green smoothie
 
If not now, when? 
 

A new year ahead is always full of hope and excitement!  Making new years resolutions is often the time when we reflect back on our year and judge ourselves on what we have accomplished. I’m all about making these resolutions too, but sometimes they lack in focus and end up being too unrealistic.

Setting goals is a great way to motivate yourself and achieve your heart’s desires. Try these tips to help make your goals more achievable this year!

1. Create a Vision Board  This type of goal setting is great for long term goals. This is especially important for people who are visual and need to see something on paper. Grab a big whiteboard and get creative! Cut out pictures from a magazine, get out the crayons and use inspiring images and words.

2. Make Your Goals Specific  There is usually a key area in our lives that has been a challenge for us. Whether it is health, career, education or family life, the key is to identify the challenge and design your plan of action around that challenge. Vague goals like “be more balanced” or “lose weight” won’t get you far. Being more specific, like “today I will have a delicious green smoothie to help energize me” will get you one step closer to your goal.

3. Create Small Achievable Action Steps  Breaking your big goals to little bite-sized baby steps will help you stay motivated and create a feeling of self confidence and pride. And you deserve it!! Set a time frame for each goal and give yourself some love every time you reach a milestone.

4. Make Your Goals Realistic  These goals are meant to motivate you, not make you feel bad about what you haven’t achieved yet. Follow your heart’s desires. What is it that you really need and want to change about your life? Setting goals for YOU, not what other’s want from you, will help make positive changes that will last a lifetime.

orange zest

Here is a delicious recipe for a warming, healing energizing smoothie to start your day, and your year, off right!! Protein, fibre and cinnamon make this smoothie a great blood sugar balancing breakfast or snack option. The orange zest and warming spices make it very suitable for colder winter months!

warming winter green smoothie

Zesty Orange Chocolate and Spice Green Smoothie

1.5 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh) + 3/4 tsp zest
1 frozen banana
Big handful spinach
1 scoop chocolate protein powder or 3 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp raw cacao
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 Tbsp flaxseed (ground)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
Pinch nutmeg

How to make:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and buzz until smooth. I used Sunwarrior raw chocolate protein powder but vanilla will work too!

Makes 1-2 servings

 

Wishing everyone a happy healthy new year!!

In health,
Annaliisa