Super Healthy Oatmeal...

Is it just me, or do you feel super good about yourself when you start the morning off with a great breakfast? I would love to eat breakfast burritos and french toast everyday, but in reality I really do love a healthy start. 

This has to be my new favorite way to start the day, I've even been getting Liam to eat this and to my surprise he actually loves it! There's so many great ingredients; its a power punch to get the day started.

Read all about how great all these add-ins are,

Oats

Cocoa Nibs

Hemp Hearts

Cinnamon

The cocoa nibs add a great chocolaty crunch and the hemp hearts add a nice nutty bite.

Raisins add great sweetness and a tender chew. Almonds add even more great nut flavor.

I add a splash of vanilla and a little agave for sweetness. And who doesn't love cinnamon? Great flavor and even better for you? You can add whatever floats you oatmeal boat, the healthier the better.

Super Healthy Oatmeal

Serves 2

1 Cup Oats, cooked

1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons Agave Nectar

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

2 Tablespoons Golden Raisins

2 Tablespoons Sliced Almonds

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Nibs

2 Tablespoons Hemp Hearts

Cook oats.

Add remaining ingredients.

Serve hot!

Vegan Carrot-Peach Smoothie...

Hey guys, hopefully you're all still around reading blogs. I've noticed a few blogs that I have followed for a over a year don't blog anymore. I understand, sometimes its hard to find the time. When I started House of Ruby Jean I had a lot of time to blog, not the story right now. Liam and I are almost completely moved into Boo's house. Most of our free time is spent organizing the house and blending three different lives and schedules together. Its all coming together and I love it!

Last year I posted my Breakfast Smoothie recipe and its my most viewed and pinned post. The recipe is HERE. And you can follow me on Pinterest, HERE. I love the ideas of smoothies, just throw a bunch of healthy stuff in a blender and there you have it. 

The idea of the Carrot-Peach came after and impulse purchase at Costco. In my continuing effort to be healthy, I purchased some organic carrot juice with the thought that it was going to be slightly sweet...I was wrong, dead wrong. So here I had 3 bottles of this juice and needed to use up so smoothie making was in order. 

After making this smoothie the first time I was hooked and knew that I had to share it with you. Its so  good and good for you. I sweetened it up with a little agave to mellow out the strong carrot flavor. I know that I'll be purchasing this organic carrot juice again all because of this smoothie.

Carrot-Peach Smoothie

makes 1 smoothie

1 Cup Organic Carrot Juice

1 Cup Frozen Peaches

1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar

Place all ingredients in blender and blend to desired consistency.

A Breakfast Smoothie and Saving a Buck...

Mornings around here are pretty relaxed, Liam usually sneaks into bed with me and we cuddle, talk about the dreams we had, he plays a game on my iPhone, and I try to sneak in a couple more minutes of sleep. But some mornings are very rushed, especially school days. We both aren't big on breakfast and eating early, but I always try to get him to eat something. And one of the best and most convenient is a smoothie, just throw it into a cup with a lid and straw and your off.

I try pack as much healthy stuff in these as possible. We all know kids can be picky about veggies, Liam's actually pretty good about them. He loves broccoli, carrots, green beans; I'm actually pretty blessed and amazed at this kid. 

Here's one of our regular smoothies its the Banana, Spinach, Blueberry, and Greek Yogurt. The banana to fill him up, spinach for all the vitamins and nutrients, yogurt for calcium, and blueberries because they are a super food. I know what your thinking, "spinach in a smoothie?" yeah, its awesome, you cannot taste the spinach and it takes it from healthy to super-healthy!

I get most of these ingredients at Costco, saves me a lot of money shopping there every two weeks. I never imagined that I would ever shop at a wholesale store until I started realizing how much money I was saving. And the samples are always a plus! 

I used to be a person that would choose convenience over doing it myself, until I noticed how much money I was throwing away or making other people rich. And one of those areas was the smoothie store, you know which ones I'm talking about..the ones with the long lines and overpriced blended fruit drinks. Well no more my friends, its all about saving a buck or $10. 

What do you do at home that saves you a lot of money?

Banana, Spinach, Blueberry, Yogurt Smoothie

makes 2

1 Cup Frozen Organic Blueberries

Handful of Fresh Organic Spinach

1 Banana

1/3 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Teaspoon Agave Nectar

1/3 Cup Milk

Place all ingredients in blender and blend up!