Category Archives: Aztec Diet

Aztec Diet, Books, Diet

Aztec Diet: Day 33: More Temptations

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Pounds lost: 17

Pre-Breakfast: 1/2 ruby red grapefruit; Breakfast and lunch: Blueberry Banocada made with almond milk; Snack: 1 cup cottage cheese and 1 apple; Dinner: 1 can tuna, 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip, 2 slices sprouted multi-grain bread; snack: Nestles’ Crunch Bar

Today was another draw. My team leader, Eric, is a sweet young guy with a shaved head and a Batman hoodie. He wears baggy but not saggy jeans. He’s got a cute scruff of beard along his chin. Tonight he announced, “I don’t bake,” then proceeded to lay full-sized Nestles’ Crunch Bars on our desks. I stared at it for a while and pretended to consider options. Eventually, I admitted to myself that I was eventually going to eat it, and agonizing over it was a waste of time. So I broke it up into little pieces and nibbled at it while we completed training, as if this would make eating it more virtuous. I noticed it was 200 calories, same as I had planned for my evening snack. I skipped the flax crackers.

No, I’m not proud.

I have no trouble turning down alcohol and other things which are bad for me. Chocolate is another matter. Avoiding temptation is not hard. I can keep my hand out of those big bowls of candy.Turning it down when it wraps its slinky arms around your neck and plants a big kiss on your mouth is another thing entirely. And while a Crunch Bar is not the skank ho of temptations, it is far cry from finding Johnny Depp in your bed.

I feel so cheap.

Maybe, by the time this project is over, I will have the mental tools to resist being flogged with chocolate.

Meanwhile, here is a perfectly harmless temptation for sci fi fans.

Sherdan has spent many years planning for the future. Now he’s in control and he is expected to forge a fresh new start for the people in his program, people he has shaped and can’t abandon, but Britain’s PM has other ideas and Sherdan must face the full might of the UK. On top of all this he has to face the one thing he never expected to feel; love.

Anya is on a mission from God to find out why she has been sent to the heart of Bristol, and what she can do to stop the world being plunged into war. When she finds herself forced to pick a side and join the fight, only her faith in God can see her through.

Sherdan’s Prophecy is a tale of high stakes and political intrigue. A science fiction novel where faith and technology come together to take the human race another step closer to the final showdown. Where a few select people make decisions on behalf of many. A gritty account of power that shows both the best and the worst of humanity.

Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 32: New Job, New Temptations

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Pounds lost: 17

Breakfast and Lunch: Carol’s Kale Blueberry Variation; Snack: Mandarin cutie and a handful of popcorn; Dinner: venison stew with quinoa; Snack: popcorn, 1 small homemade chocolate chip cookie and seasoned nori; Bedtime Snack: 1/2 ruby red grapfruit

Today started my third year as a seasonal employee grading short answer type questions on state proficiency tests. I love the job. The pay is decent and the working conditions are pleasant. They do their best to make a tedious task agreeable.

One of these things is allowing quiet snacking at our desks. Another is encouraging team leaders to keep large bowls of candy on hand, and to even pass these around. They also keep several well-stocked vending machines full of junk food and a free coffee bar that includes hot chocolate (my personal bete noire). Some team-leaders even bake cookies and bring them in.

I’ve been thinking about this for several days, how to deal with this. I packed a bag with a cutie, several cups of air-popped popcorn, 2 apples, a serving of venison stew and some seasoned nori, along with several bags of green tea. Overkill, perhaps, but better than than succumbing to processed sugar.

I did fine before our break, slowly sipping on a cup of green tea. I did way too much nervous munching during the second half of our training. Mostly because our 15 minute break was not long enough to eat my stew. So my juices got going and I found myself nibbling away at my desk. Boredom also contributed as I waited for the presenter to review information I’d already grasped.

Today was a draw. I avoided the processed junk but ate too many carbs. My plan for tomorrow is to switch to a tuna salad sandwich on sprouted bread for dinner and toss in some celery sticks. Also some herbal tea-bags. One cup of green tea at 5:30 p.m. is okay, but after the break, I need something that won’t keep me awake all night. I think hot tea will satisfy more than the cold water I had after break tonight and cut down on the munching. As for the popcorn, I’m torn. Though it’s carby, it’s better than other options. But if I have it, I know I’ll eat it. If I don’t have it, will I succumb to other temptations? I don’t know.

Does this sound like a military campaign? It is. This is War.

Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 31: Dr. Bob’s Smoothie Recipes

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Pounds lost: 17 pounds

Pre-Breakfast: apple Breakfast: Chocolate Cherry Banocada; Lunch: 1 Cup low-fat cottage cheese; Snack: ruby red grapefruit; Dinner: Venison Stew; Snack: none

I get a lot of hits from people looking for Dr. Bob’s smoothie recipes. I don’t post them here because I don’t have permission. ABC does, though, and they posted three of them (including his go-to Kale Blueberry Smoothie) along with a recent story about the Aztec Diet. Check them out here: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/aztec-diet-focuses-ancient-superfood-120103048–abc-news-Recipes.html.

Meanwhile, keep checking this blog for my own culinary experiments.

I was brave enough to put on my old pants today. Yes they zipped up. Yeah! No, they were not comfortable. Boo! Soon, though, soon.

Nothing much else to say. I spent the rest of the day polishing a flute. And, no, I am not being euphemistic.


Chocolate Cherry Banocado

    1 avocado
    1 banana
    1/2 – 3/4 Cup frozen cherries
    2 TBSP raw cacao powder
    2 – 4 TBSP ground chia seeds
    Water to desired thickness
    Option: add a large handful of spinach and more water to create an all-day smoothie

“Banocado” is a term I coined to refer to any smoothie that consists of fruit added to 1 banana and 1 avocado. This will actually produce 3-1/2 cups of smoothie, so it’s perfect for two people. If you want to be more in keeping with Dr. Bob’s recommendations, you can use 1/2 avocado and 1/2 banana. The produces a smaller carb load. The problem isn’t the avocado, it’s the banana. I can just have never figured out how to keep 1/2 an avocado, so I reduce my carb load the rest of the day. The other solution is to only use 1/2 a banana. I have no problem with that.

Aztec Diet, Diet, Food, Lia Anderson Dog Park Mysteries

Aztec Diet Day 30: Field Trip

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Pounds lost: 17

Pre-Breakfast: apple; Breakfast: Mango Tango; Costco Samples: Chobani blueberry yogurt, romaine lettuce with ranch dressing and a single crouton, 2 bites of grilled salmon patty (yes, I know you’re only supposed to take one); Snack: Starbucks cafe mocha; Lunch: Miso Green, 12 oz water with 4 TBSP ground chia; Snack: cottage cheese Dinner: venison stew served with quinoa; Snack: none

The venison stew is lovely. Which is good, because it’s playing all week.

I hope nobody thinks I’m holding myself up as a model of dieting perfection. Mostly, I wanted to record my intake and recipes, and since this is the thing I’ve been most preoccupied with for the past month, it was natural to put it on my blog. Otherwise, I’d have nothing interesting to put in my blog unless I were to post spoilers to my current Work In Progress, and you all know THAT’s not going to happen.

I’ve figured out a few things about weight loss, none of them earth-shattering.

1. Persistence is more important than perfection. I’ve snuck the occasional guilty treat. I don’t beat myself up about it, I get back on the diet and keep moving forward. I do document it though, because it helps me pin-point my weak spots. It also keeps me aware of how often I’m cheating. It’s too easy to justify the “occasional treat” until it becomes so frequent, you’re not dieting anymore.

2. It’s important to choose a diet and modify it so that it suits your schedule and your chemistry. In the case of the Aztec Diet, I’ve included more healthy fats. This is critical to managing my TBI and my depression. Cacao is also beneficial for mood management, and is frequent addition in my smoothies. I’ve increased the focus on raw foods because I find them more conducive to health and weight loss. I often start my day with a piece of fruit because my mandatory morning trip to the dog park pushes breakfast back to 10 a.m. And I create my own recipes. It’s so much easier to stick with a diet that I enjoy. I may not be losing weight as fast as those who stick strictly with the diet as written, but I know I can stick with it long enough to reach my goal.

3. Celebrate progress (but not by eating). My lounge-around-the-house pants are getting saggy. I see the beginnings of a waistline. I’ve had three people in the last week tell me that I look thinner. And, during my monthly trip to Cost-co today, I ate the healthy samples and felt no pull towards the mac ‘n’ cheese.

Yes, I did get that cafe mocha at Starbucks afterward. Anna handed me her Starbucks card and told me to get whatever I wanted while she picked up a few things at Target. (Obviously, Anna is one of my dietary weak spots.) As I said above, I’m not perfect. But I also perused the pastry case with only mild interest, not desperate longing. I’m losing my craving for carbs. I can eat without having to nap afterwards.

These things are all worth celebrating. So I give myself an “atta girl” every time I have to pull my pants back up. I do not buy myself an ice cream cone.

There’s a lot I can improve. I’ve got to work on handling restaurants. I need to drink more water. And one day I WILL add exercise back into my daily routine. But today I am thinner than yesterday. And I am not as thin as I will be tomorrow.

After Cost-co and Target, Anna and I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods so I could ogle the crossbows for research purposes. It’s so important to have an acquaintance with one’s murder weapons. I have to say they are really ugly looking pieces of equipment bearing only a slight resemblance to their Medieval progenitors. The hunting arrowheads are much more elegant. I also looked for Howling Coyote Predator Lure. I was thinking of buying a bottle so I could smell it. No, I’m not a pervert. It plays a part in my book. Alas, only deer urine. Anna offered to take me to her place so I could sniff her prize schnauzer, Hillary, who is in heat. I declined. It wouldn’t be the same.

If anyone has ever smelled coyote estrus, feel free to post your impressions below. You will earn my eternal gratitude.

The factory next door was making a vilely pungent batch of artificial smoke, presumably for human consumption. We decided that our clothes had to be permeated with the stuff from our stroll through the parking lot. We considered taking a walk in the woods to see what kind of wild-life we would attract. Then we considered the ‘wild-life’ usually hanging around in Burnet Woods and changed our minds.

Mango Tango

    1 Cup Mango
    1 Cup Papaya
    as much baby spinach as you can hold in one hand
    1/8 Cup cashews
    1/2 – 1 TSP ground ginger (or use raw)
    4 TBSP ground chia seed
Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 29: Crock Pot Magic

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Pounds lost: 17

Breakfast: Dr. Bob’s Kale Blueberry Smoothie (Aztec Diet) with romaine instead of kale (I was out of kale); Lunch: 1 avocado with peach-mango salsa; Dinner: wild-caught salmon patty on sprouted multi-grain bread with Miracle Whip and cheddar cheese*; Snack: 1 oz. pomegranate juice with 12 oz water and 4 TBSP ground chia and 2 Mandarin cuties

I went shopping today. Bought lots of lovely, fresh produce for smoothies. But what to do with the stuff going limp in the bottom of the refrigerator?

This is where my crock-pot comes into play. Tomorrow will be stew day. I’ll clean out the produce drawers and set up my solid meal for several days in one fell swoop (what the heck is a fell swoop, anyway?**)

I’m currently thawing out some deer Rudy gave me (I’ll bet your landlord doesn’t butcher his own deer, so you can use beef instead). I’ll toss that into the crock pot with some bay leaves and wine. Some water and bit of salt. While that is getting tender, I’ll chunk up my left-over veggies and toss them in. Onion, bell pepper, carrots, celery, whole cloves of garlic. If I had greens that needed to be used up, I’d toss them in, too. But I’ve been a good girl and loaded all my greens into smoothies. No potatoes, though. Don’t have them in the house since they are vegetable-non-grata in Aztec Diet Land. Easiest is to toss in quinoa in the last hour. Brown rice would also work, but it gets mushy if you don’t cook it up separately. Don’t use too much water, as the vegetables will add broth as they cook down.

Simple. Easy. Two of my favorite words.

I’ll tell you how it turns out.

* Yes, I have switched my solid meal from lunch to dinner. No, this is not advised by Dr. Bob. But it’s stopped my late-night snacking on popcorn.

**This phrase is thought to originate with Shakespeare. Who knew? http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/at-one-fell-swoop.html

Aztec Diet, Diet, Lia Anderson Dog Park Mysteries

Aztec Diet Day 28: Empty Fridge Syndrome

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Pounds lost: 17

Saturday
Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with mushrooms, red bell pepper, broccoli and cheddar cheese; Lunch: Kale Apple Carrot (Aztec Diet) Snack: Mandarin cutie; Dinner: Marie Callender Herb Roasted Chicken dinner. No, this is not advised, but at least it is no longer in the freezer. I wish I could say I was virtuous and skipped the potatoes. I can’t.

Sunday
Pre-breakfast: apple; Breakfast: 2 Cups Papaya Blackberry Smoothie; Lunch: 1 Cup Papaya Blackberry Smoothie and 1 large pink grapefruit; Snack: air-popped popcorn; Dinner: wild-caught pacific salmon pattie on sprouted multi-grain bread with a 2 TSP Miracle Whip and 4 oz pomegranate juice in 12 oz water with 2 TBSP ground chia.

My stomach is getting smaller. Not only is my paunch shrinking, I’m finding I am full on less food. This is a very good thing.

Eating fresh food requires that you actually use that food before it spoils. Now I’m out of avocados, out of kale and spinach, out of blueberries, almost out of frozen fruit. I have a lot of bananas, romaine, carrots and tofu. An almost empty fridge invites experimentation and odd combinations. But, no, I’m NOT going to make a smoothie out of that.

Today I was busy causing problems. Peter and Brent were grilling poor Kitty about her illicit relationship with the deceased. Poor woman is alone, 1,500 miles from home and has no one to turn to. Lia is sympathetic, but Peter doesn’t want her mixed up in police business. Think she’s going to listen?

So Lia and Peter are grousing at each other and I was too busy to shop. This morning I discovered not all combinations are good ones. I thought cacao went with everything. It does not. I’m leaving it out of the recipe below, because adding it made the whole thing taste like mud. Which did decrease my appetite and made it last longer. You can add it it you must, but hey, it tastes like mud.

Papaya Blackberry Smoothie

    1-1/2 Cups papaya
    1 Cup blackberries
    1-1/2 Cups spinach
    1/4 Cup cashews
    4 TBSP ground chia
Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 26: Going off the Reservation

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Pounds lost: 16

Thursday
Pre-breakfast: 2 Mandarin cuties; Breakfast: spinach, feta, tomato and onion omelet, rye toast, small portion of hash browns; Lunch: cottage cheese; Snack: 2 Mandarin cuties; Dinner: Yellow Submarine; Snack: none

Friday
Pre-breakfast: apple; Breakfast and Lunch: All Day Blueberry Banocado Smoothie; Snack: non-fat cottage cheese; Dinner: grilled cheese – cheddar on sprouted grain bread cooked in 1 TSP coconut oil; Snack: none

Woke up this morning to a 16 pound total loss. I seem to be doing best when I have solid food early in the evening and am able to skip the evening snack. So I’m switching the program to eat solid food for dinner and smoothies the rest of the time.

Yellow Submarine

    1 banana
    2 TBSP cashews
    1 Cup tropical mix (mango, pineapple and strawberry)
    2 Cups baby spinach
    2 TBSP chia

All Day Blueberry Banocado

    1 banana
    1 avocado
    1 Cup blueberries
    2 TBSP cacao powder
    4 TBSP ground chia
    water to make 5 Cups
Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 24: Lucky Leucine

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Pounds lost: 14

Pre-Breakfast: apple; Breakfast: Dr. Bob’s Kale Blueberry Smoothie (Aztec Diet); Lunch: Hot Guac; Snack: granola with almond milk; Dinner: none; Snack: none

Today was a day of rest, so I kept things simple. No new recipes today. I wasn’t hungry, so I skipped dinner. So I’ll use this space to talk about an article I read last week.

University of Cincinnati researchers, Randy Seely, PhD and Karen Ryan, PhD, are looking at diets a different way. Rather than looking at fats, carbs and sugars, they are examining the role of micro-nutrients in weight-loss.

They note that that leucine, an amino acid not manufactured in the body, triggers brain pathways that reduce food intake and body weight. Leucine lowers elevated blood sugar levels. It is also necessary in healing bones, skin, and muscle tissue. Adults need 14 mg per pound of body weight, between 2 and 3 grams a day.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/241332-foods-containing-leucine/#ixzz2NVt97eWi

Foods containing leucine include: egg whites (a top source with more than 4 grams in a cup of egg whites) soybeans, lentils, some cuts of beef, Chicken, tuna, shrimp (a one ounce serving give you 3500 mg), fish, brown rice and cows milk. Cottage cheese is a terrific choice at more than 3500 mg per 200 calorie serving.

for leucine levels of specific foods, look here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000082000000000000000-1.html?

Aztec Diet, Diet, Food, TBI

Aztec Diet Day 23: The Perfect Smoothie

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Pounds Lost: 12

Monday
Breakfast: Dr. Bob’s Kale Blueberry Smoothie (Aztec diet); Lunch: 5 oz tuna, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, 3 celery ribs, multi-grain crackers; Snack: none; Dinner: Blue Meanie; Snack: air-popped popcorn

Tuesday
Breakfast and Lunch: Raspberry Consolation; Snack: None; Dinner: Miso Green; Snack: air-popped popcorn

I haven’t been posting regularly for the past several days, I’ve been tied up with a research project which concluded yesterday. Monday night I was exhausted and wanted something super-simple for dinner, so I created the Blue Meanie. The name is ironic, since it’s very sweet. I’ve been on a Beatles kick lately, what with “Blackbird” running through my head at odd moments, so that’s what stuck.

Yesterday morning I was disappointed to find that A Shot in the Bark did not make the ABNA quarter-finals. Disappointment always puts me in the mood for chocolate. Normally, I would have a Chocolate Covered Cherry, but I was out of cherries. So I created Raspberry Consolation. It’s very rich. I used 4 TBSP chia and it had the consistency of a light pudding. This smoothie lasted me all day, with absolutely no hunger.

I get the most hits from people looking for smoothie recipes. I don’t think in terms of recipes. I’ve been writing these down to save them for posterity. Pretty much, I check in the fridge and see what looks good, and what needs to be eaten before it goes over.

Dr. Bob talks about creating your own smoothies, using a base, mixer, fruits and veggies, chia and sweeteners. My attitude towards these things is a bit different than his. I suffer from depression resulting from my TBI, so it’s important that I have a steady supply of healthy fats. This assists mood management and brain health. This means that I am losing weight more slowly. Still, 4 pounds a week is very respectable and I’m satisfied with my approach.

Dr. Bob’s go-to base is non-fat greek yogurt. I have nothing against yogurt, but I prefer other bases. Bases I use:

1 avocado and 1 banana (Avos have fantastic fats. This increases the size of your smoothie and is suitable for all-day smoothies.)
Flesh and water from a young coconut (incredible electrolytes)
Small handful of cashews (blends up nice and creamy)
Almond milk, unsweetened (fast and easy)
Miso (for savory smoothies)

For a Mixer, If I’m not using coconut water or almond milk, I use water. Except when I make Dr. Bob’s Kale-Apple-Carrot, in which case, I use carrot juice. And no, I don’t juice the apple. I cut it up and toss it in the blender. fruits should be eaten whole so the fiber offsets the sugar.

Every smoothie needs greens. This is the single most important veggie you can consume. Dr. Bob likes kale for it’s high nutrition profile and it’s bland taste. This is fine, however, no matter how expensive your blender is, kale remains a bit “chewy.” Swiss chard is close to kale in nutrition and blends easier, but has a stronger taste. Spinach is further down the list but still packs a nutritional wallop. It is mild tasting and blends easily, especially baby spinach. I buy pre-washed, organic spinach. It’s time-saving in the kitchen, which is important to me. This is my go-to green. Romaine is further down the list nutritionally. It’s the most nutritious of the lettuces. It blends nicely and has a bland taste.

Keep a variety in your fridge, each has a different nutritional profile, so change it up. When I say “grab a handful” I mean a big handful that expands to two or three cups when you drop it in your blender.

Fruits are what make a smoothie a smoothie. frozen fruit is very convenient and allows you to keep a variety on hand. I get my blueberries fresh. They are terrific brain food and I go through them like crazy. 1/2 Cup – 1 Cup is plenty, unless I am using a high water content fruit like papaya, in which case, I use more fruit and less water.

Extras:
I usually add some extras to my morning smoothie. Chia, of course, is mandatory in all smoothies. I rarely add sweeteners. When I do, I use raw honey. I add 1/2 TSP powdered ginger to most of my smoothies. It’s a terrific herb with many excellent properties. I’ve found it essential in preventing TBI headaches. Cacao is lovely brain food. And green powder for extra green power. If I’m adding green powder to a smoothie, I don’t make it an all day smoothie, the powder can get a bitter edge after a few hours.

Have fun inventing your own smoothies, and be sure to give them fun names. I think tomorrow I’m going to whip up a Yellow Submarine.

Blue Meanie

    1 cup blueberries
    1/2 – 1 banana
    2 cups spinach
    1 cup almond milk

Raspberry Consolation

    1 Cup raspberries
    1 avocado
    1 banana
    3 TBSP Cacao power
    2-4 TBSP ground Chia
    raw honey, to taste

Miso Green

    2 Cups baby spinach
    1 TBSP Miso
    1/2 Cup tofu, rinsed and cubed
    4 Cups hot water (I run mine through the coffee maker)

Place tofu in the bowl or glass you intend to use for your soup. Pour two cups hot water over it, let it sit. This will warm the tofu up. place the other 2 cups of water, spinach and miso in the blender and blend. Drain tofu, pour the miso soup over it.

Aztec Diet, Diet, Food

Aztec Diet Day 21: Singing in the Dead of Night

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Pounds Lost: 12

Saturday: Pre-breakfast: 2 Clementines; Breakfast: Avocado/Banana/Cherry Smoothie Lunch: 1 Cup cottage cheese Snack: none Dinner: Blackbird; Snack: none

Sunday: Breakfast: Blueberry Brain Booster (Aztec Diet) with spirulina and chlorella; Lunch: roasted eggplant hummus with multi-grain crackers; snack: none. Dinner: Spinach Portabella Smoothie Snack: air-popped popcorn

Looks like I’m moving into a modified Phase 2, or rather, a Phase 1-1/2. Meaning that I’ll eat a solid lunch sometimes. Life is getting busier, and I’m needing a more flexible plan. I know I need to add in exercise. Right now, it feels like one thing too many. Still, 12 pounds in 3 weeks is nothing to sneeze at. I’d previously spent 3 months fighting to lose 5 pounds, and that was with excercise.

I know the exercise plan I’ll use, I’ve done it before and I really love it. It’s called The Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth , also known as the “Five Rites” http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Secrets-Fountain-Youth-ebook/dp/B001334J14/

These are five yoga exercises. The poses use your own body weight to build strength. They are hard at first. You start with 3 reps of each pose and build up to 21 reps over 10 weeks. You’ll need a good yoga mat. I have a 4′ x 6′ carpet remnant and put my yoga mat on top of that. The book is short and easy to follow, with pictures. You can find YouTube videos demonstrating the five rites, but I found the book necessary to explain all the details of conducting the rites correctly.

Now that I’ve posted this, maybe I’ll be shamed into getting back to it.

I’ve named the smoothie below “Blackbird” because I got an ear-worm of that song while I was making it. There, now you have it too.

Blackbird

    1 cup blackberries
    1 cup papaya
    1 cup (packed) spinach
    1/2 cup yogurt
    2 TBSP Chia
    Optional: 1 TBSP cacao
    Water to desired consistency