The Friday 5 – New Signs and Our EASY Daily Smoothie Recipe!
1. Guess Who Can Play Tennis Now?
Ya girl can play tennis! It’s a miracle. Some of you may know that I used to practice martial arts, more specifically, Korean TaeKwonDo. I love exercising and playing sports, but I am not the most coordinated when it comes to ball sports (eg. soccer, baseball, etc.) I think it has to do with my poor eyesight and lack of sense of distance because a lot of times I swing my racket at the ball and completely miss!
Last time I accompanied Dr. David to the courts to learn, I was abandoned at the sidelines, instructed to hit the ball against the wall until he finished his game (lol). This time, we played with friends at similar skill levels to us, so I was able to learn by doing! I would say I was able to hit the ball about 50% of the time, which is 100% better than I expected and a 110% improvement.
I noticed my forearm was tight afterward and it took a couple days to calm, but thankfully, no injuries because Dr. David taught me the proper form in holding the racket and hitting the ball (form is so important to me because martial arts is all about proper form AND this lessens the chances of injuries). He also wrote a page about sport injuries and tennis elbow, click the links to read all about it!
2. New Signs Are UP
The second most complex aspect of opening Alight Chiropractic has been SIGNAGE. It’s our first time ordering business signage (I mean, we literally Googled “business signs near me” or something like that), so I’ve been whiplashed riding this huge learning curve.
I would say the factors that complicate the sign design process are: timing, effectively conveying your vision to the designer to minimize the back-and-forth, and understanding the sign industry’s pricing. In the end, I learned a lot and the most important thing is that most of our signs are now up and lookin’ good!
I’d love to write a post on signage in our Designing a Chiropractic Clinic series, so if you’re curious about the process, leave us a comment below!
3. All the Baking
Fall is so, so close and that means the holidays are approaching, and THAT means – it’s all about baking from now until the end of the year! I declare it because I need the holiday season to wash over all the indignation of this year. I’ve already started practicing my baking skills, CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING??? Here is what I’ve been up to:
-Russian Tea Cakes
-Almond Flour Brownies (These are legit brownies, just a bit drier, but I’m working on a more fudgy adaptation!)
-Coffee Bread
I can’t promise I’ll always bake something healthy, but I do always think of who I’m baking for (ie. “So and so has a nut allergy,” “so and so hates coconut,” etc.) and use the best ingredients available to me. I’m so excited to try more delicious and healthy recipes to make for my family and friends!
4. Our First Hike
On Sunday, we went on our first hike together. (I know, it is absolutely ridiculous when we live in the Pacific Northwest, I at least have some Washingtonian pride and am good and shamed.) We chose an easy local trail that I don’t know the name of. It was quiet and secluded, one of those trails where the wildness of nature is pristine…So much so that Dr. David saw a little snake slither by!
We still finished the hike and I wanted to show you the baby stream that we came across. The sunshine peeked through the tops of the trees in a super dreamy way and we felt like we were in a Lord of the Rings movie. We hope to commune with nature a bit more before the cold weather hits and we encourage you to do the same!
5. Easy Daily Smoothie
We have been on a smoothie kick lately! It all started because we had leftover spinach – spinach is wonderful to add to all kinds of sauces, soups, and smoothies because it is nutritious and easy to hide for those with picky palettes like me! We stuck it in a blender with healthy ingredients we had on-hand and it resulted in this delicious and EASY daily smoothie.
We’ve replaced lunch with this smoothie recipe, mostly because it’s fast, and helps us combat the hot weather and give our digestive systems a little reboot. Here’s how to make it –
You will need:
-Blender
-Handful of blueberries
-Handful of strawberries
-Handful of tropical fruit blend
-1/2 banana
-2 handfuls of spinach (and/or kale)
-1/2 tsp turmeric powder
-Juice of 1/2 lemon
-1 tbsp raw honey
-1/2 cup of milk of your choice
**Note: I like to use frozen strawberries and tropical fruit because 1.) they tend to go bad fast, 2.) they’re not always in season, 3.) then I don’t need to use ice! If you are using all fresh fruit, add 3-6 ice cubes.
**Note #2: These portions are for my smoothie because I am small and have a smaller appetite; it produces 3/4 glass of smoothie. If you’d like a larger, even more healthy (and a little less tasty) smoothie, double the banana, milk, and turmeric, and add one more handful of greens! (Warning: It will taste 110% like turmeric lol, but turmeric has great health benefits!)
Instructions:
1.) Add all the ingredients to the blender
2.) Blend away and enjoy!
I love this recipe because it consists of ingredients that we always have in our kitchen! We don’t need to run out and buy specialty foods, which is helpful for a daily recipe. I do have a recipe with more superfoods that I will share when I’ve perfected it! Let us know if you try this recipe and what YOU like to put in your go-to smoothie recipe. Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo – Joyce
