HAPPY 2016!!!!
I can’t believe how fast this year flew by. Everyone is thinking this, I know, but seriously! It was just a blink.
The very best thing that happened to me was getting to move back to California after a 2 year stint in Houston! I miss my friends from there, and I really miss our church!
However, I do not miss the flat, sticky, humid swamp. California is wonderful!
Like the rest of you out there, my head is full of New Year’s Resolutions:
Love Jesus better
Forgive more
Eat healthier
Run more
Read more
And like every year, I’ll start with an all out, gung-ho effort, and inevitably slip back into some of my old bad habits.
However!
I tried to get a head start on the “eat more greens” goal this year, and I’ve been making all kinds of green smoothies. For me, I’m discovering it’s faster and easier to whip up a half a bag of spinach in a blender than most other common methods of consumption. Add enough fruit and chocolate powder and you can barely even taste the greens!
My friend asked me if I drank green smoothies, and I had an automatic negative reaction. “Gross, no why? I can’t drink green smoothies. I just can’t!”
Then I thought about it later, and realized that it had been a long time since I’d even tried a green smoothie. So I started experimenting with recipes, and this has been one of my go-tos since the conversion.
So far, for the last few weeks, I’ve been pretty consistent, having one green smoothie a day (almost every day…please don’t ask me what I ate on Christmas…)
There has definitely been an improvement in the way I feel. My skin is clearer and I just feel better.
Full disclosure, I don’t go to the trouble of making a bowl with cute toppings every single morning, but it’s a good way to show you what’s in the recipe (or most of it) and make it more appealing. You may need a little coaxing to try it, just like I did!
I’ve learned that there are a few secrets to a less messy smoothie crafting process.
Two main things can make it blend up nice and creamy without splattering all over the place and taking forever to come together.
- The order in which you add ingredients
- The speed at which it is blended
The order in which you add ingredients makes a huge difference.
This is how I do it
FIRST
cocao powder, chia seeds and cinnamon
THEN
spinach
THEN
banana
FINALLY
milk
You want the ingredients to go in lightest to heaviest, so the heavy things pull down and draw everything toward the blades. Having the powder on the bottom is just a bonus, because it doesn’t poof up all over the sides of the blender when you turn it on.
Now for the speed. If you have a variable speed blender, turn it on very low to start, and the blades will start to chop everything without slinging stuff around. Gradually increase the speed, as the pieces get smaller and smaller, until you have it on high speed and all your ingredients are smooth and creamy.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a blessed New Year!
- FOR THE SMOOTHIE:
- 2 cup spinach, lightly packed
- 1 large frozen banana
- 1½ cup almond milk
- 1 tbl chia seeds
- 2 tbl raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Chia seeds
- Chocolate chips
- Sliced bananas
- Pumpkin seeds
- Add to a blender cacao powder, cinnamon, chia seeds, spinach, banana and almond milk, in that order.
- Start blender on low power, and slowly increase it until ingredients are smooth and creamy.
- If it’s too thick, you can add a little bit more almond milk or water to thin it out.
- Pour into a bowl or a cup and eat plain or add whatever toppings you desire.
45
1
15
0
7
0
Lindsey,
That smoothie is absolutely beautiful! I am not a huge fan of smoothies, especially green ones, but I could simply stare at that one and smile because it looks so pretty. Youngest Daughter, however, would love to drink it and savor every sip.
Thanks so much, Joyce! Yes, usually you are either a smoothie person or you’re not. Happy New Year!
Perfect breakfast to break in the New Year Lindsey! Thanks for keeping me healthy!
Thanks, Mary Ann! Let’s hope we can stick with it for the rest of 2016, right?
This looks amazing. . . . . but I’m liking your goals for the new year 100% —- especially #1!! God bless!!
Thanks so much! Yes, that is the most important goal. God bless you too!
I can hardly wait to try this smoothie recipe – once I get back to the States. Too many carbs and sweets while visiting friends! 🙂
Church family is so important for supporting and encouraging your goals for the New Year. So glad you got to return “home” to them!
Blessings, Lindsey!
Oh eating healthy while traveling is so hard! Usually I just forget about my diet with the “When in Rome” excuse. I hope you enjoy the smoothie!
Blessings to you too!
Fabulous post and recipe Lindsey! What a great start to 2016!!
I think it’s gonna be a great year! Thanks for your comment 🙂
This is such a smart spin on a smoothie bowl! I’m so used to the ones filled to the brim with 5000 different fruits and sometimes it’s just too much. Cinnamon sounds amazing here!
Thanks Taylor! I get what you mean about all the extra stuff. It makes you wonder if anyone actually does that in real life, but it is pretty!
I like this version of a smoothie bowl and the photo is absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you so much, Kathrina!
I’m totally obsessed with breakfast bowls right now. Yum!!!!!!!!!!
I know me too!
Wow – totally gorgeous pictures. That looks amazing and delicious!!
Thanks Kylee! I appreciate it.
I love smoothie bowls. I can’t wait to try this one. 🙂
They are such a fun and healthy way to enjoy breakfast!
This looks gorgeous! I really want to get back to drinking my smoothies, I really miss them
Thanks so much Carmella! I go through ups and downs with my smoothies too. I usually only drink them in the summer, but I’m just loving them right now.