Gaia Herbs: Review & Recipe

I've been thinking about this blog a lot recently. My last post was back in February! Life has gotten away from me lately, and I've been neglecting a lot of my old hobbies. I promise that changes this week!

Last month, I was selected to participate in a campaign with Fitfluential and Gaia Herbs. Those of you who have been following me on social media or know me personally know that I've been following a plant-based diet for just under two years. My nutrition has been pretty off lately, and I've been working hard to incorporate more whole foods and supplements into my diet again. So I was pretty excited when this showed up at my door:

Three tubs of Gaia Herbs Organic Maca Powder and a shaker bottle. All for me!

Not sure what maca powder is? Here's what you need to know!

Maca has been used as a caffeine-free, plant-based performance enhancer since the Inca Empire, as it supports energy and stamina. It's an adaptogen, meaning it supports a healthy response to stress. Sounds perfect for endurance athletes!

So what can you do with it? Maca powder can be blended into smoothies and juices, or mixed in to oatmeal, yogurt, or chia pudding.

I personally have used maca powder in my smoothie bowls, which I regularly eat for breakfast. I'm not the type of girl who swings by the local coffee shops for pumpkin spice lattes or maple-glazed pumpkin scones, so I find ways to enjoy those irresistible fall flavors in my favorite plant-based recipes. Because when it's fall and you're a twentysomething-year-old female, pumpkin spice is a must!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
(inspired by Simple Green Smoothies)
Serves 1

Ingredients:
-1 cup fresh or frozen kale (to be honest, I never measure this...I just stuff in as much as I can!)
-1 cup (8oz) almond milk, unsweetened
-1 tablespoon chia seeds or flaxseeds
-1 teaspoon Gaia's Organic Maca Powder
-1 frozen banana, sliced
-1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

What to do!
Add kale and almond milk to a high-speed blender; blend until smooth (doing this first helps eliminate the chunks of kale). Then, add the chia, maca, and banana slices.

The star of today's show: organic maca powder!

Blend until most of the banana has been chopped up. Next, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, and blend until smooth.

So basic, it hurts.

I almost forgot this little guy!

Finally, pour into a cup or bowl (depending if you want a smoothie or smoothie bowl) and enjoy! I'm not one for toppings but feel free to top with chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), granola, more pumpkin pie spice...whatever!

What's your favorite smoothie recipe? Share in the comments!

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Review, Recipe, and Giveaway!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest and the Sweat Pink community in exchange for a review of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts. All opinions expressed are my own.

Almost exactly three years ago, I become a vegetarian. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, so I decided that my last time eating meat would be at my family's Turkey Day feast. I enjoyed my last few bites of turkey at my grandparent's apartment, and haven't had a bite of meat since.

Even though I no longer eat meat, and my Thanksgiving dinner plate is usually loaded with salad and side dishes, I love all of those traditional Thanksgiving flavors. Cranberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, all those nutty fall flavors...the best! And since becoming a vegetarian, I've explored tons of new foods, especially those that help me meet my daily protein needs.

One of my favorite discoveries since transitioning to a plant-based diet is hemp hearts. So when FitApproach provided me with an opportunity to do a review and giveaway on my blog for Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, I applied immediately!

Hemp hearts are tiny seeds that have a slight nutty flavor, along with a whopping 10 grams of protein in each 30-gram serving. And there are so many ways to eat them! These seeds can be sprinkled on top of salads, cereal, or yogurt, blended into your favorite smoothie, or whisked into the batter of your favorite baked goods. You can even eat them straight out of the bag! The possibilities are endless.

Now, you're probably wondering why I mentioned my love of Thanksgiving foods earlier. FitApproach and Manitoba Harvest asked that I try out a new recipe with the 2oz bag that I received. I looked up several recipes using hemp hearts on the Internet, before selecting a Fruit and Hemp Seed Muesli recipe from Whole Foods that I altered to taste just like Thanksgiving dinner (minus the bird).

Everything-But-The-Thanksgiving-Turkey Muesli

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cups quick-cooking oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats)
• 1/2 cup Manitoba Harvest Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds)
• 5 pitted dates, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and toss to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

To serve warm, combine 1/2 cup muesli with 1/2 cup liquid of choice (unsweetened non-dairy milk, water, etc.) and simmer on the stovetop until oats are softened, 1-2 minutes.

Want to win a bag of your own? Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is and you're automatically entered! Winner will be announced on November 13, 2015. Good luck!