Matcha Shamrock Shake (Yummy!)

I love McDonald’s Shamrock shakes.  It is one of the only times of the year I will head to McDonald’s is when I know they have them.  I also know how unhealthy they are for you.  I was sent the following recipe by someone who knows how much I love these shakes.  I finally got around to making one last week and I have to say it was pretty good so I decided I would share.

This is the original recipe from Hungry Girl

HG’s Clean & Green Shamrock Shake

Entire recipe (about 16 oz.): 133 calories, 4g fat, 210mg sodium, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 20g protein — PointsPlus® value 3*

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1 oz. (about 6 tbsp.) vanilla protein powder with about 100 calories per serving (like the kind by Tera’s Whey)
1/3 cup spinach leaves
1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
1 1/4 cups crushed ice or 6 – 10 ice cubes

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend at high speed until smooth, stopping and stirring if needed.

MAKES 1 SERVING

I made a few changes to the recipe though with what I had in the house and to also add some Steeped Tea Matcha.  I also used Vanilla Soy milk and instead of vanilla protein powder I added Vanilla yogurt.

It was so yummy and now I can have one whenever I want 🙂

Earth Hour Rejuvenation Challenge

Anyone else been having a rough go of it lately?  In the last month we have had a snow storm (after this winter I was already done!), a power outage and sickness; and that’s just in my house.  I also know people who have had car accidents, tough hospital stays and even some personal injury.  And these are all the physical ailments, what about the emotional issues people are struggling with?

The way I see it March came in like a lion and I would like to see it go out like a lamb.  We need to put some positive energy out there!

So here’s my challenge…

Tonight while the Earth is rejuvenating during Earth Hour (8:30-930 pm) take some time to rejuvenate yourself.  Help send positive energy to the universe.

Not sure how to do that?  Well you’re in luck, here are a few suggestions:

– make a list of the things, people, places you are grateful for

– journal

– sit quietly and take in the stillness around you

-into yoga?  Roll out your mat for a candlelight practice

-meditate (you knew that would be on the list)

-Play games with your family

-go for a walk

-Practice any form of energy healing on yourself or someone else (i.e. Reiki, EFT, TT)

-practice candle breath (pranayama)

Generally find something that brings you happiness, peace and positive energy.

I would love to hear other suggestion you may have.  Let’s bring as much positive energy as we can to the universe.  Forward to friends and family and challenge them!

Remember out like a lamb and everyone/thing needs some positive energy (including Mother Nature)!

Namaste

 

Yes, Virginia… (a time honoured re-post)

In honour of the holiday season and it being Christmas Eve I thought I would re-post this wonderful letter as reminder to all.

No matter what holiday you are celebrating, there is one basic belief that we can all share. That is the belief in love, sharing, and faith. On that note, I am sending you an editorial, written in 1897 and republished every year. It is worth taking the time to read it again.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author numbered among the friends of The Sun:
I am 8 years old. Some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says “If you see it in the Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this giant universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no faith, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment except sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

 

Pay it Forward – Goodwill & Kindness

 

At the beginning of the month I challenged people to find a time a place to do something nice for a complete stranger.

Much to my surprise I have been witness, been told about and been a part of a few acts of goodwill and kindness this month.

My mother decided to participate in doing something nice for a complete stranger during our annual trip to the One of a Kind show this year.  She happened to have a couple of extra tickets and so instead of them going to waste she gave them away to another Mother and Daughter duo who hadn’t purchased their tickets yet.  I was so glad to see that someone had read my post, I know it was my Mom and she’s kinda obligated but still.  And that this person decided to act and pass along a little good will.

I also heard about someone else who decided to share their looney at the tire air pump.  May not seem like much but it is something and it benefited both individuals.  The man trying to fill his tire only had quarters and the machine only took loonies.  As it turned out they both only had one tire each to fill so they decided to share the second man’s looney and get both tires filled.  While they were filling their tires they got to talking and the ‘quarter’ man reminded the ‘looney’ man to make the most of his time with his daughter as sometimes life is too short as was the case with his own 20 year old daughter who was killed last year when her car was hit by a transport truck tire that came loose and crossed over the highway and hit her car.  Myself, I believe everything happens for a reason and that these two people were meant to have that conversation and share their ‘air’.

As for me, I took my daughter out for dinner the other night before doing a little Christmas shopping.  There in the restaurant was an older man eating dinner by himself.  I figured it was a perfect opportunity to share a little of my goodwill and show my daughter the power of a small act of kindness at the same time.  And so I asked the waitress to add his meal to our bill.  As we were finishing our meal the gentleman came over to our corner to thank us except I was busy goofing around with my daughter and didn’t really notice and he accidently thanked the wrong table for paying for his meal (remember I said I believe everything happens for a reason).  The waitress came over and told him it was actually our table.  He turned to us and just looked and then finally said “but you don’t even know me” to which I said, “no I don’t.”.  The gentleman was speechless and asked why him.  I just let him know that I picked him out of the crowd and wished him a very Merry Christmas.  He wished us a Merry Christmas as well and was on his way still stunned that a complete stranger had paid for his meal. 

This presented a wonderful opportunity for me to show my daughter the power of being kind to others.

When the other table got up to leave one of the men from that table came by to shake my hand and tell me it was a wonderful thing that I did paying for the other man’s meal.  On our way out of the restaurant I had a few waitresses stop us and tell us the same thing.  It was nice that one act of kindness and goodwill was having an effect on so many others.

Then it was my turn to have a surprise act of kindness and goodwill.  When we arrived home that night there were a few Christmas cards in the mail.  One of them was addressed to my daughter; it was from a very kind gentleman we met this summer at the Barbershop Harmony Society International in Toronto.  This man spent hours playing with my daughter and keeping her entertained while I worked on the Daily Bulletin.  Well it would appear she made an impression as in the card was a lovely letter telling her that Santa wasn’t quite sure what to get her for Christmas and asked that I make a choice for her with the best wishes enclosed (a cheque).  To say I was stunned would be an understatement.  I was in tears (and writing this now brings a tear to my eye).

I am in awe of the kindness and generosity of this lovely man and the others who completed an act of goodwill and kindness.  There is still time!  Wishing everyone Happy Holidays and Good will to all!

 

Random Act – Goodwill & Kindness

‘Tis the season of well wishes, Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings.  This month I would like to challenge you to find a time and place to do something nice for a complete stranger.

Last year while out shopping I bought a bouquet of flowers at two different stores.  At the first store I asked the cashier to give out the flowers to the customers that were behind me in line.  I was a busy store that day with lots of long lines.  At the second store, my local grocery store, I gave the flowers to each of the cashiers.  I remember the stunned look on their face that I had bought each of them a flower.

So whether you buy a coffee for the next person in line or flowers, find a nice gesture and surprise a complete stranger this month with a little goodwill.

Stay tuned to the blog to find out how I surprised a stranger this year.

Remember to always be grateful for what you have in your live.  Even things as small as a smile you can bring to another person’s face.