Contagious Hope and Green Orange Smoothie Recipe

This Green Orange Smoothie recipe is the perfect morning treat that gives you energy all day long!

This week I’ve started my days off with a good work-out (either the gym, running, hiking, walking, weights, yoga — I mix it up), and a green smoothie! My sis told me about this “morning treat,” and I’ve loved getting my greens in first thing each morning, plus I feel energized all day long! (A “just-home-from yoga-selfie,” looking forward to my smoothie!!)

It’s amazing what a good smoothie will do for you. So today I’m sharing this very simple recipe.

Green Orange Smoothie.

These lovely ingredients. (The best oranges right now–Cara Cara–I’ve been getting 2 bags at a time from Costco!) And always the option to add protein powder!

If you don’t have frozen pineapple, freeze bananas in a Ziplock bag and use 1/3 of a banana in its place.

Blend (I use a Vitamix).

What makes it good is something frozen, so you can always add ice, too! Enjoy!

Prioritizing people.

I also want to share something sweet about my day yesterday.

After reading an email from my friend, Joan, who lives in the Midwest and faithfully reads my blog (so sweet, I’m always amazed when people tell me this, and humbled!), I decided to take the time and visit an elderly friend who’s in a retirement home. I thought of how I could bring light, love, and joy to my sweet friend who’s also going through a tough time. I also thought of my to-do list (way too long), but prioritized the visit anyway, and I still felt like my day was very productive!

The blessing of time.

I love it when you take the time to do something for others, and then the blessing is given back to you (like being able to cross a few things off your list, when you didn’t think you could fit it all in, if you know what I mean). The blessing of time …

I’m a busy girl, with a lot going on, but I never want to be too busy for people.

Hope is contagious.

So I picked up the phone, set up a time for a visit, and quickly stopped off at the store to buy a cute white pot to plant 3 beautiful primroses in. (The pot is from Wal-Mart.)

During my time with my friend (who was also my Mom’s friend–a very sweet connection), I was thinking a lot about hopelessness and despair (as we talked about a particularly hopeless situation). But then I also thought about how contagious hope can be when we listen, connect, inspire, share, and give encouragement to one another!

Hope is a virtue sistered with faith and love, and I think it’s our job to help and offer hope to the lonely, elderly, people in our lives who desperately need it.

I hugged my friend, wiped away a few tears, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and spoke a few words of hope into her life. Nothing is too big for God. I promised to follow up, and I will.

Joan’s warm words.

Now I want to share Joan’s warm words in her contagious love story!

I have begun to have people in again. One at a time and certainly not for dinner or anything fancy yet. But I had my little 88-year-old neighbor down for tea and treats recently. She doesn’t go out much and walking the short way to my house is easy. It was just chamomile tea, coffee cake cut into cute cubes (because I didn’t have much), sharp cheddar cheese and crackers, and fresh fruit cut into little nibbles. I decided to use some pretty tea cups, a nice teapot, colorful cloth napkins and a wonderful hammered tray covered with a matching cloth. She was comfy on the loveseat so it was easy to bring everything and place it on an ottoman in front of us. The day was dark and grey so I plugged in the Christmas lights to add an extra warming atmosphere. It was so nice and she had a good time just being away for a bit, having a good time at someone else’s home.

But there is more. Her little dog (17 yrs old) is in the last stages of a heart condition and we both know it is just a matter of time. Since my neighbor has little-to-no family, I am making plans (and soups) to have things on hand (frozen) so she can come down more often when her little dog is no longer with us. Though she has two very funny kitties there will be a very empty place when Maggie is gone. – Joan

This email warmed my heart!

We all want Spring to come. And hope is the promise of Spring—so very contagious—and it never disappoints us!

When’s the last time you visited an elderly neighbor or friend, and brought a little ray of hope and sunshine into their life?

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Get the Recipe:

Green Orange Smoothie Recipe

Optional to add protein powder, and frozen blueberries are delicious, too!

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Yield: 1 smoothie

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 3-4 pieces of pineapple, or a chunk of frozen banana
• 1/2 cup almond milk

Instructions

 

• Place the spinach, peeled oranges, chunks of pineapple (or frozen banana piece) and almond milk in a blender.
• Blend for about 30 seconds, or until well blended. Enjoy!

Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer

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