Valentines Weekend, Friday Coldest Run EVER ~ DNF Again, Red Velvet Smoothie

Did anyone else make Valentine’s Day Smoothies? Here we have a naturally sweetened, creamy, veggie loaded Red Velvet Smoothie that you will make all year round, not just on Valentines Day!

Healthy & Deliciously Creamy

I was honestly hoping for a more reddish color but my beets were more purple than red. Yes, beets❤️. Don’t worry you can’t taste them! Most often my smoothies have a tinge of green color from all the greens but they still taste GREAT! We enjoyed this as a snack after a full day of fun in Minneapolis celebrating US!

We had a lovely Brunch at The Copper Hen. Such a lovely place

First off, it was the COLDEST Valentines Day in history this year. The air temp was 16 below and to be honest, I am not even sure what the wind chill was. Let’s just say it was FREEZING! So cold in fact my credit card froze and split in half while I was getting gas ? .

Oh well, that’s MN for ya?. We decided to brave the temps and I am so glad we did. The roads were good and we had a lot of fun❤️.

Just a couple of love bird braving the COLD for a date day!

After brunch we stopped at one of our favorite hang outs, The Wedge Community Coop, to grab what we needed for the week. It’s a great little store and trust me, I can waste hours in this place. They have some of the best looking produce, fresh nuts to make your own nut butters, fresh coffee beans, healthy convenient frozen food options, and if you’re a cheese lover, incredibly delicious varieties, and much more. My husband definitely knows my love language. My favorite meal to splurge on is brunch, and I love spending time in coops, so you could say our date was perfect.

By the time we got home I was a little hungry so I whipped up a delicious “green” smoothie for an afternoon Valentine’s Day treat using a small beet I grabbed at the market. Once again, three cheers for Cacao (unsweetened raw cocoa powder). It’s the perfect ingredient to add to green smoothies when chocolate-y cravings hit, but I love it for more than just its taste. Plus it pairs perfectly with beets and strawberries!

As I mentioned in this recipe, Cacao is one of the best superfoods you can incorporate into your smoothies. Did you know it is high in phenols? You know what that means…this smooth + rich superfood helps to prevent clogging of arteries in your body. Bottom line? Cacao keeps your heart beating strong for the long haul! I personally love the sound of that and plan on enjoying Cacao more often and not just on Valentine’s Day.

SOOOOO GOOOOD!

It may be freezing outside but trust me, smoothies hit the spot even on the COLDEST days. They’re the perfect post run meal, afternoon snack, and pretty much anytime of the day. Speaking of cold….I DNF (did not finish) another long run Friday. Unfortunately the wind picked up and it was just too cold and uncomfortable to finish my long run last Friday. I ran to the nearest coffee shop and hung out until my brother picked me up. It was toasty warm inside but next time I’ll be sure to bring my credit card. A warm cup of joe would have been nice while I was waiting?.

Just me trying to warm up after a COLD long run Friday

In any case, I think you’ll fall in love with this gorgeous, healthy, Red Velvet Green Smoothie –  perfect for sharing with someone you love!

RED VELVET GREEN SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup fresh spinach or kale
  • 1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened) or almond milk
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds
  • 1 date (pitted)
  • 1/8 cup raw or cooked beets (diced)
  • 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 serving Strawberry Protein Life Shake (or your favorite flavor)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Add all ingredients to your high speed blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Top as desired.

How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day, if you did?

Chocolate fan?

Is it COLD where you are and do you run in this stuff?



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