The Whole Food Shake

  As we are exploring different ways of improving health, sleep, weight, etc, one thing that many people find helpful is to add a protein shake to their day. This can result in almost effortless weight loss, softer skin, more energy... and it's very digestible nutrition. 

A "Whole food" shake is one that is made with whole foods, and nothing processed. For ex: blueberries, hemp seeds, walnuts, coconut oil, and coconut milk.

​Most of the time we make a shake with a processed protein powder.

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  The challenge is that for some people, protein powders just don't feel right. Either they are repelled by the idea of eating a highly processed powder, or they just can't find one they can digest well: whey protein, although very nutritious, is a dairy food which makes some people gassy and bloated, and others get the same result with yellow pea (veggie) protein.

  Then there's hemp protein and rice protein powders: they are still powders and don't always mix so well with a liquid, resulting in a sometimes chalky shake - not so appetizing.

  So what to do? (#firstworldproblems)

  Enter the Whole Food Shake. It's made with... whole foods, of course. No powders. No processed foods, hence the name "Whole Food Shake".

  I first heard of The Whole Food Shake from Mark Hyman, that brilliant health educator.
 
  Here's his simple Whole Food Shake recipe:

  almond or hemp mylk
  walnuts
  coconut oil
  almond butter
  cranberries and blueberries

  I don't do so well on fruit, even berries, so I make an even simpler version that is basically 
like thick chocolate milk. My Whole Food Shake, which is (yes!) ok for those on a candida diet:

  *unsweetened* chocolate almond mylk
  2 tbsp hemp seeds (organic is always best)
  small handful walnuts
  1/4-1/2 tsp stevia
  1/4 avocado, optional
  handful of ice, optional (use organic ice - kidding)

  This shake recipe might even be keto friendly :-). Warning, this is VERY tasty. I have been known to have another within an hour. Watch that.

  Both Whole Food Shakes above are very low glycemic, mildly sweet, and full of healthy fats and protein from the hemp seeds and walnuts, which also have omega 3's of course, that healthy fat that most of us don't enough of. 

  ps. if you go low on the almond mylk, it basically turns out as a pudding. Yum.
 
  pps. if you add 1/2 a banana, it's not so low glycemic any more, but it's even more tasty.   
 I can't be held responsible for any smoothie addiction that might develop...but many people can do a chocolate-banana smoothie a day without losing their cool. If you're one of them, dang, you are lucky.

  Confession: I have been known to travel with a blender!