I have never liked normal breakfast foods. When having breakfast at a restaurant, T will order the classic eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast; I will get a burger and fries. In high school, I would eat a tuna sandwich or tomato soup at 6:30am before getting on the school bus. In my 20’s and 30’s, I enjoyed bagels, muffins, pancakes, or waffles; but as I get older, I am more focused on eating healthier.
For a few years now I have started my day with this smoothie. I choose this breakfast on at least 95% of my mornings as an alternative to heavier or greasier options. I especially enjoy sitting on my deck in the morning sun sipping on this frozen drink, but I still like it on winter days as well. If you are in a hurry, this makes an ideal on-the-go meal for your commute to work and I have drank this both in my vehicle and at my desk.
Occasionally, I have changed some of the ingredients a bit, but the recipe has stayed pretty true. Over time, I have increased the vegetables and decreased the berries to what I have written below, and I really do not taste the veggies or spinach. If you find that the veggie taste is too strong for you, change some out for frozen fruit. This is a great way of incorporating 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables into your diet right at the start or your day.
Total Time: 5 mins
Servings: 1
Ingredients
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1 med banana
1/3 cup yogurt
3/4 cup frozen California mixed vegetables
1/2 cup frozen baby spinach
1 1/4 cups fruit juice, approx.
Directions
Step 1: Place all ingredients in the order listed into a Ninja 24 oz. blender cup, or other blender.
Step 2: Blend until smooth, adding more juice if needed for desired consistency.
That is it. It does not get any easier than that! I prefer the mixed berries that do not have any strawberries; only raspberries, black berries, and blueberries. However, for a change I will mix it up with other frozen fruit like strawberries or mango. I usually use vanilla yogurt, but cherry is very good as well. My favorite juice to use is an orange/mango blend.
T makes the same smoothie with one change. Instead of yogurt, he uses a vanilla-flavoured whey protein powder. This gives the smoothie more substance and makes him feel fuller, but I do not have any problems with this drink getting me through to lunchtime.
Enjoy a smoothie for your breakfast and have a great day today!