Sami Martin

Tag: apples

  • Fresh Morning Greens

    Nutrition

    Written By Sam Martin

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    Do You Struggle to Get Your Fresh Greens?

    You’re not alone. Eating an abundance of fresh greens every day can be challenging, especially when processed foods seem to be everywhere. But incorporating more greens into your diet doesn’t have to feel like a chore. One of the easiest and most refreshing ways I’ve found to start my day with a boost of nutrients and energy is with a super green apple smoothie.

    This smoothie is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an excellent choice for those looking to fuel their mornings with fresh, raw greens. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with different smoothie combinations to create the perfect balance of flavour, texture, and nutrition, and this one has quickly become a favourite.

    The key to making this smoothie both nutritious and delicious is using whole, natural ingredients that provide a variety of essential nutrients. The crisp, tartness of a granny smith apple, blended with hydrating coconut water, frozen baby spinach, and fresh mint leaves, creates an invigorating and refreshing drink that wakes up your taste buds and gives your body what it needs.

    Why Green Smoothies?

    Greens are packed with essential nutrients, yet they are often missing from the average diet. Leafy greens like spinach provide a rich source of iron, calcium, vitamin K, and fiber, while spirulina (a nutrient-dense blue-green algae) is a natural source of protein, B vitamins, and antioxidants. Adding mint not only enhances the flavour but also supports digestion and gut health.

    One of the biggest benefits of drinking a green smoothie in the morning is that it helps alkalize the body, keeping your pH balanced and giving you natural, sustained energy throughout the day. When you start the day with fresh, raw greens, you’re giving your body an immediate dose of vitamins and minerals without relying on processed foods or artificial ingredients.

    How to Make the Super Green Apple Smoothie

    The best part about this smoothie is that it requires minimal ingredients, all sourced from plants and trees—nature’s perfect food. Everything in this recipe is designed to nourish and fuel the body.

    Take your blender of choice (I personally use the Ninja Blender) and combine the following:

    Ingredients (Serves 1)

    ✅ 1/2 cup frozen green apple slices – Tart, refreshing, and packed with fiber and vitamin C
    ✅ 1/2 cup frozen baby spinach – Rich in iron, folate, and antioxidants
    ✅ 1/2 teaspoon spirulina – A powerful superfood packed with protein and B vitamins
    ✅ 5-10 fresh mint leaves – Adds a cooling flavour and aids digestion
    ✅ 1/2 to 1 cup coconut water – Hydrating and full of electrolytes (coconut milk or plain water are also great options)

    Optional Add-Ins:

    • 1/4 avocado – For extra creaminess and healthy fats
    • 1 tablespoon almond or cashew butter – Adds protein and a smooth texture
    • 1 teaspoon chia or flax seeds – A great source of fiber and omega-3s

    The Method

    1. Chop the granny smith apple into bite-sized pieces. If you don’t have frozen apple slices, you can use fresh, but frozen will help make the smoothie colder and thicker.
    2. Add all ingredients to your blender. Start with 1/2 cup of coconut water and add more if needed for your desired consistency.
    3. Blend until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more coconut water.
    4. Pour into a chilled glass and enjoy immediately.

    Eat What the Earth Provides

    What I love most about this smoothie is that it’s made entirely from foods grown from the earth—fresh fruits, leafy greens, and plant-based superfoods. I’ve made it a goal to consume more of what nature naturally provides, learning from the earth and the sun to fuel my body with real, whole foods.

    Greens don’t have to be boring or difficult to incorporate into your diet. Start your morning with a super green smoothie, and you’ll be giving your body a powerful boost of nutrients, hydration, and energy—all in one delicious glass.

    If you’ve been struggling to get your greens in, this is one of the easiest ways to start! Try it and let me know what you think.

    “You know me, I think there ought to be a big old tree right there. And let’s give him a friend. Everybody needs a friend.”

    — Bob Ross

    green smoothiesuper greensspinachgreen apples

  • Vegan Apple Spice Muffins

    Vegan Apple Spice Muffins

    recipeswellness

    Written By Sam Martin

    The Perfect Fall Recipe for a Healthy Snack

    Fall Harvest - Apple Spice Muffins
    Fall Harvest – Apple Spice Muffins

    Let me start by saying this, when a loved one asks for a healthy fall recipe, you try your best to find and create the perfect recipe! One that will satiate the desire to eat it. Thank you Rainbow Plant life for having the perfect starter to what would be a delicious treat for a Labour Day recipe treat! It is always fun to have a new recipe.

    Making the Mix!

    The recipe turned out really well. Of course, I needed to make some changes. I always need to add my own spin. I changed some of her ingredients and instead of making donuts we made muffins with donut holes. (We do not own a donut tin and only had muffin silicones.) The food changes made were substituting part of the all purpose flour with oat and coconut flour. (I do this in my banana bread and it is fantastic) plus no cane sugar, instead substitute with equal amount of coconut sugar. This is a lower glycemic less intense sweetener. Of course, this is all relative to taste.

    Changing out the sugar and the flour increases the nutrients and health benefits without losing any of the flavours. In fact the substitutions do not increase the calories while providing additional nutrients our body use. When making these substitutions for yourself, be sure you are using the organic versions. For the oat flour, we make ours at home by grinding whole oats. We drop them in our Ninja Blender and a little blitz we have oat flour. Don’t worry I will list all the ingredients and their nutritional values down below.

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    Donuts and Nut MilkCreativity abounds with fun food decorating

    BATTER INGREDIENTS

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    • 1 cup coconut milk (you can substitute other plant based milks as well)
    • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 
    • 1/3 cup organic coconut sugar (or us maple syrup)
    • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups
      – 1 cup all-purpose flour
      – 1/2 cup oat flour
      – 1/2 cup coconut flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

    APPLE SPICE MIX

    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 

    Combine the spices in a bowl and mix them all up.

    CARDAMOM MAPLE ICING

    • 1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar 
    • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup 
    • 3-4 tablespoons plant based milk
    • 1-2 pinches of ground cardamom
    • 1 pinch of ground cloves

    Pour the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Add the maple syrup and milk, a tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth and not too thin. Add more spices if desired

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    Directions

    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
    2. Pour the milk into a measuring cup and add the apple cider vinegar. Give it a whisk to combine. Let sit until the mixture is slightly curdled.
    3. Combine in a large bowl the flour, salt, baking powder, and Apple Spice Mix.
    4. In another medium bowl, combine the milk-vinegar mixture, applesauce, sugar, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract. Stir them up until batter is smooth.
    5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined, be sure not to over mix.
    6. Spoon the mixture into your donut or muffin tins filling at about 3/4 full. We used foil to make the holes.
    7. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
    8. Dip each donut into the Cardamom Maple Icing, and if desired, sprinkle on chopped nuts and toasted coconut. Allow the donuts to rest for 15 minutes for the icing to set.

    recipemuffinsdonutsvegannutritioushomemadehealthyapplespice