To ensure my toddlers are getting enough nutrients I continue to be a sneaky mummy with yummy smooth moves. Here is one of my personal favourites, a Banana Yam Smoothie.
This homemade chocolate protein shake is so delicious that you won't believe it's good for you. Packed with potassium, Vitamin A, fibre, and protein, it will keep you full and satisfied for hours. Try this for a breakfast on-the-go or a pre-workout fuel. It's guaranteed to give you energy in the most delicious, chocolatey way possible. And I promise you'll never guess that there is spinach involved!
Note: whenever I have over-ripe bananas, I peel them and pop them in the freezer so I can make this convenient shake any time. Using frozen bananas gives this shake a frothy, milkshake-like consistency.
Today I met a few friends at a local park for a stairs-run-strength training workout that left me so hungry I almost fought my daughter for the last chocolate Easter bunny when I got home. Instead I made this smoothie. It comes out a sort of greenish-purplish colour, but don't let that throw you off, it's delicious!
Layer all ingredients in the blender. Start first with fruit followed by yogurt and liquids. Blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy. Layer all ingredients in the blender. Start first with fruit followed by yogurt and liquids. Blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy.
One of my favourite smoothies is a Very Berry Pomegranate Smoothie. This smoothie is a powerhouse of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and Vitamin C. It’s too bad I cannot master the art of deseeding the decadent winter fruit, otherwise I would make a point of making this smoothie regularly. Trust me when I say - this smoothie will leave you craving more. Heck, my son was throwing a fit after we made the smoothie because he had to wait until after I photographed our beverages to start drinking. Now that right there should tell you something!
A good breakfast can set the stage for a great day, and if your mornings are frantic and busy and you don't have time to sit down at the table and tuck into a hot meal, then this healthy breakfast smoothie is for you! It takes only two minutes to put together, and you can drink it while packing lunches, putting on your makeup, or even nursing a baby! If you need to rush out the door, you can pour it into a to-go cup and take it with you. It's full of vitamins, iron, protein, and fibre; it's nourishing and convenient, a perfect way to start your day. It might even turn you into a morning person!
I found a wonderful tip on using Mason jars, via Pinterest, that works well with our morning routine.
Most mason jars fit on a blender unit. Now, we are able to quickly make my kids' breakfast smoothies in their own special mug. Each boy wants their smoothies to be made differently—it was pretty time-consuming to make three different blender concoctions (the varied fruits, yogurts, and other ingredients) and clean-ups. The boys have put different coloured rubber bands around "their" breakfast cup, so they are easy to grip and identify, and all we need to do is put all ingredients in the mugs, line them up, rinse the base of the blender in between, and breakfast is done! The additional bonus is that they pick their own ingredients and don't complain that there is something in their smoothie that they don't like/want!
I confess, when it comes to gustatory pleasures, I have two major weaknesses: savoury snack food and red wine, sometimes both at the same time. Don't leave an open bag of chips near me, or a bowl of kale chips, for that matter. It is equally dangerous to leave an open bottle of wine within a five-foot radius of wherever I happen to be lounging on a Friday night. It's so hard to resist the siren song of the open bottle of wine—or pitcher of margaritas or sangria—but then sometimes I wish I had resisted it, when I wake up the next morning headachy and lethargic.
What's a girl to do? Well, for starters, mix up this smoothie and start rehydrating! This smoothie is chock full of antioxidants and fibre, with the added benefit of super-hydrating coconut water and stomach-soothing ginger. A big glass of this will help you get back on track and get on with your day. Happy hangover!
If you are not familiar with green smoothies, there are a few things I'd like to point out to you: a) there is an insane amount of dark leafy greens involved, b) we could all use more dark leafy greens in our diets, and c) despite the insane amount of dark leafy greens, you cannot actually taste them. Really, there's no better way to start your day than this smoothie packed with fibre, nutrients, and protein. Give this recipe a whirl — literally, whirl it in your blender, and feel the energy and power of the green smoothie! You can also feel smug with the knowledge that you just drank 4 servings' worth of dark leafy greens — and it was delicious!
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