Freedom Mapmakers enjoy good health and have energy to spare! For many many years now, in fact it’s been 27 years, my breakfast of choice has been a smoothie.  A smoothie is nutritious, delicious, and quick to make.  Clean up is a snap, too!

A smoothie can be ice cold in the summer and room temp in the winter; at any temperature a smoothie provides a nearly instant and long lasting boost of energy.  Smoothies can facilitate weight management as well, for they make an excellent meal replacement.  You can use fresh or frozen fruit or no fruit at all!

Because I work at home, I have smoothie ingredients and equipment always available.  And if I’m going out for the day, I always have a smoothie before I go.

I am often asked what I put in my smoothies.  This has changed somewhat through the years, although there have been some constants, like bananas and spirulina powder.  In addition to spirulina, my current recipe includes maca powder, undenatured whey protein, a mild vanilla flavored rice protein, chia gel, and water.  When the weather warms up I add frozen berries. Please be forewarned: this is not a pink “fru-fru” drink…it’s green from the spirulina.  If you close your eyes when you drink, you’ll never know it’s not pink!

Smoothie Recipe

1 banana, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup frozen berries, optional

1 cup  purified water

1 scoop rice protein

1 tsp maca powder

1 tsp spirulina

3 TB chia gel

Place ingredients in blender or immersion blender cup.  Blend well.

Add one scoop (10 g) undenatured whey protein and blend for 1-2 seconds only.

Enjoy!

Do you know what a Chorkie is?  As I type, I have one curled up beside me keeping warm in a fleece blanket.  This particular chorkie is named Layla and she belongs to our daughter, Lucy.  Because we work at home, we are her dog-sitters when Lucy travels.  Layla is the sweetest creature; a small bundle bursting with life energy! A chorkie is a small dog - a mixed breed of chihuahua and yorkshire terrier.

I’ve never been a small dog person.  I’m more of the yellow lab, golden retriever type.  But there’s something about Layla that has encouraged me to make new maps in my mind about what makes a dog great!.  I now know that chorkies are just as loyal as labs.  And just as affectionate.  And certainly as cute, if not more adorable!  In fact, you can take a chorkie with you anywhere!  She fits into a purse, and everywhere I go with Layla, people smile and want to connect with her.  She cuddles up on my lap and sleeps.  She jumps in the air and spins for her treats.  She sleeps burrowed under the covers.  She can walk on her two hind feet and she can walk on her two front feet with her hind feet up in the air.  I’ve never seen a lab do that! It is a little strange putting clothes on her to keep her warm, but she’s so small it’s a necessity in cold weather.

Layla is three years old today.  What does she want for her birthday?  It’s quite obvious - she wants Lucy to come back!  We’ll be bringing Layla to the airport tonight when we pick up Lucy.  We’ll all be glad to see Lucy, but sad to see Layla go.  We’ll miss her little head popping out from the covers in the morning!