Recipe: The Ultimate Green Shake

When one hears green shake or green drink, a scrunched up face usually follows. It never sounds tasty and what usually comes to mind is a cup full of bitter vegetables blended together. I can assure you that it is NOT the case with this green shake. It is delicious and packed with a whole lot of goodness such as leafy greens, fresh fruit, omega-3 and anti-oxidants.

When life gets hectic, I usually forget to eat my fruits and veggies regularly. This is a great shake to get all the essential nutrients and fats you need. The fresh fruit, sweet dates, and cacao nibs make this shake great tasting, and I don't even notice the broccoli in this drink! I have to warn you, it is pretty filling. One or two servings of this shake is usually enough for one complete meal.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

The Ultimate Green Shake
(Adapted from Sue Riedl)
- 1 green apple, cored and chopped with skin
- 1 ripe frozen banana, peeled
- 1 cup of frozen broccoli
- 3/4 cups of leafy greens (I use watercress, kale, or spinach)
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of almond milk
- 1 Tbsp of flax oil
- 2 Tbsp of cacao nibs
- 5 Brazil nuts

Method
1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour shake into a cup and enjoy.

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Apple Fennel Salad

Yes, it has been a damn long time since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I've stopped thinking about you guys. This past year has been an absolute whirlwind for me, and when I'm ready, I'll tell you all about it. But for now, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and the best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year.

Here is an awesome recipe that I've been hanging on to that I'm excited to share with you!

This recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Apple Fennel Salad
(Adapted from Michael Smith, Chef at Home)

Vinaigrette
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored (cut in quarters and thinly sliced)
- 3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp of brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste

Salad
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored (cut in quarters and thinly sliced)
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- 1/4 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds, salted
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the vinaigrette ingredients: apple cider vinegar, water, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and two Granny Smith apples. Turn off heat once vinaigrette comes to a boil. Set aside until cool.

2. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl: fennel bulb, Granny Smith apple, dried mint, roasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the salad. Pour the cooled vinaigrette over the salad. Mix well. Serve chilled.

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Mulled Apple Cider

The definition of mull is to heat and spice. That's exactly what we're going to do with fresh apple cider today. Spice it. Then heat it.

As I mentioned in my cinnamon apple chips post, Fall is a great time for apples. I went to my local Apple Orchard, Pinewood Orchards, this past weekend and picked up some fresh apple cider.

I have decided to cut coffee out of my diet for a while, so hot cider, is a great substitute. Luckily for me, I drink coffee for the taste and not the caffeine. I love holding my mug of hot apple cider on these cool Fall days.

This simple recipe yields 4 cups.

Mulled Apple Cider
- 4 cups of apple cider
- 3-5 whole whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 small pinch of nutmeg
- 1 small pinch of all spice
- 1 small slice of orange or lemon

Method
1. Stir all of the ingredients into a pot, and heat over the stove on low heat.

2. Let the cider heat for 20-25 minutes, making sure that it does not boil. Discard the cloves, cinnamon stick, and citrus slice. Serve hot.

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Cinnamon Apple Chips

Fall is a great time for apple picking. I love apples because they are antioxidant, full of fiber, and they keep me full longer than any other fruit.

An easy and healthy snack I love to make is cinnamon apple chips. I make a big pile of these, and snack on them constantly. They are a small life saver after work. I'm always famished after a hard day at work, and instead of going for junk, I grab a few of these to keep me going until dinner is ready.

If you want crunchier chips, it is best to use firm apples such as Braeburn or Granny Smith. If you want spongier chips, go for apples such as McIntosh, Red Delicious, or Pink Lady.

Cinnamon Apple Chips
- apples, washed and cored
- cinnamon
- lemon juice

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 150F/65C.

2. Slice the apples thinly (approx 1/8 inch thick) with a mandolin. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay the apples on the baking tray leaving a small space in between each apple slice. Sprinkle a small amount of lemon juice and a small amount of cinnamon over the apple slices.

3. Turn off the oven, and place the baking tray of apples into the oven. Leave overnight. Apples should dehydrate completely, but if not, repeat the process until apples are completely dehydrated.

My favorite types of apples for apple chips are Braeburn and Granny Smith. If I want to eat an apple raw, my favorite is the McIntosh hands down.

Apple Tree from Pinewood Orchards

Here are some apple orchards in the Ottawa & surrounding area:

Pinewood Orchards
101 Herzberg Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-828-4412

AppleHill Fruit Farm
3699 ch. Jockvale Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-786-1111 (in season)

Kilmarnock Orchard
1182 Kilmarnock Road
Jasper, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-284-9843 (seasonal only)
Telephone: 613 283-8964 (off season)

Cannamore Orchard
1480 County Road 32
Crysler, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-448-3633

Jasper Apple Farm and Organics
R.R. #2
Jasper, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-283-8699

Smyth's Apple Orchard
R.R. #1
Iroquois, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-652-2477

Here is a link to Apple Orchards Ontario.

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