Our next finalist is Sara from Taste and See.  She is a real food sister who came to realize the problems with processed foods in much the same way that I did.  She is a wonderful real food resource.  Check out her recipe and then head over to her blog  Taste and See for more healthy and delicious recipes.

Now here is Sara……………

 

My
name is Sara and I am a Christian, wife, mother and homemaker. I cook and blog
about real, whole foods, many of which are grain and dairy-free. My journey
with real food started in 2010 with a series of unexplained symptoms that
plagued me day and night. Pretty soon I discovered a connection between my diet
(and specific trigger foods) and my seemingly unrelated symptoms. A radical
diet change thus ensued. Not only did I move away from the typical Standard
American Diet to unprocessed, nutrient-dense eating, but I eliminated many trigger
foods as well (such as gluten and dairy). It was tough to say the least. I
missed all the “quick food” I’d
become accustomed to and all the things I felt I was missing and that others
around me were able to eat freely.

 

 

But I
felt better, so I stuck with it. And then it began getting better. And better.
And better. Now—I wouldn’t go back to my old diet for anything!

I
created my blog as a way to help others. Diet change is so challenging
(shouldn’t everything else in life stop while I
figure this out?) and resources are crucial. I hope to encourage others
wherever they are on their real food journey and to continue learning myself.

I have
to say that smoothies are one of my all-time favorite foods. And this time of
year just shouts “smoothies”—okay, let me just insert here that I will and do eat
smoothies ANY time of the year, but summer is an
especially wonderful time for these delicious cold treats. Warm weather; ripe,
plump produce around and about; it just…goes
together. Needless to say, I’ve been slurping up some kind of
smoothie almost every day over the last month and there’s no sign of letting up any time soon.
(My poor blender doesn’t
stand a chance.)

I
wanted to share with you one of my favorite combinations so far.

 

 

 

The
banana, avocado, coconut milk and almond butter provide a creamy texture
without the use of dairy (although you can definitely use dairy if you’d like). And the
chocolate and honey make it taste amazing. This dessert-type smoothie is
perfect for an after-dinner treat.Taste and See’s Creamy Chocolate-Banana Smoothie (Dairy Free) (Makes 2 servings)

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 1 frozen banana, extra-ripe
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 1/2 cups milk of choice (I like to use homemade coconut milk)
• 2 Tbsp almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp raw honey (more or less to taste)
• dash of sea salt
• 4-6 ice cubes

Looking for a breakfast smoothie? Give this green breakfast smoothie a try!

Big thank you to Christina for having me today and to you for stopping by to check out my recipe! Please, leave a comment to vote for my recipe in this competition.

Now it’s your turn………..leave your comments below and cast your vote for Sara’s Creamy Chocolate-Banana Smoothie. Are you a fruit smoothie person or is chocolate what really gets you excited? Do you like to add vegetables to yours? Do eat your smoothies as a breakfast, lunch, snack or dessert? Have you ever used basil in a smoothie?

Make sure you check back tomorrow for another great smoothie recipe!

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