COMPLETE GREEN BREAKFAST in a smoothie
(green smoothie that tastes like peanut butter)
THIS SMOOTHIE SATISFIES
2 FRUIT SERVINGS
1 VEGETABLE SERVING
START YOUR DAY RIGHT with this nutritional powerhouse
I love smoothies....and I love that they are so versatile, easy to carry around with you, and are chock full of nutrition. I contemplated buying one of those frozen Jamba Juice bags in the freezer aisle at Target the other day---you know, the kind where all you have to add is milk? Comes with everything you need.
I looked at the bag...it was a little over $5, and can only be used for 2 smoothies. Hmmmm. Not sure about this. Then I read the ingredients....basically just a lot of frozen fruits, I thought to myself.
Why can't I do this on my own instead?
Ever since then I've experimented with many different kinds of smoothies, from Avocado with Coconut Water to Banana Mangoes with Turmeric, and everything in between fruits, nuts and spices. It is easy to combine frozen fruits, throw in some juice, and call it a smoothie. Everyone can do that.
However, making a GREEN smoothie, the kind that contains your daily recommended dose of VEGGIES, is harder. Hard to make that taste yummy and delicious, that is.
That is, until I discovered this Spinach Green breakfast smoothie:
Spinach smoothies are incredibly easy to make, and takes so little time. Here's the basic formula:
2 cups spinach
1 really ripe banana
1-2 tablespoon peanut butter
1 cup coconut water (or any nut milk, such as almond)
PLUS
1 cup fruit (any fruit)
With that basic formula in mind, I played around with the recipe, and came up with the perfect combination that is chock full of nutrition. Don't be intimidated by the amount of spinach in this recipe. The peanut butter (or almond butter) overwhelms the flavor of the spinach --and unlike kale, spinach actually blends very well and does not leave chalky residue on your tongue. Besides looking green, you'll never know there was spinach in this smoothie.
I choose avocado as my fruit in this basic spinach smoothie because avocados are high in fiber, omegas, fat (the good kind), and it is very smooth. Avocados contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals in each serving, including potassium, lutein, folate, and B vitamins. They are low in sugar, high in fiber, and high in (good) fat
It's also green, so this smoothie comes out a nice green color and doesn't look intimidating. If I use strawberries or other fruits it will still taste great, but the green and red will yield a smoothie that is brownish in color---not very appetizing. You want to choose an avocado that is firm, but has some give when pressed gently.
Bananas are a nutritional powerhouse that is the most underrated fruit of all time. Its potassium and excellent fiber content makes it a great breakfast choice. For smoothies, choose a banana that is already started to brown, and has a very fragrant smell to it. These bananas are at their peak sweetness.
You will never need sugar or any sugar substitute when you use brown-spotted bananas as a sweetener for any fruit smoothie. Even when they are a bit soggy and brownish when peeled, I still use them (all the time).
LIVING BUSY TIP: I keep bananas in the house all the time for a quick pre-workout snack, or just a healthy snack. When they are really ripe and about to go bad, I cut them into slices, put them in a zip lock bag, and keep them in the freezer. These are the ones I use for smoothies I make every single day. With frozen banana slices, you'll never need ice, or sweeteners to any smoothie, ever again.
Here is an interesting article on natural cures you can use with bananas...such as rubbing the inside of a peel to your bag or shoe and rub with dry cloth for a quick shine!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 ripe avocado
1 large ripe banana
1 cup coconut water
2 cup raw spinach
2 tablespoons peanut butter
protein powder (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Blend coconut water with the spinach first, until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Blend well.
Enjoy
notes:
May substitute peanut butter for almond butter, to reduce the nutty flavor.
May also substitute coconut water for almond milk, or any other nut milk, for a rich creamy taste.
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