Breakfast Smoothies

Probably about 2 years ago I started making smoothies for quick breakfasts. The ingredients have evolved depending on what I was into at the time. The result has always been something fruity and filling- perfect for a breakfast on the run. This one may not have the best coloring, but that is because it is full of nutritious ingredients and will be sure to start your day off right!

You can easily make your own breakfast smoothie with ingredients you have on hand. Currently we are having smoothies with spinach or kale, kefir, almond milk, frozen strawberries, ground flaxseed and vanilla protein powder. That combination might not sound the best to you, so how about frozen banana and a dollop of peanut or almond butter and a drizzle of honey?

The other part of making a smoothie is having some type of drink blender. You can spend hundreds of dollars on various blenders. While I personally would love to own a Vitamix or Blendtec, I use a $15 drink mixer from Target. It works just fine for this task.

The addition of spinach or kale is new for us. I wasn't sure about raw spinach for breakfast,  but it literally blends in and does not add any type of leafy flavor to the smoothie. It is a very tasty and easy way to get in some extra vegetables (even if it does make the color of the smoothie slightly less appealing when combined with fruit). Time to pull out your blender!

Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
1 serving

1 cup raw spinach or kale
1/2 cup strawberry kefir (or yogurt)
1/2 cup plain almond milk (or any other type of milk)
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder*
3/4 cup frozen strawberries(or any type of frozen fruit)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1. In a blender, combine spinach, kefier and almond milk. Blend until spinach is combined with the liquids. Add protein powder, flax and frozen fruit. Blend until smooth.

Nutrition Analysis:
Total Calories-260, Total fat- 7g, Saturated Fat- 3.5g, Cholesterol- 50mg, Sodium-230mg, Total Carbohydrate- 32g, Dietary Fiber- 6g, Sugar- 19g, Protein 19g
Vitamin A 60%, Vitamin C 110%, Calcium 25%, Iron 8%

Almond Butter Banana Smoothie
1 serving

1 cup raw spinach or kale
1 cup plain almond milk (or any type of milk)
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder*
1/2 large banana, frozen
1 tbsp ground chia seed (or flaxseed)
1 tbsp almond butter (or peanut)
1 tsp raw honey

1. In a blender combine spinach and milk. Add protein powder, banana, nut butter, chia, and honey. Blend until smooth and combined. Add ice cubes and blend if a thicker consistency is desired.

Nutrition Analysis: 
Total Calories- 330, Total fat-14g, Saturated fat- 1.5g, Cholesterol-15mg, Sodium- 270mg, Total Carbohydrate- 40g, Dietary Fiber- 7g, Sugar, 23g, Protein 17g
Vitamin A-60%, Vitamin C- 40%, Calcium 15%, Iron 8%

*A full scoop of protein powder could be used for extra protein if desired.