Happy 2013! Did you make any food resolutions this year? Are you like my dad who is always trying to figure out what to do with random bags of greens like kale and spinach? I always get excited when I buy big bags of greens at the store but then they are sitting in my refrigerator and I’m suddenly panicking that I’m only one person drowning in a sea of greens. Smoothies to the rescue! Lunch is usually something quick and mindless so I can get back to work or run out the door. Here is a great way to use all of that spinach and kale and fill your body with amazing nutrients! Fair warning, I cook in the dash-here-handful-there method so do a little taste test before you serve so you can tailor it to your liking.
~Green Protein Smoothie~
- Generous handful of kale or spinach, or both (today I just used kale)
- 1 small apple
- 1 small banana
- Couple slices of avocado
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (you can use more)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of honey or maple syrup if you need it slightly sweeter
- Ice or water (depending on how thick/thin you like your shake)
- Ground flax-seed or chia seeds (optional)
Blend the powder and almond milk together first. Then add the banana, avocado, apple, and ice and blend some more. Finally, add small amounts of your greens to the liquid and keep blending so they are nicely pureed. Add the dash of cinnamon and any more water/almond milk/ice/sweetener so it’s to your liking.
I didn’t have any of the flax-seed or chia seeds on hand today but you can always add a bit to your smoothie for an extra boost of nutrition. I didn’t add the avocado to the picture because it was looking pretty ewwww, just like those bananas. I’ll be honest, I use smoothies a lot to get rid of shady looking fruits and veggies. Cooking on the wild side!!
What is your favorite way to sneak in extra fruits and veggies?
Take Flight and Live! 