smith Street Soup Fest (benefitting The School For International Studies) and Tastes of Brooklyn (benefitting Seeds in the Middle, which works to empower Brooklyn’s neediest children to eat healthy, local food and stay active).

Tastes of Brooklyn was almost literally out our front door, being held at the Greenmarket at Borough Hall.  The event brought together 18 awesome Brooklyn restaurants like Saul, Brooklyn Farmacy, Benchmark, Egg, and Fornino, that have a local, farm-t0-table philosophy, each offering super seasonal tastings to enjoy.

Though there were lots of memorable tasty treats, our absolute favorite was Prospect Heights’ Aliseo Osteria del Borgo’s delicious trifecta of crostini with creamy cod, chestnut and white bean soup, and country-style pate.  They also threw in a scrumptious biscotti with currants and nuts.  Soooo good!

Other standouts were the Ribollita (traditional Tuscan stew made with seasonal vegetables and dried bread) from Locanda Vini e Olii in Clinton Hill, and the Moroccan-style roasted carrots with coriander and cumin from our own Cobble Hill’s La Vara (quite possibly our new favorite restaurant in the neighborhood!).

In such a locavore foodie borough, it’s so great to see restaurants really flaunt their commitment to seasonal Greenmarket fare in such a community-focused event.  And the cause couldn’t be more worthy.  Seeds in the Middle has such amazing initiatives as growing edible urban gardens where kids can learn about sustainability and healthy, produce-driven eating, student-run markets that offer healthy alternatives to the typical vending machine fare, hands-on cooking classes to get kids excited about making healthy food, and field trips to working farms, community gardens, and farmer’s markets.

Yet another reason we just can’t get enough of our beloved Brooklyn, and all it’s amazing tastes!

Natasha Uspensky in November’s Marie Claire!

By: Monday, October 22, 2012 Diet and Foods, Holistic Health, Nutrition, Organic Beauty, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

Natasha Uspensky in Marie Claire | The Organic Beauty Blog
I’m so excited to be mentioned in the November issue of Marie Claire magazine (with the cover graced by none other than my beloved Ashley Greene)! Geraldine Campbell, writer, fellow foodie and soulful searcher, wrote about her experience working with me on changing her relationship with food, focusing on filling her life with healthy foods and behaviors, instead of the damaging dieter’s mindset of restriction.

Geraldine writes of her journey:

Determined to lose the weight without falling into the pattern of past diets, I sought out New York-based nutrition counselor Natasha Uspensky, a former opera singer whose approach–enjoying food rather than turning it into the enemy–made me feel like I might be able to lose weight and keep my boyfriend.

Sadly, saying yes didn’t mean a diet of croissants, full-fat ice cream, and red wine.  Not that these are entirely off-limits, but Uspensky posits that if we fill our lives with healthy foods and behaviors, we won’t even want the bad stuff.  If I had a nutrient-packed berry smoothie instead of skipping breakfast, I wouldn’t feel tempted to raid the office kitchen with all its animal crackers and chips.  I wasn’t convinced, but I was ready to give it a try.

Under her guidance, I cleaned my kitchen of unhealthy foods (including, yes, a jar of master fat) and filled it with leafy greens, brown rice, almond butter, a few bars of dark chocolate.

I started cooking more, preparing meals like quinoa and black bean salad.  It didn’t taste overly healthy (by which I mean bland and cardboard-like) and I found (truly) that the better I ate, the less I craved meaty, cheesy dishes.  I felt empowered by my healthy choices, and I was bounding out of bed at 6:30 am, hangover-free and ready to face the day.

…I’ve also lost–and kept off–much of the courtship weight without feeling deprived.

I am so proud of Geraldine for her amazing progress, after completing my Two-Week Cleanse and just a couple of sessions! Pick up the issue today to read the full article!

Natasha Uspensky in Marie Claire | The Organic Beauty Blog

Excerpt from: Campbell, G. (November 2012) The Dieter’s Dilemma. Marie Claire, 256

10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It)

By: Monday, October 15, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Organic Beauty, Wellness , , , , Permalink 0

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it would be awesome to feature some amazingly healthy foods that have been shown to reduce risk of breast cancer.  Effectively minimizing your risk of all types of cancer is a holistic undertaking, involving healthy lifestyle changes, stress management, and avoiding toxic chemicals and carcinogens, but starting with what you put in your body is always best!  Load up on these potent foods, especially if you have a family history of breast cancer.

  1. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) | The Organic Beauty BlogCruciferous vegetables:  Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and all other veggies in this powerhouse family contain glucosinolates and indole-3-carbinole, which lower levels of the types of estrogen that can cause breast cancer.  In general, cruciferous veggies have remarkable hormone balancing effects, which are wonderful for women’s health!
  2. Yellow-Orange vegetables:  Carrots, orange bell peppers, sweet potatoes and other orange veggies are super high in beta-carotene, which lowers breast cancer risk.
  3. Tomatoes:  These red beauties are high in lycopene, especially when cooked.  Lycopene lowers risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men!  So load up on organic ketchup, organic tomato sauces, fresh and sun-dried tomatoes.
  4. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) | The Organic Beauty BlogRed Grapes:  Red grapes have been shown to significantly reduce breast cancer risk, so eat up and have an occasional glass of red wine as well. Never exceed more than one glass of red wine (or any other alcoholic beverage) a day, however, because crossing that threshold has actually been shown to increase breast cancer risk by 20-25%.
  5. Dark Leafy Greens:  These cancer-fighting all-stars should be a HUGE part of everyone’s diet.  Research has shows that breast cancer risk was cut in half in women who ate a full serving of spinach at least twice a week.  Make sure to vary your greens to get the full benefit… kale, swiss chard, and collards are other great options!
  6. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) 4 | The Organic Beauty BlogCold-Water Fish:  Salmon, anchovies and sardines are loaded with omega-3’s and are low on mercury.  Research shows that women with higher tissue levels of omega-3’s have much lower incidence of breast cancer.  An added bonus is lower risk of heart disease, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s!
  7. Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil:  Aside from high levels of omega-3’s, flaxseeds also contain high levels of lignans, which lower risk of estrogen-dependent cancers.
  8. Green Tea:  This potent drink is high in the compound, EGCG, which significantly lowers risk of developing breast cancer, and inhibits the growth of the cancer in women who already have it.  Opt for a cup a day of pure green tea (not decaf, not bottled) each day, sweetened with raw honey, stevia, or agave.
  9. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) 3 | The Organic Beauty BlogWhole Grains:  Studies have shown that women who eat a lot of refined grains had a higher occurrence of breast cancer, due to the hormone altering effects of these foods.  On the flipside, women who consumed plenty of whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, rye, and bran, had much lower risk and incidence of breast cancer.
  10. Whole Soy:  Organic, non-GMO, whole soy foods like tempeh and edamame have been shown to reduce cancer risk due to their isoflavinoids, which act as weak estrogens that inhibit the effects of more powerful, cancer-causing estrogens.  BUT, beware of processed soy, which is found in packaged foods and junk foods, and can flood your system with too much of these estrogens over time.  Opt for whole soy foods a few times a week, and avoid all foods containing processed soy.

There are also several foods that have been shown to increase risk of breast cancer.  Avoiding these foods is a crucial part of eating to lower your risk!

  1. High-Fat Meat & Dairy:  The saturated fats in meat and dairy not only raise risk of breast cancer (and all other forms of cancer), but also cause obesity and high BMI.  Maintaining a BMI of over 25 raises breast cancer risk significantly.  If you eat dairy, keep it to low-fat varieties, and treat cheese as a treat (like ice cream!), not a dietary staple!  If you eat meat, keep it to chicken, fish, and eggs, and cut out the red meat, processed meat (like hot dogs and lunch meats), and bacon.
  2. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) 5 | The Organic Beauty BlogAlcohol:  As I wrote above, drinking more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day raises risk of breast cancer by 20-25%, making it one of the most substantial dietary cancer risk factors.  Keep it under 1 drink a day, and stick to red wine when you do drink.
  3. Doughnuts: Not only are these diet busters terrible for your waistline and general health, they also increase cancer risk!  Loaded with refined  flour, refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, and acrylamides (created when starchy foods are fried), these bad guys pack a 1-2 cancer-causing punch.
  4. 10 Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer (And 5 That Cause It) 2 | The Organic Beauty BlogFrench Fries: Like doughnuts, these are loaded with fatty hydrogenated oils and acrylamides, which raise cancer risk significantly.  Opt for oven-baked or roasted potatoes instead!
  5. Sugar:  Refined white sugar, and all the foods that contain it, raise blood glucose levels, which in turn raises insulin.  High levels of insulin in the blood causes an increase free-circulating estrogens, which, you guessed it, cause breast cancer.  Avoid all sugary baked goods, candies, cereals, and processed foods, and forgo that scoop of sugar in your coffee or tea.  Opt instead for stevia, agave, or raw honey, which can all be used in baking as well!  And definitely avoid artificial sweeteners like Splenda, Nutrisweet, Equal, and Sweet & Low, all of which may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases.

——-

Natasha Uspensky, chhc

Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor

NU Health & Wellness

Delicious, Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes!

By: Friday, October 12, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating , , , , Permalink 0

Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes | The Organic Beauty Blog

A slow-cooker is an amazingly convenient kitchen tool that really makes life easier for busy people.  You can basically just throw a bunch of healthy, whole food ingredients into your slow cooker, go to bed, and have a delicious healthy lunch to take with you to work!  Or, have your slow-cooker running while you’re at work to come home to a hearty, healthy soup or stew for dinner!  Especially now, as the weather begins to cool, this is one time-saving tool that you’ll come to rely on for quick, healthy meals.  Check out some of my favorite slow-cooker recipes below… Note how short the preparation time and directions are!

Continue Reading…

Easy, Delicious Tempeh Recipes!

By: Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

Easy, Delicious Tempeh Recipes! | The Organic Beauty BlogTempeh is a delicious and healthy food made of fermented whole soy beans.  It’s a great source of protein and fiber, lowers cholesterol, is chock full of awesome nutrients, and is really easy to cook!  Below are some of my favorite tempeh recipes:

Easy Broiled Tempeh
Serves 2
Ingredients:

  • 1 package tempeh, pre steamed for 15 minutes
  • 4 large mushrooms, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 6 tablespoons tamari
  • 4 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat broiler.  Cut tempeh into small cubes.  Toss with tamari, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger.  Lightly oil an 8×8 baking pan or pie plate.  Pour tempeh mixture into pan and broil 6″ from heat source until liquid is bubbling and tempeh is browned.  Sprinkle with parsley, and serve over brown rice, quinoa or greens.

Cold Soba Noodles with Tempeh
Serves 6
Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 (8 ounce) package tempeh
  • chili powder
  • 8 ounces soba noodles
  • 1/2 cup chunky raw almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons agave
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 8 ounces mung bean sprouts, or other sprouts of choice
  • 3 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced, julienned, or cut into strips with a vegetable peeler.
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or 1/4 cup parsley
  • 2 -3 tablespoons finely chopped almonds (optional)

Directions:

Break or cut tempeh into small cubes and toss with vegetable oil and 1 tbsp tamari.  Let sit.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add noodles, stirring to prevent sticking.  Cook noodles according to package instructions, until al dente.  Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add tempeh cubes and marinating liquid.  Cook, stirring often, until nicely browned and crisp.  Sprinkle with chili powder and remove from heat.  If you’d like, you can set the tempeh on a paper towel to drain some of the oil.  In a small bowl, whisk together almond butter, lime juice, agave, pepper flakes, 2 tbsp tamari and water.  Set aside.  Drain noodles, rinse under cold water, and drain again.  In a large bowl, combine noodles, sprouts, tempeh, scallions, cilantro and almonds.  Whisk dressing and pour over, tossing to coat.  Serve at room temperature.  The refrigerated leftovers are delicious!

BBQ Tempeh with Greens
This delicious recipe comes from The Chic Life
Serves 2
Ingredients:

For tempeh:

  • 1 8-ounce package of tempeh, sliced to make short strips, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 cup homemade BBQ sauce (check out The Chic Life’s recipe!) bottled BBQ
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

For greens:

  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8-1/4 chopped onion
  • 6 cups packed greens, swiss chard and kale work best!
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 4 sprays of Braggs liquid amino, optional
  • 1 tablespoon raw organic apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine tempeh and BBQ sauce in a bowl. Gently stir to coat all sides of tempeh slices. Marinate for 5-10 minutes.  In the meantime, pre-heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook till translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add greens and water and cook till wilted, about 5-6 minutes.  While greens are cooking, heat oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook till each side is golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Serve tempeh over greens!

Is Rice Poisoning You?

By: Friday, September 21, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Eating, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

Is Rice Poisoning You? | The Organic Beauty BlogThere has been tons of alarming news of late about the high arsenic content in rice, which is throwing consumers into a bit of a frenzy.  So what’s the real deal?  Is the arsenic content in rice a reason to cut it out of your diet?

First, a fact that may surprise you.  Arsenic is a naturally occurring element present in soil and water, which means that there are trace amounts of arsenic in almost all fruits and vegetables!  Exposure to low levels of arsenic is an inevitable factor of eating foods grown in the United States, and the effects of these low levels is pretty unclear, but we do know that exposure to higher levels of arsenic has been linked to several different types of cancer, skin conditions, and birth defects.

Because it is grown in water (which has high arsenic levels in the U.S.), rice is susceptible to higher levels of arsenic, which is definitely a concern for people that eat rice every single day.  People that eat rice a few times a week are not exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic.

What can you do to limit your exposure to arsenic?

  • Keep rice consumption to a few times a week, and vary the type of rice you eat.  Jasmine and basmati rice not grown in the U.S. has very little if any arsenic content, whereas American-grown brown rice has the highest.  As long as you are eating a variety of rices, your overall exposure will remain minimal! (For kids, limit consumption of American-grown white or brown rice to about a 1/4 cup of uncooked rice a week).
  • Rinse your rice before cooking it.  This actually applies to most grains, and is a great cooking habit to stick to!
  • Stock up on other grains.  Keep the majority of your grain consumption to other healthy whole grains that have little to no arsenic content.  Quinoa, oatmeal, barley, amaranth, and millet are all great options!
  • Stay away from store-bought juices, particularly apple and grape juices.  Store-bought juices have very little nutritional value anyway (being mostly sugar, with no fiber, and often times a lot of additives), so you may find that omitting them from your diet will actually benefit your waistline!
  • Wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
  • Always drink filtered water.  Invest in a high quality filtration system like ZeroWater to make sure your aren’t ingesting high levels of arsenic and other toxic substances.
  • Eat a varied diet.  Every week there’s a new study about what food is now going to kill you.  Instead of falling prey to all the hype, stick to eating a varied, healthy diet of many different types of organic produce, whole grains, and lean and plant proteins and avoid any diet that goes overboard on any one food or food group (ie: high protein, high carb, powders, shakes or super high fruit-based diets).

—–
Natasha Uspensky, chhc
Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor
NU Health & Wellness

Foods for Perfect Hair

By: Saturday, September 8, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Beauty, Healthy Eating, Holistic Health, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogWhat you eat plays just a big a role in creating smooth, clear skin, and shiny, luscious hair as the products you use.  Check out 5 Foods to Maximize Beauty for the best foods for healthy skin, and read on for the best nutrients and foods to prevent dry, wintery hair, hair loss, and ways to eat your way to lusciously healthy locks…  Luckily, the foods below aren’t just the key to amazing hair, they are a blueprint to ideal health!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogFound in sardines, salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds and seaweed

One of the best nutrients for overall beauty, including hair, omega-3s prevent inflammation and keep our systems moisturized and healthy.  Stock up on these foods to keep hair shiny and lush, prevent dry scalp and hair loss, and promote hair growth!

Vitamin B12 & B7 (Biotin)
Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogFound in fish, beans and legumes, whole eggs, swiss chard, berries, carrots, nuts and nut butters and oatmeal

These two forms of vitamin B are key for healthy hair, and promote hair growth, strength, elasticity, and prevent breakage!  In conjunction with a good conditioner, a diet rich in these foods will ensure the healthiest hair possible.

Protein
Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogFound in eggs, beans, fermented soy like tempeh, quinoa, nuts, fish, and free-range chicken

You need to eat a moderate amount of healthy proteins every day to maintain hair growth and strength.  Protein is a building block of hair, so if you find that your hair is dull, brittle and prone to breakage, increase your consumption of healthy protein to literally build better hair!  But the emphasis here is on healthy — a diet with too much animal protein like red meat and pork increases risk of cancer and other diseases, so stick to the foods above!

Vitamins A & C
Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogFound in leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chard; orange foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and bell peppers; cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli; and fruit like strawberries, citrus, and kiwi.

In combination, these vitamins help your body to produce sebum, which is what gives you beautiful, shiny hair. Load up on these foods, and you’ll need to use less product and synthetic oils to keep your hair from drying out!  Not to mention, these superfoods keep you healthy, energized, and boost your immunity.

Zinc
Foods for Perfect Hair | The Organic Beauty BlogFound in nuts and seeds, seafood like oysters, scallops, lobster and shrimp, and oatmeal

Zinc is a vital nutrient that prevents hair-loss and keeps hair full.  Increase consumption of these foods preemptively if you have a family history of thinning hair or baldness, or just to make sure your hair stays put as you age!

—-
Natasha Uspensky, chhc
Health & Nutrition Counselor
NU Health & Wellness

 

Nutribullet — A Healthy Kitchen Must-Have!

By: Thursday, June 28, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Healthy Home, Nutrition, Product Reviews , , , , Permalink 0

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

I was home with a terrible virus for over a week not too long ago, which led to a lot of regrettable television choices.  As I was making the rounds of afternoon infomercials, one in particular caught my eye, and honestly, revolutionized my kitchen!  David Wolfe, raw food guru (and one of my instructors at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition) was speaking on behalf of Nutribullet — which, at first glance, seemed like a souped up MagicBullet (a tool I knew I didn’t need).  I really respect David Wolfe’s take on food, and count him among my favorite nutrition experts, so I thought I would see what he had to say.

Mechanically, the Nutribullet isn’t that different from the MagicBullet.  It’s a compact single or double serving blender that can smooth, chop, blend, or liquify pretty much anything.  But that’s the key!  It has a super powerful 600 watt motor that literally liquified fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds into an incredibly potent, concoction that is neither juice nor smoothie, but some magical hybrid.  It’s basically a mini-Vitamix — which is pretty much my dream come true.  (Though the Vitamix is a phenomenal kitchen tool, its bulk and generally unfashionable design–not to mention its hefty price tag–have been keeping me from investing in one)

Though I am an enormous fan of juicing (and base a lot of my cleanses on it), the amount of wasted food and fiber has always been a big issue for me.  Plus, a juicer doesn’t allow me to add nuts and seeds, which are key to created a superfood, detoxifying health cocktail.

Smoothies have been my standby for a long time.  I love making delicious morning creations out of fruit, greens, nuts, and almond milk, but am always annoyed when my smoothie comes out mealy, overly thick, or not completely blended.  Especially when blending fibrous greens like kale or swiss chard, having those stringy pieces still in the smoothie really makes it less palatable even for me (who LIVES for greens!).  And I never hear the end of it from some of my pickier clients, for whom eating greens is already a huge challenge.  I end up adding cups and cups of liquid to my smoothies to get them even close to smooth enough, and still, I find whole, unmilled flax seeds and food particles at the bottom of my glass.  Not ideal.

So you can imagine how pumped I was when I opened my Nutribullet, and made a delicious, super-potent, completely liquified drink, chock full of tons of greens, fruit, nuts and seeds… in under a minute.  I knew mornings would never be the same!  The benefit of a super powerful motor combined with a specialized extractor blade is that it completely breaks down the food for you, pulverizing stems, seeds, and skins of foods to maximize the amount of nutrients you can derive from it and make the whole process that much easier on your digestive system.  We definitely don’t want to liquify all our meals — making our system break down fibers is a good thing! — but being able to efficiently deliver so much nutritious goodness into our bodies for one or two meals a day is amazing.

Everyday for the past two weeks, I have started each morning with a powerful, mega-nutrient drink that leaves me feeling full (but not weighed down after I do after a thick smoothie), energized, and just plain awesome.  Since the blades are so powerful, I can throw whole fruit and veggies into my Nutribullet without having to chop anything up, which saves me tons of time, and with the super fast motor, the perfect consistency takes just a few seconds to achieve.  My favorite part is coming up with new, delicious fruit and veggie combos to try… My new favorites are watermelon/cucumber/apple/lemon/flaxseed and pineapple/kiwi/spinach/sunflower seed.  The recommended proportion is 50% fruit and 50% greens, with a good solid handful of nuts or seeds to top it all off.  Though I’ve always rocked smoothies blended with almond milk, I use spring water with my Nutribullet, which gives the concoctions a consistency more like juice, and less like a heavy smoothie.  Check out my favorite Nutribullet smoothie recipes!

This little gadget will also make doing my seasonal detox/cleanse that much easier!  I’m going to recommend it to all my cleansing clients.  Bottom line… I’m in love!

Benefits of drinking just one full size concoction made up of organic fruit and veggies a day include:

  • Decreased risk of cancer and other diseases (provided you use organic fruit and veggies!)
  • Weight loss (replace breakfast and/or dinner with an amazing Nutriblast, and you’ll reach your target weight in no time!)
  • Increased energy
  • Better skin and hair
  • Increased longevity
  • Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Relief from joint and muscle pain
  • Balanced blood sugar
  • Increased immunity
  • Relief from chronic inflammation
  • Improved mood and concentration

You can get your Nutribullet from nutribullet.com for about $120, or you can purchase it from BrandsMart for $99.98, complete with all the bells and whistles!

Check out our delicious and healthy Nutribullet Superfood Smoothie recipes, and please share your favorite recipes and amazing results below!