It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s also the most heavy time of the year, am I right?
I am all about indulging in this season. I love the treats, the decadent dinners & the appetizers are always calling my name. I love getting to partake in all of the traditions like cookie decorating & latke making. And most importantly I love doing all of this guilt free! What’s the point of doing all of these fun, festive things if you’re just going to beat yourself up for it later?
Everything in moderation, including moderation!
That being said, I still want to feel good during this time of year. So to help ensure that I’m feeling my best, I start my day with this beautiful green smoothie. It is full of vitamins & all the things I need to keep my body feeling tip top.
I start off with frozen blueberries ( for antioxidants, fiber & brain function ) & frozen coconut ( for a healthy immune system, healthy digestion, heart health & hair/skin health. ) Make sure you’re using pure coconut, not something with added sugar! Trader Joe’s has great frozen fruit for pretty cheap!
Then I add frozen cucumber that I cut up & freeze myself ( for fiber, vitamins, antioxidants & to promote hydration ) & frozen pineapples ( to support my immune system, bone strength & for anti-inflammatory benefits. ) I only put a few pineapple chunks in because I don’t like my smoothie to be too sweet, but if you want it a little sweeter add more!
Next I add an avocado ( for healthy fat, potassium & fiber ), ginger ( for reducing muscle pain, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels & for anti inflammatory properties, ) & huge handfuls of kale ( for antioxidants & vitamins ) & spinach ( for calcium, bone health & to promote digestive regularity. ) I know you’re thinking this is just going to taste like kale & spinach. I promise it really, really doesn’t! The other flavors are much more powerful than the greens!
Finally I add 2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk ( for calcium ) & blend it all up!
This smoothie is great to because you can always mix it up with whatever you have in your fridge! Sometimes I’ll switch out the pineapples for strawberries or bananas and if I’m needing a little extra protein I’ll add peanut butter!
This makes a lot of smoothie.. probably enough for two people, but this is all I eat in the morning so I like to have it all to myself. It’s so filling & makes me feel great inside & out.
Bon Appetit!
ellyn
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup frozen blueberries
- ¼ cup frozen coconuts or 4 or 5 chunks
- ¼ cup frozen pineapple ( more if you want it sweeter! )
- ¼ cup frozen cucumber
- 1 avocado
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 cup kale
- ½ cup spinach
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add first 4 ingredients to blender, then next 5.
- Blend until smooth
- Top with extra fruit if desired!
- Enjoy!
