Fit Friday; Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie & 5 Reasons to Keep Your Workouts a Priority

Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe is healthy and health-conscious not to mention perfect for wintery mornings! I love my daily smoothies- there's no better way to add good nutrition into my day! Smoothies have been a part of our family for over a decade and we simply adore sharing them. Today's smoothie recipe combines asian pear, pomegranate, low-fat kefir, and vanilla protein powder. I have my own kefir starter because I love it that much, please keep reading to learn more about it. Be sure to enjoy our Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe this week too!  We're all about Healthy Holidays & Fit Friday with Miss Nichole from Pure Clean Coaching is today! So happy that she comes every week to share her awesome fitness knowledge with us! If you want check out more of our Fit Friday posts then CLICK HERE! 

Why smoothies? Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe

Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie is one of my favorite smoothies- because it's a perfect snack or quick breakfast any time of year! I really love them after a good workout. While my kiddos were in high school, I would often make them protein smoothies to grab in the morning on their way out the door to school. I was happy knowing they had healthy nutrition even in the midst of such a busy time of life! 

Ingredients in our Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe:

• Kefir- Kefir is a healthy, fermented food with a consistency comparable to drinkable yogurt. This product is traditionally made from dairy milk, but plenty of non-dairy options are available. Studies suggest that it boosts your immune system, aids in digestive problems, improves bone health and may even combat cancer.
• Asian Pear- Asian pears are high in fibre, low in calories and a good source of Vitamin K and C, copper, and potassium. Potassium: Potassium is important for your body's cells, organs and tissues to function properly.
• Pomegranate Seeds- Pomegranate Seeds are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and fatty acids that may benefit your health. They are also a good source of vitamin E and magnesium.
• Vanilla Protein Powder- There are many kinds of protein powders available on the market- I like to use a whey based protein powder. Whey protein is generally safe and can help you build muscle and strength, lose weight, reduce your appetite and boost your metabolism.

Can I make my own Kefir? 

Yes! I have a kefir start and make my own kefir- I discovered a packet at my local health food store and got a start going. I love it! It's also much more cost effective than buying it by the bottle. If you prefer flavored kefir then it's simple to do. . . just combine fresh fruit and your plain kefir in the blender; blend until smooth and enjoy!

How do you make homemade Kefir? 

1. Once you have a kefir starter going- The starter I used was Milk Kefir Starter Grains
2. Transfer the active kefir grains into up to 4 cups of fresh milk.
3. Cover with a coffee filter or butter muslin secured by a rubber band or jar ring.
4. Place in a warm spot, 68°-85°F, to culture.
5. Culture until milk is slightly thickened and aroma is pleasant.

Smoothie 101 & our Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe

• Invest in a heavy duty blender; I’ve used a Blend Tec for well over a century now and I love it! It’s powerful enough to blend frozen fruit and vegetables smooth, smooth, smooth! 
• I prefer using frozen fruits and vegetables in my smoothies so they have a thicker consistency. 
• Freeze extra fruits and vegetables as they are just beginning to turn over-ripe; I use gallon plastic zip top freezer bags to toss them in.
• Freeze fresh produce to use later- I find they last just fine for up to 4 weeks. ie: spinach or mixed salad greens, baby carrots, cucumbers, banana’s broken into four pieces, sliced/cored apples and pears, extra berries, peeled/segmented oranges and clementines, grapes, and the list goes on! 
• Extra nutrient add in’s are always good try adding: vanilla and chocolate protein powders, dry oats, a small handful of nuts, peanut butter, flavored yogurt or kefir, and more. 

Super food add in’s: gogi berries, coconut oil, avocado, acai or cacoa powder, chia or hemp or flax seeds, etc!   

Indulge in our Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe and these tasty smoothies, too!

• Starbucks Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
• Starbucks Orange Mango Smoothie Recipe
• Banana Nut Smoothie Recipe
• Pineapple Mango Banana Smoothie Recipe
• Carrot, Orange, Ginger Smoothie
• Green Tea Protein Smoothie
• Chocolate Raspberry Protein Smoothie
• Starbucks Chocolate Smoothie Recipe
• Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie
• Mint Raspberry Peach Smoothie
• White Peach, Cucumber, Mint Smoothie
• Strawberry, Citrus, Coconut Oat Smoothie

Today's Fit Friday & our Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe

Asian Pear and Pomegranate Smoothie Recipe is a nutritious and fun way to start your day! 

 We have made it through Thanksgiving with plenty of food to spare at our house. We have given our thanks, spread some love, and now we are looking forward to Christmas. I feel like some of the pressure is off this year with a few less expectations and places to be but I also feel like some of the pressure has been dialed up a few notches in order to fill in gaps and replace what may not be happening, whatever may be going on at your house now is not the time to crack! Instead we need to remember all the great reasons we workout and keep your health on the priority list. 

We have heard it all before guys, nothing on my list of reasons is a surprise or something new. But I absolutely feel that sometimes we just need to be reminded of the basics, of the reasons, and remember your why. Nothing on this list had anything to do with your weight or those "skinny jeans." Working out goes beyond what you look like.

A big motivator for me personally is my mental health and mood. This momma goes for a few days without at least sneaking in a short run and my kids start to feel the brunt of it with my short remarks and loss of patience.

The goal for the next month is to get in your workouts and keep your sanity!

We love to hear about your magical cooking moments. If you get a chance to make our recipes then leave us a comment or tag us on Instagram @cookingwithruthie, pin us on Pinterest, or follow along with us on Facebook so we can share in the joy of cooking with you! Please reach out if you have questions or comments via our email: ruthie@cookingwithruthie.com. We’re excited to see you again soon!   One more thing before you go... We love creating recipes and sharing our adventures with you, so if you can do us a huge favor it’d really support us! It’s easier to stay motivated to share our best with you when we hear from you!! We adore our readers and it really makes our day to get comments, social tags/shares, or pins that you save for later to share with your family and friends! Our hearts sing when you do. We SEE you and we do our very best to respond to all the love! It also amps up our mo-jo so we get lots of awesome things done around here.   

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Thanks for sharing in the CWR blog-love!

 Love Always, Ruthie & Madeliene 

and Nichole