Smoothie Bowls & Animal Sanctuaries

Summer may have come to an end, but the weather is still catching up. Though it's definitely hot enough to have ice cream for breakfast, I refrain from that particular temptation (most of the time!) and have a smoothie bowl for breakfast instead. I love the fact that there are no rules when it comes to what ingredients you can use. I often find myself just throwing in whatever I have in the fridge, pantry, and garden. For instance, this time of the year my violas and pansies are flowering beautifully, so they made the perfect garnish. Another aspect of smoothie bowls that I love is that they can easily be made vegan. For both ethical and health reasons, I've been incrementally transitioning to a plant based diet. Though it seemed daunting at first, keeping the process gradual, as opposed to completely cutting everything out at once, made a huge difference for me. One of the commitments that I've made is to have at least one of my meals each day be vegan. But as time goes on and I acquire more easy and delicious recipes, I often end up having more than one of my meals during the day be plant based.

Animal Sanctuaries

When I started on this journey I knew I didn't want to just go down the rabbit hole of Pinterest to find vegan recipes, I wanted to find resources on plant based eating from people in the community that were part of the movement, not just part of the fad. Animal sanctuaries were the first logical choice; they are the organizations that are not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk when it comes to getting the message out there about the multitude of ethical and health concerns related to eating animal products. Along with providing resources to the community that go far beyond just giving them access to vegan recipes and videos of the adorable animals they have saved.

One of my favorite animal sanctuaries in California is Blackberry Creek Farm. It was founded in 2014 by two middle school teachers who saw the immense potential in pairing their love of animals and their love and concern for their students. They believed that by bringing together children and adults who have suffered through trauma, neglect, and loneliness, with animals who have been through similar circumstances, that it could be a compassionate and healing experience for all involved. One of the programs they offer is an Elderly Outreach Program where they bring gentle animals from the sanctuary to people's homes in order to reduce anxiety, stress, and feelings of loneliness in older individuals. Another wonderful program they have is their At Risk Youth Program where children can learn about dealing with emotions and building trust through working with animals who have experienced abuse and neglect. To support Blackberry Creek Farm you can make a donation here along with their Amazon Wishlist. No donation is too small! $8 provides a bale of straw for the pigs' bedding and $15 provides a whole bag of chicken food. If you are able to donate as little as $5, up to $20 a month, you can choose one of their many precious animals on the farm to sponsor. If you are a local and want to donate your time, they also have volunteer opportunities.

Another amazing organization in California is Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary. This sanctuary was started in 2014 by an 11 year old animal rights activist and has since grown to be one of the largest animal sanctuaries on the West Coast. Along with providing refuge to abused and abandoned farm animals, they also have a full time veterinarian and a skilled animal care team which allows them the unique ability to not only provide urgent care for animals in need, but also long term rehabilitation. In the past six years they have saved the lives of more than 1000 animals and provided educational resources to an even larger number of humans. To support Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary in their efforts to continue helping animals, you can donate here. Donations can be in the form of a one time donation, monthly donation in the amount of your choosing, and one time donations to support their ICU or sponsor an animal (they will even send you a picture of the animal you sponsor!).

*To get your daily dose of wholesome cuteness, follow both of these sanctuaries on social media! Blackberry Creek Farm Animal Sanctuary (Facebook & Instagram) Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary (Facebook & Instagram)

Smoothie Bowl Recipes

Pitaya Smoothie Bowl

• 2 Frozen Bananas (peeled)

• 1 Small Red Dragon Fruit or 1 Cup Frozen Dragon Fruit Chunks

• 1 Large Mango (peeled & sliced) or 1 Cup Frozen Mango Chunks

• 1 Small Peach or 1/2 Cup Peach Chunks

• 1/2 Cup Plant Based Milk (I used Coconut Milk)

• Toppings: Sliced Banana, Sliced Kiwi, Coconut Shreds, Chia Seeds, & Edible Flowers

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

• 2 Frozen Bananas (peeled)

• 1 Large Mango (peeled & sliced) or 1 Cup Frozen Mango Chunks

• 1 Cup Pineapple Chunks (Fresh or Frozen)

• 1/2 Cup Frozen Passionfruit

• 1/2 Cup Plant Based Milk (I used Coconut Milk)

• Toppings: Sliced Banana, Sliced Kiwi, Coconut Shreds, Chia Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Vegan Granola & Edible Flowers

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Smoothie will be very thick you may need a spatula to get it into your bowl. Top with sliced fruit, chia seeds, vegan granola, pumpkin seeds, coconut shreds, edible flowers, and whatever else your heart desires.

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