Recipes | Fluid Movement + Massage

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie

July 11, 2014July 11, 2014Anne

It’s the season for camping, backyard BBQs, trips to the coast, and days at the hot springs… anything to get us closer to the sunshine and into the water!

On my recent trip to Florida I was out on the beach in the middle of the day and got a little too much sun. I should have known better and covered up, but I purposefully did not put on sunscreen. In the past few years I have all but stopped using it. Instead I wear a big hat (see the photo below of me and my cute Mom on the beach) and bring a long sleeve shirt if I am going to be out for hours at a time.

I’m sure you have been told to slather yourself with sunscreen daily, even in the winter, however you may be doing more harm than good. I believe that getting a blistering sunburn is a bad idea and can cause permanent damage to your skin. I also believe that some sun exposure improves my mental and physical health.

Most commercial sunscreens are loaded with chemicals that not only keep us from producing enough vitamin E, but actually increase our risk of skin cancer. The good news is we can help our skin be more resistant to burning by choosing to eat foods that support our digestive health. This month I offer a delicious healthy not too sweet smoothie that does just that.

This refreshing summer treat is full of healthy, whole foods that nourish skin and may protect both against sunburn and long term skin damage!

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

6 small ripe apricots

1/2 cup kale

1/2 cup spinach

1 cup blueberries

1 – 2 cups green tea

1 handful mint leaves

1 large handful ice

1 tsp spirulina powder

* Recipe makes enough for two to share

How to make

1. Brew tea to your liking and let cool. I used organic loose leaf jasmine green tea from Whole Foods. You can also apply green tea bags to your skin topically for more relief from a long day in the sun.

2. Chop or tear up all of your greens – kale, spinach, mint – and measure out amounts.

3. Combine all ingredients in your blender (starting with just 1 cup of green tea to begin with) and blend thoroughly until you reach desired consistency. Add more ice to thicken and cool, add more tea if you want a thinner smoothie.

4. Pour in a fun cocktail glass, top with some blueberries and a sprig of mint, and sip on this!

Enjoy!

Anne McCranie, owner of Fluid Movement + Massage, is a Portland (Sellwood) Oregon based Licensed Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

Chocolate + Coconut Pineapple Bites

May 29, 2014June 2, 2014Anne

Y’all know my buddy Laura Ruben? She is an insanely good cook. She crafts delicious meals with simple, healthy ingredients. You have probably sampled her handiwork at Fluid’s summer client parties and she was the head chef on our Hawaii retreats. Her latest creation, these chocolate pineapple bites are the perfect summer treat! Try this healthy dessert at your next backyard barbeque and let me know what you think.

This simple recipe relies on the amazing flavors and nutrition of each of the few ingredients. I love the Del Monte Gold pineapple because it’s not as acidic as some other varieties. One of my favorite fruits, pineapple is jam packed with Vitamin C, Manganese and healthy fiber. The deep dark chocolate balances the pineapple’s tartness, while the coconut adds crunch.

Ingredients:

One Del Monte Gold pineapple

Two cups of dark chocolate chips (60% cacao or higher)

Two Tablespoons of coconut oil (click here for my favorite brand)

One cup organic shredded coconut (I like Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened)

Toothpicks

Directions:

1. Peel, core and cut the pineapple into rings, and then into bite sized chunks.

2. Place the pineapple pieces on a paper towel on a plate, core side up and spear with a toothpick.

3. Pour shredded coconut into a bowl.

4. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in the top level of a double boiler until it is smooth and creamy. (or microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth)

5. Let the chocolate cool slightly. Dip pineapple in chocolate sauce, roll in coconut flakes (sides first, then bottom), set on a plate and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Anne McCranie is a Sellwood, (Portland) Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers these recipes to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

Curried Quinoa Salad

April 30, 2014May 1, 2014Anne

Here is a light and flavorful spring salad that is loaded with crunchy veggies, protein packed quinoa, Greek yogurt, and gently spiced with curry and lime!

Salad Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked

1/2 lb broccoli florets, steamed

1/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

2 large celery stalks, diced

1 apple, cored and diced (tossed in 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice)

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt

Juice from half a small lemon or lime

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp curry powder

pinch of cayenne

3 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Steam broccoli, and toast and chop almonds. Cook quinoa according to package directions. I cooked mine in the rice cooker, one cup of quinoa to two cups water or broth for about 20 minutes. Let everything chill.

2. Combine all salad ingredients.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients.

4. Toss the salad and dressing together.

Enjoy!

This keeps well for a few days in the fridge, and is particularly crisp and refreshing if chilled in the fridge for a few hours prior to serving!

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based personal trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice. Do you have a favorite recipe to share? Email Anne Anne@FluidPortland.com or post a comment below.

Silky Egg Breakfast Soup

April 3, 2014April 3, 2014Anne

What can I say, I’m on a bit of a soup kick this winter. As a matter of fact I have a pot of Tom Kha Gai soup simmering away as I type this.

What about soup for breakfast?

While not so common here, there are many cultures that start their day with a warm bowl of nourishing soup. My friend Minga offers this breakfast soup recipe featuring highly nutritious chicken broth and eggs. Eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years. I consider them to be a health food and eat eggs almost every day. Eggs provide high quality proteins, vitamins, nutrients, minerals and good fats.

From Minga:

Growing up in Thailand most of our breakfasts were savory. Often we would have noodle soups, rice soups, meats, veggies and eggs of all kinds to nourish us deeply for a day of activity. Personally, a day without eggs is akin to a day without water. We eat eggs every day unless there is a crisis and we can’t get local farmers’ eggs with golden yolks.

This is one of the soups we love to have in the morning designed after congee, but without the starchy rice component. The recipe below is for 2 people. Feel free to double it or triple it depending on your family size. Red Boat fish sauce is a must in this dish to make it taste really Thai. It’s the only fish sauce I have found without sugar in it.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Thai chicken broth with some of the meat returned to the broth
5 eggs
2 tablespoons fish sauce
salt to taste

Garnish possibilities:

julienned ginger
chopped cilantro
chopped green onion
dried shrimp
fried garlic

Directions:

Heat broth and chicken in pot at a medium heat until lightly boiling. While the broth is heating, blend the eggs in a bowl with a hand blender or mix with a blender.
Pour the mixed eggs into the broth slowly while stirring. Turn the heat to low and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add fish sauce and salt to taste.
Serve in portion sized bowls and garnish to taste!
Enjoy!

Thanks to Metta River for use of this recipe and photo. Visit Shawn and Minga’s website for more yummy and healthy recipes, and news on their upcoming workshops.

Shawn Kinsella is a Certified Nutritional Therapist and Licensed Massage Therapist here in Portland. He uses evidence-based nutritional counseling to create a personalized nutrition program that helps restore balance, harmony and vitality to your body.

Minga Lily is an integrative therapist fusing traditional Thai medicine, energy assessment, yogic exercises and dialogue addressing the psyche. She assists her clients in developing ongoing self-care practices to alleviate pain, restore balance and encourage optimal health. Minga enjoys working with clients of all ages who are motivated to maintain self-care routines that sustain and enhance the work she does with them.

Learn more about Shawn and Minga at www.mettari ver.com

Spicy Veggie Soup

January 7, 2014January 7, 2014Anne

Anybody else recovering from an overindulgent holiday? This month I am making a concerted effort to include more veggies and less sugar in my diet.

Are you looking for healthy meal ideas? Try this veggie soup courtesy of my buddy Laura. This soup is so creamy and delicious I couldn’t believe it was dairy free and vegan. Keep reading for the secret ingredient…

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp of olive oil
3 large carrots
4 large ribs of celery (plus the inside ribs, with all leaves attached)
1 large onion
1 large head of broccoli, including stalk
3 cloves of garlic
1 small box (8 oz) of mushrooms
1 small jalapeno
2 cups potato stock*
1 tsp thyme

Method:

Roughly chop all your veggies (you will be blending them later).
Saute in olive oil in a stock pot over med-high heat for a few minutes until they are slightly browned.
Add potato stock and bring to a boil. Cook until veggies are soft, an hour or so.
Turn off heat and let sit for a half hour.
Transfer to blender and blend (NEVER BLEND HOT LIQUIDS) and pour back into soup pot.
Add thyme, reheat soup and serve.

*potato stock is the leftover salted water from boiled potatoes. This gives the soup a creamy texture. You may also use chicken or veggie stock.

Anne McCranie is a Portland Oregon based personal trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers this recipe to pique your interest in healthy foods. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.