Ingredients:

1-3 handfuls of washed Spinach or Kale

2 spoonfuls of nonfat Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 banana

1 Lemon

1 spoonful of Chia Seeds

Soy milk, orange juice, or water

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the blog, and I’m not proud of the lull. It’s been a very busy new year, but I’m excited to share that there is a lot of fun content coming your way that I can’t wait to share! Since I’ve been so busy, I’ve been eating a lot of meals on the go. While a green smoothie here or there isn’t unusual for me, I’ve ramped up my green smoothie intake to almost once a day either for breakfast or lunch. This habit can get a little pricey, especially if you’re grabbing from your local juice shop, health food store, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I have my favorites, but it’s SO simple to make this healthy drank right at home with very little ingredients. Keep reading if you’re ready to add in 7 healthy minutes to your morning routine:

Gather all of your ingredients listed above. Place the greens in first, so that they hit the blades first and become small particles that you will barely be able to taste. If you don’t have spinach or kale, you can use romaine, iceberg, chard, etc., but be prepared for a less appetizing taste. Spinach blends in with the flavors the best and can be masked easily with orange juice. The next ingredient you will want to get the most mixing is the yogurt, so add two spoonfuls in next on top of your greens. Next, add in your banana, whole or halved is fine.  Squeeze in some lemon juice. Add in chia seeds now, or sprinkle them on top once you’re done, your choice. I recommend adding in splashes of soy milk, orange juice, or water until you get the consistency you want. Some like their smoothies on the thick side, I like mine so that I can take it to-go with a straw and not worry about it being too chunky. Filling your blender up to the level that your greens are stuffed at the bottom tends to do the trick. Blend, blend, blend. Pour and enjoy!

If you don’t want to take the DIY route, my favorite green smoothies are from Whole Foods and Nekter Juice Bar, but also check your local health food store or smoothie stop for their options. Also something to keep in mind, although the juice craze is booming right now, if it’s mostly fruit based, the juicer strips the fruit of a lot of their fibrous material and leaves a ton of sugar, which is why they taste so good. Smoothies are the way to go, just keep an eye out for too big sizes sold in stores and those that use ‘juice’ ingredients instead of blending everything and keeping all of the nutrients and fiber in tact!