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Things to do With All That Kale

Breakfast Smoothies: What to Have When There’s No Time!

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Things to do With All That Kale
Picture your morning…running out the door, teeth brushed, make up on (women only, I hope), nice polished outfit, best smile on…
Just one thing is missing.

Food in your stomach!

We have all been guilty of it at one time or another.  And, you know it’s a bad idea for a lot of reasons:  for energy throughout the day, for boosting your metabolism so it’s easier to maintain your weight, and, most importantly, to avoid the dreaded “stomach growl” during a very quiet presentation!

If this is your morning most days, then this is the answer to the question “how to I get all of my nutrients when I have 30 seconds to make a good breakfast”?

Things to do With All That Kale

A smoothie is a great option.  I, personally, don’t love to wake up at 6am and chow down on bacon and eggs (I’m an Italian at heart…a cappuccino and a biscotti would be my ideal breakfast).  This breakfast in a glass starts my day with all the right stuff to get me through to noon.

kale smoothie

This is a basic beginner shake.  It’s like a blank slate that you can add to as you wish.  And if nothing sparks you, it’s fine just like this!

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Start with non-dairy milk (you can use dairy, but I’m finding lots of people steering clear of it lately and it really doesn’t make a huge difference in taste here).  The one on the left is refrigerated and the one on the right is a tetra pack.
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I always have frozen bananas on hand but if you only have fresh, you might notice that it is a bit less sweet (the frozen ones are always sweeter).  If you want to be creative and want to plan ahead with your add-ins, look at this post for smoothie packs.  Keep reading for sweetness options…
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Chia seeds are nature’s intestinal scrubber…they become gelatinous and apparently pull impurities as they travel down your colon…works for me!!
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I bought this at the farmers market (from my farmer friend who makes honey!).  It’s supposed to be a superfood but some doctors say it does nothing…again, I bought it soooo…
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These are hemp seeds…they are high in omega 3 and omega 6!  They are one of the most nutritious seeds in the world and they are also a complete protein!
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If you need a bit more sweetness, you can squeeze in a bit of agave nectar, but if you don’t have it, don’t buy this.  I bought this a while ago but am going back to honey and maple syrup after finding out that agave is highly processed – if you have it, this is a good way to get rid of it.  If you have time, these date cubes are also an excellent way to naturally sweeten something like this smoothie!
Again, if you need some sweetness, add honey or maple syrup…natural is best!!
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A spoonful of natural nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut)…
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And, a handful of greens (I have a bag in my freezer of chopped up greens like kale, spinach and even romaine…when I make a smoothie, I just snap off a bit and throw it in…absolutely no taste!!).

Ingredients:

1 c almond milk (you can use whatever liquid you like, but this is my fav)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 heaping tbsp almond butter (you can use natural peanut butter or cashew butter)
1 very ripe banana (frozen bananas are even better…they’re sweeter!)
Handful of kale (sounds weird but a fantastic, flavourless way to get your greens)
1/2 scoop of good quality protein powder if you want more protein…but I often leave this out.

Blend it all in a powerful blender (and add about 5 ice cubes to get the chill on if your banana isn’t frozen!!) Blend again and drink up!

Optional Add-ins:

A handful of frozen berries (to add more sweetness and some additional fibre)
A tbsp of hemp hearts (for added protein, omegas, fibre)
1/2 c greek yogurt or kefir (for extra protein and a dose of probiotics)
1 few spoonfuls of oats (for fibre and cholesterol reduction)

Give it a try and let me know how it fits into your busy schedule!

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