Smoothies have been one of my go-to breakfast choices for a very long time because they are so quick and simple, yet so healthy and satisfying.
I usually always double the standard recipe because my boys LOVE them. They drink the exact one I make for myself for the day. If it wasn’t for smoothies and cucumbers (their favorite snack), they would have a challenge eating a variety of veggies because Adam is a SUPER PICKY eater.
A little trick I have learned is to NOT tell them what’s in it until after they drink it and I put them in cups with lids that are NOT see-through. The color of the smoothie doesn’t always look “appealing” and will play mind games on you (even us adults)!
When you don’t know what it looks like, you can’t have that pre-determined “yuck” in your mind and can actually tasted the “GOODNESS” of what you’re drinking.
I like to “mix it up” with ingredients that I use, but I always make sure that I have a healthy balance in the mixer before I blend it all up.
I try to always have carrots and a green, as well as a substance of protein like the Chia Seeds that I have here or Almond Milk, Natural Peanut Butter, or almond slices. I personally never use protein powder because I like getting natural nutrition and am leery about what is in engineered protein mixes 🤷🏻♀️.
I like to use a little to no sweetener, which is why I use the carrots. In addition to added nutrition, carrots are a natural sweetener. If your blender is not super strong, blend the carrots and liquid that you choose first to make it nice and smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. If it still isn’t sweet enough, I will add a little honey to the blender, but it’s rare.
I sometimes make my smoothies at night and have found that it does not make them taste any different. I am not sure how factual it is, but there are claims that it is more nutritional to blend and then immediately drink it. I have also heard contradicting thoughts that if it is made at night and then drank it in the morning (within 12 hours), that it will NOT make a nutritional difference.
When I am teaching and have to wake up at 5 AM, I always make it the night before because I don’t want to wake the kids up with the blender. Now that I am off for the summer and can turn the machine on after everyone wakes up, I find it easier for me to just make it before I want to drink it.
Either way, smoothies are definitely great for many reasons. They can be drank in the car on the way to work, thickened by adding less liquid or more ingredients to make it a bowl that you eat with a spoon, and customized to anyone’s taste buds or dietary needs.
My main rule of thumb is to stick to all-natural ingredients and not be afraid to try new combinations.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR TODAY’S SMOOTHIE:
🔹handful of spinach
🔹one whole apple (cut from the core)
🔹1/2 tsp Coconut Oil
🔹juice from 1/2 lemon
🔹1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
🔹1 tbsp chia seeds
🔹1/2 cup carrots
Blend and ENJOY! 👌🏼
Stay Healthy,
Tara
#endowarrier #foodsicaneat #thisdoesnotdefineme #endometriosis #endometriosisawareness #chiaseedpudding #cleaneating #healthyrecipes #healthybreakfast #greensmoothie #antiinflammatorydiet #endodiet
