A few months ago I had a trip scheduled to visit my mom in California and I had to cancel because my son and I both were down with a terrible case of the flu. We’re going to try again this weekend and I’m immediately struck by how easy it is to revert to old habits. I’m a grown woman with a teenager of my own and I’m still worried about pleasing my mother. I guess it never stops. My mom means well but she’s quick to comment on how I look, my hair, my clothes, my weight. It’s silly but I don’t want to have the conversation where she tells me I’ve put on weight and then get offended if I don’t want to eat all of the five course meal she’s prepared for me. You would think at this point in my life it wouldn’t bother me, but it does.
I’m trying to instill healthy habits into my son without pressuring him or being negative but as a parent I think it comes naturally to nag a bit. I love my mom but she is a world class nag. Sometimes I think I overcompensate and let Ben get away with things because I don’t want to harass him. I remember I would purposely wait to do things till the last minute just because I knew it would drive my mom crazy. To this day I struggle with procrastination, rationally I know it doesn’t hurt anyone but myself but a lifetime of habits are hard to break.
To combat the discussion about my weight with my mother I’ve been eating more smoothies for breakfast and lunch so I thought I’d share one of my favorite ones. Naturally sweetened with pineapple and dates and spiced with ginger, cinnamon and cardamom it tastes like dessert but isn’t heavy at all. If you don’t have a powerful blender make sure to grate your carrots so they process completely. Speaking of waiting to the last minute, I haven’t even started packing for my trip yet so I better get to it. Have a great weekend!
- 1½ cups almond milk (you can substitute any milk you'd like here soy, coconut, whole, skim)
- 1 cup carrots ( if not using a high-speed blender shred the carrots)
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- 1 medjool date, pitted
- 1 tablespoon flaked coconut
- 1 teaspoon raw shelled hemp seeds
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Garnish with additional coconut and cinnamon if desired.
This really sounds yummy! Can’t wait to try it.
This should be so delicious!
The flavors in this smoothie….wow! Can’t wait for it to warm up around here to give it a whirl!
I might try this tomorrow; it looks beautiful. I hope you have a lovely visit with your mom. The weather is beautiful down here. xo
Hi Mia!
Thanks for keeping track of me through the blog! I did have a nice visit and it was almost too hot for us pasty Portlanders. I am definitely not used to the heat anymore! Hope the family is well!