Super Food Saturday- Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

It's the new year. I am back to ramping up my training because the race season starts for me next week. I had a break from intense training for a few months and I took a bit of a break from super healthy eating as well. 

Time to get back to eating nutrient dense food. This recipe fits that well.  Maca powder is touted for benefits to mood, skin, energy, sexual health and athletic performance.  I added the cocoa nibs because they were sitting in my pantry.  The chocolate and strawberries are a good pairing. The nibs don't completely break down in the blender, so drinking this smoothie was like eating strawberry chocolate chip ice cream.  You can get the chocolate flavor with chocolate protein powder instead of the vanilla I used.  or a bit of cocoa powder. You will have to experiment with the amount to use.

I made this up out of ingredients I had in the house, so feel free to do your own experimenting.

1 cup coconut milk

1 ripe banana

1 cup frozen strawberries

½ cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons Maca powder

2 tablespoons coco nibs

2 tablespoons whey protein powder

You will need a really strong blender since the strawberries are frozen. The frozen fruit help to make a really thick smoothie.  It is like a shake. The cocoa nibs have some fat, so if you are eating a low fat diet you can leave them out and substitute chocolate extract or use chocolate flavored protein powder..

Serves 2

Super Foods: Greek Yogurt, Cacao Nibs, Maca powder

Cacao Nibs
A 1 ounce serving has 44% of the daily fiber requirement.

Maca Powder
This root vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids.  It is a member of the radish family.

  It is believed it regulates the body’s glandular function and promotes hormone balance. People in Peru have used Maca powder for many years to treat the symptoms of menopause and low libido.  They believe it enhances general health, increases energy and stamina.

It is rich in vitamin C, E, B.  Many athletes take Maca to increase energy and athletic performance.  It has been shown to grow muscle mass if used as part of a workout program.

It is good for emotional health helping to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and stress.

Greek Yogurt
Higher in protein than regular yogurt. It is also thicker which makes it great for smoothies.

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Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015.  

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 159 members in 32 states. We also have members in Australia, Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland and Iran. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

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