Drink
Do you need a quick way to pack in the veggies in the morning? Try this smoothie! Green smoothies sometimes get a bad rap because they can taste too “earthy” but let me tell you, this recipe is far from that. It’s thick, creamy, slightly sweet, and loaded with all the greens you need to start your day off right. This a favorite breakfast of mine because it feels so good to nourish my body with veggies especially after holidays, indulgent weekends, or really any other time I feel like I need a little nutritious kick in the pants. Don’t get me wrong, enjoying life with family and friends is SO important and having pizza, beer, and a cookie or two on occasion won’t destroy your health. However when Monday rolls around and you’re feeling a little more sluggish than usual, I encourage you to start your day off with something highly nutritious to get yourself back feeling your best.
The Smoothie Formula I follow everyday
After reading Kelly Leveque’s book, Body Love, I have fallen in love with her health and wellness wisdom. Her nutrition tips are easy to implement and super customizable. She recommends every meal contain the Fab Four: protein, fat, fiber, and greens to ensure your body is getting what it needs to function optimally and support an elongated blood sugar curve. This will limit blood sugar spikes throughout the day which can leave you with certain cravings, feeling tired, and reaching for the cookies and chips which can ultimately lead to weight gain and other heath issues. Using her “Fab Four” method in my morning smoothies gives me the perfect start to the day every day.
Choosing a Clean Protein
I like to use almond or coconut milk most often as my liquid base in smoothies but water or coconut water also work well. Next, I add a good clean, high quality protein powder. My favorites are Standard Process SP Complete, (contact your nearest holistic health provider for more information on this one), Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (Costco has a great deal on these!), or any of the Primal Kitchen varieties. (Use JOYFULLY FED at their website checkout for a discount!) You can also find it online at Thrive Market or at your nearest health food store. Many protein powders are chemically processed making them more detramental to your health than you might realize. Check out the Clean Label Project to learn more about finding the best options out there.
Adding Fat & Fiber
For healthy fats, I LOVE avocado in smoothies, hemp seeds, nut butters, and extra-virgin olive oil. MCT oil and hemp seeds are a good option if that works for you too. For the fiber boost, avocado, chia seeds, flax seeds, or additional vegetables do the job.
Greens & Fruits
For greens, I love to use spinach because it purees so well, but kale, collard, romaine, whatever you have or prefer will work. In this recipe, I add cucumbers and celery for extra flavor, fiber, and hydration. Other add-ins you could try if you aren’t a cucumber fan or celery lover is frozen cauliflower or zucchini. Both are flavorless in a smoothie, but have this magic effect of thickening smoothies making them feel so decadant. I add a small amount of fresh or frozen fruit to my smoothies to sweeten it up without spiking my blood sugar. If my smoothie recipe calls for fruit, I try to stick 1/3 of banana, half a green apple or 1/4 cup berries to keep the sugars lower without compromising flavor, but please use however much your body needs and loves.
That’s that! Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and enjoy!
Green Smoothie (3 Variations!)
Loaded with healthy fats, fiber, and all the greens. This smoothie is filling, lightly sweetened, and so so good for you!
Equipment
- blender
- measuring cups/spoons
- cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 1½ cups almond milk
- 2 handfuls spinach or kale
- ¼ avocado
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder of choice
- 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced or 1 mini cuke
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- superfood powder optional
Super Green
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- ⅓-½ banana
Green Machine
- ½ Green apple
- handful cilantro stems and leaves!
Green Ginger Mint
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped ginger
- handful mint leaves
- juice from half a lemon or lime optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately and enjoy!
