Green Smoothies

I am not a morning person. I don't like to wake up early and I like taking my time getting going in the mornings.  However, as most of you know, with children neither of those are ever really an option! (At least not with my kids!)  But then, a little over a year ago, I discovered the power of green smoothies.  I'd had them before, and always enjoyed them.  I'd buy green juices occasionally, but until that point I wasn't in the habit of making my own green smoothies and drinking them regularly.  But once I started I was sold.  All of a sudden I had so much more energy in the mornings!  It was a very noticeable change for me.  I was going from being tired and lethargic in the mornings to having more energy and being less drowsy.  So, I was sold. I drank them religiously for months.  I think that this, along with regular exercise, also helped me to maintain my ideal weight during that time, and just helped me to feel healthier overall.

And then I got pregnant.  And sick.  Really sick.  And the only thing that I could stomach in the mornings was Cocoa Krispies cereal.  Not quite as nutrient-rich as green smoothies :)  So, for the last several months, not only have I been sick, but also tired and not getting the nutrients and vitamins that my body is really needing!  However, recently, I've been able to drink them occasionally on days when I'm not feeling so yucky.  And, I can stomach them better if I drink them later in the day.  I look forward to being able to get back into the habit of drinking them every morning, but until then I'll take them when I can!

Anyway, I thought I would periodically share some of my favorite green smoothie recipes.  Right now, this delicious blueberry-pineapple smoothie is one of my favorites! First, let's talk about why this smoothie is so good for us . . .

Pineapples.  Pineapples are full of Vitamin C and Manganese, along with B vitamins, fiber, and Folate.  Another beneficial nutrient they contain are Bromelain.  Bromelain helps with digestion and also has anti-inflammatory benefits.  I remember a few years ago when my sister was going in for surgery and her doctor told her beforehand to eat a lot of pineapple because it would help to keep her swelling down after surgery.

Blueberries.  Blueberries are full of Manganese, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and fiber.  We all know they are full of antioxidants, and it's their phytonutrients that not only contribute to their antioxidant properties, but also to their anti-inflammatory benefits.  These small berries are definitely a superfood!

Spinach.  I love spinach in my smoothies.  I like kale and lettuce as well, but to me spinach has less effect on the taste, while still boosting the nutrient content exponentially.  Spinach is full of tons of vitamins: Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Manganese, Folate, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamin C, and a bunch of others.  But one thing that I particularly love about spinach is that it's also high in protein!  So feel free to really load your smoothies full of spinach!




Okay . . . here's my recipe!

Blueberry-Pineapple Antioxidant Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

1 Cutie/Clementine Orange
1/2 Apple
2 Cups Spinach
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1 Cup Frozen Pineapple
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1-2 Cups Water (depending on how thin you like your smoothies)

This makes a lot! Drinking it all at once will definitely fill you up and give you plenty of energy!  Sometimes I drink half and then save the other half for lunch, for after the gym, or as a snack for later.  Try it out and let me know what you think!

*Some of the info in this post was general knowledge that I've learned over the years, and some of the information I got from whfoods.org.

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