SMOOTHIE SATURDAY! Warm up a Christmas-weekend breakfast with a hot smoothie. The starring ingredients, apple and cinnamon, not only offer tastes of the season but also boost the nutritional value. According to cleancuisineandmore, where this week’s recipe comes from, cinnamon offers a wide variety of disease-fighting phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. The special type of phytonutrients found in cinnamon could stabilize blood sugar levels, prevent fat-storing insulin spikes, protect the body from damaging free-radicals, and even “turn on genes” within our body that produce highly protective anti-inflammatory substances. Cinnamon also can boost the appearance of your skin and help protect against premature sun damage, according to Clean Cuisine. To get all these benefits, you should consume at least ¼ teaspoon. Apples are low in calories and high in fiber (5 grams), vitamins C and B-complex, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Apples are often called a “miracle food” because of their health benefits, according to livescience. One large apple contains 8% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C. Almost half of an apple’s vitamin C content is found just under the skin, so make sure to eat the skin to get the most health benefits. There’s only a few more days left of 2014. End the year, and start 2015, with a commitment to your health. This warming, nutritious smoothie from cleancuisineandmore is a good place to start. Hot Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Ingredients: 1 apple (preferably organic, cored and cut into large chunks, leave the skin on) 1/4 cup raisins (black or yellow) 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 tbsps pecans Directions: • Place the apple chunks, raisins, cinnamon and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan and heat over medium high for about 6 minutes, or until water boils and apples soften. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the apples cool for 2 to 3 minutes (see warning below) • Add the apple-raisin mixture to a high-speed blender. Add the pecans and ¾ cup warm water. Process on high for 1 minute, until smooth and creamy. Pour into a coffee mug and drink warm. WARNING: If you have a glass blender jar you need to be extra careful that you let the ingredients cool to almost room temperature before you put them in the glass jar; otherwise the glass could explode and cause serious injury. Live well. ~Stephanie M. #smoothie #breakfast #Christmas #holidays #NewYear #party #health #nutrition #fitness #cko #kickboxing #warwick CKO Kickboxing Warwick Sunday YOGA at CKO Warwick
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 14:00:01 +0000
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