Smoothies Series: Why So Green? Recipe for a Green Breakfast Smoothie

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Eww greens. We've all been through that phase where anything green has, frankly, just disgusted us. I guess in terms of those super healthy green vegetables, our inner child will never die. However, it is time for you to put on your big boy/girl pants and to get over the "ickiness" of them. 

Green drinks are the latest diet fads. It is a staple diet secret for many. To include this in your daily diet is completely justified because of its wide range of benefits. I try to drink one green smoothie a day, usually for breakfast. Green smoothies have been found to be a key to weight loss. There are so many varieties of green smoothies; so, go crazy with them. Add your favorite fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The green smoothie recipe I will share with you today has spinach, strawberries, a banana, almond butter, yogurt, and ice. 


Haven't sold you on the green smoothie yet? Well maybe these benefits will. Green smoothies are jam packed with nutrients and minerals. You know how they say, "diamonds are a girl's best friend". Well, greens are the diamonds for your body. Green smoothies also fulfill a large percentage of your daily vegetable and fruit intake. Greens are dense in carotenoids, vitamin K and fiber. The fiber in spinach helps in digestion, boosts your metabolism, and speeds up weight loss. It also has vitamin E and C, beta - carotene, zinc and manganese. These are all antioxidants and help with high blood pressure. Strawberries are also full of nutrients and antioxidants, plus they are so delicious to indulge in during the summertime. The vitamin C in strawberries boosts immunity, prevents wrinkles, fight bad cholesterol, and protects your eye sight. Bananas are full of calcium, potassium, iron, pectin, and vitamin B-6. The calcium and potassium give you energy. aid in weight loss, and lower your blood pressure. The iron in bananas relieve anemia and boost your circulatory system. Vitamin B-6 helps to strengthen your nervous system and boosts the production of white blood cells, and lastly the pectin aids in digestion. Yogurt is a probiotic that provides your intestines with "good" bacteria, aiding in digestion. Yogurt also provides your body with calcium, vitamin B-2, B-12, potassium, and magnesium. Last but not least, almond butter is rich in monounsaturated fats, which are the type of fats that reduce levels of cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart ailments Almond butter is a healthier alternative to peanut butter. 





So, let's get to it.

This recipe is for one serving size and has approximately 250 calories. The preparation time is about 10 minutes.


Ingredients:


1 cup of spinach

5 to 6 medium sized strawberries
1 medium sized banana
1 spoon almond butter
2 spoons fat free yogurt
1 cup of ice
Nutribullet or any other blender

If this is your first time trying a green smoothie, you may want to add 0.5 cups of 100% white grape juice to add a little sweetness to the smoothie. Once you become comfortable with the taste of the smoothie, you can stop using it. 


Steps: 


1. Thoroughly wash the spinach and strawberries. 

2. Chop up the strawberries and bananas. 
3. Add all the ingredients to your NutriBullet or blender and blend everything up.
4. Enjoy your smoothie.

You may want to drink your smoothie with a straw to prevent the green color from staining your teeth over time. 



Take control of your health and join my Green Drink Challenge. By drinking one green smoothie a day, you are on your way to a very healthy, long life. 
Bon appétit, mes amis!

XOXO S


1 comment

  1. Greetings from India! Love your blog Shipra. Each and every write-up is informative.

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