Yes, I call them smoodies like a little kid would. I just posted a picture on my Instagram account (follow me if you don't already!) of a berry, protein powder, kale smoothie after my morning workout. I am in love with Plant Fusion protein powder. My friend Kristin introduced me to it a few years ago and I am totally hooked! It's a vegan, plant-based protein powder with 21g of protein per scoop. It seriously makes smoothies so creamy and delicious! I have a giant tub right now of both vanilla and chocolate. If you blend those flavors with a frozen banana (make sure you peel it before you freeze it!!!) and some almond milk you will think you are drinking a milkshake. No joke.

I wanted to share one of my all-time favorite green smoothies today! What is your favorite smoothie? Or protein powder? Comment below, I would love to hear! 

Ingredients:
·       1 FROZEN banana
·       1 scoop of protein powder (you can use any type, but I use Plant Fusion)
·       1 date 
·       1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of your choice) 
·       1 heaping handful of kale or spinach (or both if you want!) 
·       Hemp seeds 

(You can skip the date and the hemp seeds and this smoothie will still be bomb.com) 
 
Directions:
1.    Add milk to blender first, then add protein powder, then greens, then finally the banana. Liquid on the bottom, solids on the top! (I seriously was using blenders the wrong way for most of my life! This order is KEY. Am I the only one who never knew that?!) 
2.    Top your smoodie with tasty hemp seeds. I usually get them at Trader Joe's or get these hemp hearts! These seeds are another form of protein packed pure plant nutrition. 

It's a rainy day in DC and I've been eating this chili for a few days so I thought it would be a good time to share this recipe with all of you! I made it on Monday morning before heading to work and threw everything in the crockpot and came home about 9 hours later to this perfect fall flavored dinner! This recipe was adapted from the Kitchen Treaty. It is a veggie dish, but feel free to add ground turkey or ground chicken to add some extra protein! I might try that next time...

Ingredients:
·       3 15-ounce cans of black beans (drained)
·       1 15-ounce can of pumpkin 
·       2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (get the chili seasoned kind for an extra kick!)
·       1 medium onion (diced) 
·       2 red or yellow bell peppers (diced) 
·       1 or 2 tablespoons of chili powder (depending on how spicy you like things!) 
·       1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
·       1 teaspoon of cumin
·       1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg 
·       1/2 teaspoon of salt 
·       1/2 teaspoon of pepper 

(EASY!) Directions:
1.    Add ingredients to your crockpot and stir them up 
2.    Cook on low for 8-10 hours 
3.    Add toppings of your choice. I added some plain greek yogurt on top of mine in place of sour cream and some sliced avocado as well. My husband added some shredded cheddar cheese to his!
4.    Serve and enjoy! You will have lots of leftovers to bring to lunch :) 

Denise Hicks is a plant-based chef and the owner and founder of Postmodern Foods, an organic food and drink company in the DC area. I met Denise while she was working at the Postmodern Foods booth at a local farmers market outside my office. Postmodern Foods offers seasonal, wholesome foods and drinks that are "health-supportive, plant-based, inspired by culinary traditions, influenced by progressive nutrition, and made with the best possible, organic ingredients!" BINGO. No wonder I stopped by this booth on more than one (or 10) occasions and got to know Denise pretty well over the past few years! I am excited to share her story with you today. 

ELLEBEING: First off, tell us more about Postmodern Foods and how you got into the plant-based food business? 

DENISE: Postmodern foods are plant-based, organic, seasonal, health-supportive cold-pressed juices, smoothies, salads, savories, and desserts. I fell in love with plant-based, nutrient dense foods when I fell ill in Los Angeles in 2010.  I went from doctor to doctor and none of them could tell me why I had sudden onset arthritis and horrible stomach pain. The first doctor I walked into asked me if I had HIV! I spent months getting negative test results for everything from cancer to IBS, and then I decided to take my health into my own hands by changing my diet and lifestyle. I never had a weight problem, but I hadn't led a particularly healthy lifestyle as a young adult - drinking a little too often, sleeping too little, and eating whatever was cheapest. It's only a matter of time until those trade-offs catch up with you, and I'm just grateful I got my wakeup call at 29 so I could start making the changes in my diet that would not only elevate my health and well-being, but also improve my mood, ability to access joy, and my overall spiritual well-being.

ELLEBEING: Congrats on turning your life around like that. It's very inspiring to hear your story! Tell us, what does a typical day of eating look like for you? 

DENISE: A typical day of eating, truthfully, is wake up and have 1-2 cups of organic, pressed coffee, usually black, but sometimes with a coconut oil-based "butter" that I make, and/or a little water to cool it down (I don't like it too hot!) [note: most people would say this is a no no, but coffee is a diuretic which is great first thing in the morning, it's warming, I enjoy it, and it works for me!]. After coffee, later in the morning I'll usually have a vegetable-based juice. Early afternoon I'll have a salad, usually one of Postmodern's, and possibly a juice as well, depending upon how hungry I am - I usually keep a few on hand in case I need some extra energy! For dinner I'll usually do a little grains, veggies, fats - like I'll make an organic rice-based pasta, make my own (usually simple) pasta sauce, and toss it with a combo of raw and cooked veggies or greens. I'll usually have a small glass of organic wine with dinner as well. Post-dinner I'm usually not hungry (you shouldn't eat 3 hours before sleeping!), but if I am I'll have a handful of pistachios or a small bowl of organic popcorn. Filtered water throughout the day as well.