um...
that would be me talking about coffee/soda/and Monster.
Ever since I started to eat healthier (which was a few months before going raw), I’ve given up certain addictions. My morning coffee was the first to go. I could drink my parents under the table. I used to drink a full pot of coffee by myself. There was just something about coffee that soothed me; one sip and I was in heaven. The caffeine rush was awesome of course, but coffee was my instant getaway.
Another thing I gave up was soda. Diet soda. I knew that aspartame had a million and a half things wrong with it, but I didn’t care. The rush, the taste, the drink was all I cared about…
But more than soda, I loved energy drinks, especially Monster. I often drank one a day. It wasn’t just the caffeine blast that I loved…there was something about Monster that made me instantly relax, kinda like coffee. It didn’t matter what was going on around me, one taste and I felt better. It made me smile. I’m not sure what it was…it might have been the instant sugar rush or the association with happy memories.
Whatever it was…it’s gone now. I’ve been Monster/soda/coffee free for over 8 months. Honestly, those things were like drugs to me. And like most addictions, you don’t realize how much they affect you until you give them up.
However…
Like I’ve said before, I still have cooked food cravings every once in a while. Most often, believe it or not, I find myself craving a cup of coffee or a can of Monster. Since I won’t give in to that “rush,” I’m always on the lookout for natural metabolism boosts and energy kicks.
I made a green smoothie this morning that definitely fits that bill. The name of this smoothie came from the phrase that I laughingly said after tasting it. “That is like a kick in the mouth.” In a good way, of course!! ;) (and yes, I do know that the original phrase is "a kick in the teeth," but that definition is hardly appropriate.)
A-Kick-in-the-Mouth Smoothie
Serves 2!
1 apple
1or 2 bananas
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1 grapefruit, peeled
1 large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
A few frozen strawberries
A heck-of-a-lot of ground ginger (I put in a heaping tablespoon…maybe more.)
If you have a “normal” blender, do half of this recipe at a time. Blend for a good long time…the parsley is stubborn. Blend…blend…blend. And then blend some more.
If you wanna try out this recipe, you have to really like ginger. If you happen to not like ginger, lemme give you some incentive. Maybe I can change your mind?
Ginger is a thermogenic spice. It is an energizer and a detoxifier. It revs your body temperature and circulation, kicks your metabolism into high gear, helps you burn calories, and supports liver function. You see? What’s not to love??
Chow!
As I sit here an drink my coffee... with a piece of chocolate. And, actually, I had to go get another piece of chocolate because when I unwrapped this one, and threw the 'wrapper' in the trash, I walked away to eat it and realized I'd actually thrown the piece of chocolate in the trash and I had the wrapper in my hand. Lame.
ReplyDeleteClearly I could use a little kick in the mouth smoothie.
haha! that's awesome. I've totally done that before. :P speaking of chocolate...I made *the best* raw fudge the other day. Mom tasted it and said, "That's how chocolate should taste." ohmigoodness. sooo good.
ReplyDeleteas I wrote this post, I was thinking about my Verity days when all this was going on...and of course, I found myself missing you a TON.
*sigh*
I miss kitchen days with my daily Monster....
8 months, Janet? I must say...I'm quite proud of you!!! :D
ReplyDeleteWhoa, whoa, whoa... epically (epicly?) tasty raw fudge? Can we share some of that please?
ReplyDeleteVerity kitchen days will forever be unrivaled. Someone asked me the other day what I did at Verity before I was Testing Admin, and I kinda sighed and said, I worked in the kitchen... And they were a little surprised, so I had to tell them it was a very different place then.
But what a place it was.
@Bethany B, you started this! haha! remember Alicia's wedding? :P
ReplyDelete@BRowe, so, guess what I'm bringing with me tomorrow? ;)
I agree with you...forever unrivaled. Brilliant way to put it. I can totally hear your response to them...a small sigh from you before your answer. Just as long as it was a sigh of remembrance. ;)
*sigh*
Your smoothie sounds good! And very healthy!
ReplyDeleteIt's great you've kicked your addiction to coffee. did you get really bad headaches the first week or so?
I gave up coffee and caffeine several years ago...for a just a couple of months. I got bad headaches the first week. I felt dizzy and out of it. I ended up going back to drinking it. It's not easy to give it up. But I was successful at giving up the sodas. So that's something. :)
Anyway, huge congratulations to you! :)