SMOOTHIES - A SMOOTH WAY TO HEALTHIER EATING

By Vegan Victoria, Certified Nutrition Consultant

 In my last post I discussed juicing, including its pros and cons for overall health. Today I want to talk about smoothies which are similar to juices, in that whole food is blended down to a liquid form. But unlike juicing, smoothies retain every part of the food in the drink without extracting valuable nutrients and fiber.  My very first step toward changing my eating to a more whole-food plant-based diet involved drinking a green smoothie every week-day morning. It’s the ideal breakfast for me since I can take it to work and have it at my desk. I realize that’s not the ideal eating environment but it’s the best option for me with my work hours and limitations. I tried about 6 different recipes before I found the one that I just love. I admit it looks pretty weird and even unappetizing to some. If I’m drinking it at my desk and someone comes over to talk, I subtly put the cover back on the container so they don’t freak out with the green ooze inside. I should mention I also invested in a Vitamix blender right away because I’d read they were so powerful and do a great job blending frozen fruit. They are expensive (over $400) and LOUD. It sounds like a small plane taking off in the kitchen. But they do an excellent job. I use mine for smoothies, soups, sauces, puddings etc.

Here’s my go-to breakfast smoothie recipe;

GREEN BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

1 cup filtered water (can use ½ cup orange juice & ½ cup water if sweeter flavor desired)

2 cups fresh dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, lettuce, parsley are all good options)

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped peeled cucumber

¼ cup chopped peeled carrot

6 1-inch chunks of frozen chopped banana

½ cup frozen strawberries or frozen peach slices

¼ cup frozen blueberries

2 TBSP ground flax seed or chia seeds

2 scoops of protein powder (I like chocolate or vanilla-flavored pea protein powder by NutraSumma)

Instructions:

Put water in a strong blender like a Vitamix. Add all the vegetables and mix on high for 1 minute. Stop blender, then add frozen fruit along with the flax seed and protein powder. Mix on high for another minute.  Add more water if it’s too thick.

Makes 2 smoothies. Feel free to experiment with other fruits and vegetables

And as a recovering chocoholic, I try not to indulge too often in chocolate sweets but this is a favorite smoothie treat that’s healthy and really delicious. I usually save this for the end of the week as a way to discourage myself from splurging on a decadent chocolate dessert if I’m going out to a restaurant for a weekend meal with friends.

CHOCOLATE BANANA SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

 1/2 cup almond milk

12  slices frozen banana

1-2 tsp cane juice

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp natural peanut butter (optional)

Directions:

Place ingredients, in order listed above, into a Vitamix or other strong blender and blend for 2 minutes until creamy and smooth. Add more sweetener and cocoa powder depending on your taste.

Put in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Makes 1 serving