I’ve been making this superfood green smoothie at lunch time practically every day for the last several months. It’s quick, easy, filling, and SO nutritious, not to mention tasty. It’s loaded with superfoods, like spinach, chia, and flaxseeds.
Added bonus – my toddler loves it! I started giving it to her in a training cup when she was around a year old. Now, at 17 months, she helps me make it. It makes me feel great knowing she’s getting such a high dose of nutrients in her cup.
Why I love this one so much
It’s a quick, easy, and tasty way to pack A LOT of nutrients into your day.
Let’s talk about the ingredients, and why I love them so much…
Banana. Banana brings sweetness to any smoothie, and creaminess too. Bananas are loaded with potassium and fiber, making them great for your heart. They’re also a great mood boosting food! For a list of other mood boosting foods, check out Mood Boosting Foods for Fighting the Winter Blues.
Spinach. Spinach is SO healthy for the body. It’s extremely nutrient dense and contains a very high level of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the molecule found in plants that converts sunlight into energy, and gives them their green pigment. Benefits of consuming chlorophyll include cancer prevention, liver detoxification, wound healing, improved digestion, and skin protection.
Peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice). Nut butter adds in the protein, as well as healthy fat, to keep you fuller longer. It also tastes great!
Yogurt. Yogurt brings in the probiotics. Probiotics are important for good gut health. Stonyfield Organic Yogurt is my favorite. To learn more about probiotics and good gut health, check out Fermented Foods for Better Health.
Chia seeds. I love chia seeds for their high Omega-3 content. Omega-3 fatty acids help raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol, helping to protect against heart attack and stroke. These tiny seeds are also packed with antioxidants, and a great source of fiber. They’re tasteless, so you won’t taste them in your smoothie.
Flax. Flaxseeds are also a terrific source of healthy Omega-3’s. They also provide a good amount of fiber, protein, and iron. When we eat flaxseeds whole, our body is unable to absorb all of their nutrients… it’s better if they’re ground. Therefore, adding them to a smoothie is a great way to pulverize and consume them.
Cinnamon. I’m a big fan of adding a dash or two of cinnamon to any dish or beverage that may call for it. The medicinal spice is loaded with antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and may lower blood sugar levels.
Almond milk (or the milk of your choice). The perfect base.
Superfood Green Smoothie
What you’ll need:
- 1 small/medium banana
- A handful of spinach (roughly 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (vanilla yogurt tastes great here too, but it does come with the added sugar)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground flax
- Dash of cinnamon
- 1½ cup almond milk
- 4-5 cubes ice
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender, blend well, and enjoy immediately.
If you’re in the market for a great blender, I love and recommend the Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender*. Vitamix blenders are definitely on the pricey side, but in my opinion, worth the investment. I’ve had my Vitamix now for well over 10 years, use it almost every day, and it has yet to disappoint.
If you want to read more about superfoods that make great additions to smoothies, check out my post 10 Healthy Smoothie Add-Ins.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
*Some of the links above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Sources: