Why it’s lean to go GREEN!

I have always loved fruits and vegetables and eat several servings of nature’s candy everyday, but I always strive to boost my fruit & veggie intake in new ways! Variety in preparation is a great way to optimize your natural intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals (who wants to pop pills when you can chew?…but more on that at another time!). Years ago a doctor told me that in order to improve my overall nutrition that I should start drinking smoothies full of veggies (not juices, which I love). This was difficult for me…I don’t even like milkshakes! With that said, I did not listen to what the doctor had to say…I was not pureeing vegetables or going on a baby food diet!

I mulled over the doctor’s orders for a few months until I came across the “green monster smoothie.” When I first saw this recipe I was still skeptical about drinking a thick green concoction, plus I was allergic to some ingredients. While the color can be off-putting at first, reading about the benefits made this a must-try recipe that I needed to adapt! The color can definitely be intimidating to those who aren’t used to vegetable smoothies, but after trial & error I came up with the perfect allergy-friendly recipe that tastes NOTHING like you would think! A banana-peanut butter milkshake is more like it (or what I think peanut butter would taste like)! When I finally perfected my version, my mom (who loves sweets and hates anything grassy tasting) even said it tastes delicious! I can’t take any credit for the concept, but I’m definitely grateful I discovered it…and you will be too!

Now I automatically feel better when I start my day with this burst of sunshine! It’s filling, but light enough that I don’t feel weighed down, boosts my energy, and is a quick way to eat several servings of greens without eating a ginormous salad before lunch! Try making this one change to your routine and I know you’ll see the benefits not only to your waistline (a healthy breakfast is crucial!), but for your skin and energy too! Plus, it’s great for kids…and they’ll probably think the bright green color is cool.

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 heaping Tbsp sunflower seed butter
• ½ c. light soy milk
• 4-5 cups of dark leafy greens (I use mostly spinach and some kale. Spinach has a very mild taste, while kale can make the texture a bit tougher)
• Feel free to add fresh/frozen berries, chia seeds, or flax seeds for some extra oomph!

FYI- You can use many substitutions in this smoothie between the type of milk, nut/seed butter, vegetables, or fruit, but the combination I love above has a mild taste packed with nutrition! Bon appetite!

Directions: Blend well & enjoy!

(I use a VitaMix or Magic Bullet, but any high-powered blender will work)

Nutritional Info:

• Approximately 260 calories (more if you add chia or flax seeds or other berries)
• 12g Protein (yes, spinach has protein!)
• 10g Fiber (about ⅓ of the daily recommended amount)
• Only 9g of fat…but it’s healthy fat from the nut butter
• Vitamins & Minerals: K, C, A, B6, iron, folate, potassium