the whole nut

my morning smoothie

January 7th, 2010

Ask anyone who’s into health and nutrition what he or she ate today, and I promise you they’ll be more than happy to share an overview of their day’s diet with you. It’s almost like asking a fashionista where she got that purse. There’s pride, excitement, and honor in sharing those sorts of details (I won’t quite say boasting). It’s as if you’re just waiting for someone to ask.

But instead of who made it or where it came from (or any of that), any “health foodie” (not to be confused with a regular foodie here, though they often overlap) will go on and on about–oh, you know–things like, how wonderful this is for the endocrine system, or how much vitamin K is in that. Sound like anyone you know?

So the other day while I was working on my squats my trainer says, (oh-so casually) “so, what did you eat today?” (side note: I usually work out in the mornings, but as a pedestrian in NYC, “feels like” 9 degrees forces me to rearrange my schedule for the sake of my sanity) But back to the question: she wants to know what I ate today! Yes, I work with my clients on their daily diet and food choices so it’s not uncommon for the topic to come up in conversation–but it’s a real treat when I get to divulge.

I try to hide my excitement (and winded breath) as I begin to rattle of the dishes of the day: “Well, for breakfast I made this smoothie with spinach and flaxseed, coconut oil, banana–” She stops me short and tells me how amazing that sounds, and how it’s so nice to find a similar soul in this world of bagels and breakfast sandwiches. (she didn’t really say that, but it was close) The green smoothie: the breakfast of champions! That’s not to say everyone loves the sound of my favorite breakfast at first mention, though.

While holding a glass in hand, I often get comments like: “you just want people to ask you what that is, don’t you.” (um, yes? I mean no?) It’s the same look I get when riding the metro with my giant “Supa Dupa Greens” from my local juice bar. I know it looks different. I know. But give anyone a sip of the (naturally) sweet smoothie they’ll be singing a different tune.

What’s not to love? This smoothie is packed with fiber, calcium, omega-3’s, magnesium, iron, tons of vitamin A, C and K (really, the list goes on and on). But to sum it up: this delicious, nutrient-dense smoothie will keep you satisfied all morning long while promoting weight-loss, clean skin, and a strong immune system. And it’s easy to cart around: simply pour into a water bottle and go! (this is great for the busy New Yorker on-the-go)

Ingredients
2 Large handfuls of spinach
1 cup almond milk (or mix it up with coconut water)
1 small banana
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions
Put all ingredients into the blender–and blend! I like to puree the spinach first with the almond milk, so to make room for the rest of the ingredients. Makes one serving.

There are many variants out there for the “green smoothie,” all wonderful and tasty, but this is the one I go by (after many tried concoctions). The best part is that the ingredients are easy to stock and it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes of your time in the morning. Tasty, quick and nutritious breakfast? That’ll give you something to boast about!

Looking for a protein boost in the mornings? Check out my banana-almond butter smoothie which is great after a tough workout!

Filed under: Healthy Tips, Recipes

Tags: almond milk, banana, blueberries, breakfast, coconut oil, coconut water, flaxseeds, gluten-free, green smoothie, healthy, my morning smoothie, nutritious, smoothie, spinach, sugar-free, vegan, wheat free