"Knock-out Powerhouse" Chocolate-Mint Almond Breakfast Smoothie
I think I hit the jackpot on this one. I have been experimenting with just the right ingredients to achieve the desired carbohydrate/protein/healthy fat ratio that would energize and satisfy me for at least 6 hours, on my busy clinic days. When you eat breakfast at 7:00 am after a one hour activity routine, cereal, fruit and milk (all high carbohydrate) just won’t cut it, or any high carbohydrate meal for that matter. I used to believe in snacks between meals to get me through the next meal, however, my views on this have greatly changed. I will save that for another post.
Make sure you don’t leave out the nutraceuticals* that I have added. These potent antioxidants have all sorts of health and weight loss benefits, including adding fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, assisting with blood sugar control, cancer prevention (and treatment) and decreased inflammation, and also assist with preventing hunger between meals.
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I hope you enjoy this smoothie as much as I do. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients and amounts as you wish in order to meet your calorie needs or time between meals, but aim to keep the carbohydrate/protein/healthy fat ratio the same to prevent overexposure to high blood sugars. On that note, keep in mind that this may not be the appropriate serving size for everyone. Please request an appointment for assessing your individual needs.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh organic kale, remove stem
1 cup fresh organic spinach
1/4 cup fresh organic mint leaves
1/4 organic avocado
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed*
1 tablespoon chia seeds*
1 tsp, Matcha Tea*
1 tsp ground Tumeric* (you may prefer to purchase this in supplement form and make it part of your routine supplement plan, since it will change the flavor)
1/4 tsp black pepper*
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (or other frozen fruit, keeping to only 1/2 cup-NO fruit juice)
1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cacoa (optional)
1/2 oz organic whey protein powder or alternate protein base medical food (see virtual dispensary)
1 tablespoon almond butter
3/4 cup organic chocolate almond milk or other nut milk product
1/4 cup organic kefir (a good source of probiotics–commericalized yogurt just won’t do; try to use a nut kefir to decrease the carb content vs an animal product kefir; also it is okay to use a “whole” fat product vs. fat-free) (adjust ratio of kefir to nut milk upward as tolerated)
Directions:
Wash the greens. You can experiment with amount of fresh kale you add to meet your taste, since kale can be strong. I generally add about 1 cup or a handful after I remove the stem, then I add the mint leaves and fresh spinach to my NutraBullet (which I absolutely love). Depending on my mood, I will sometimes add more kale and leave out the spinach, or vice-versa. I generally add about 1/2 cup frozen fruit (blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and fiber). Avoid adding more than 1/2 cup fruit, as it increases the sugar content too high. Add almond butter, avocado, chia and flaxseeds, matcha tea, tumeric, black pepper,* chocolate almond milk (35-50 calorie per cup version), cocoa and whey protein powder. You may also want to experiment with the need for additional ice cubes and/or water, based on your desired thickness. If frozen fruit is used, often you don’t require additional ice. Blend until smooth.
This is a super-smoothie in just the right ratios of carbohydrate (40%), protein (19%) and healthy fats (41%). If you are not too keen on drinking “green” this smoothie is perfect since the “chocolate” almond milk, and the cocoa help mask the color, but it doesn’t mask the nutrition!!!
* black pepper increases the absorption of tumeric
* tumeric & many other ingredients, e.g. flax and chia seeds and almond milk are available at discount prices through http://thrv.me/HealthStepsRx
Nutritional Analysis:
Serves: 1
Calories: 518
Fat: 26 grams (3.1 grams saturated)
Cholesterol: 2.5 mg
Sodium: 381 mg
Total Carbs: 57 grams
Dietary Fiber: 21 grams
Protein: 27 grams
(nutrient analysis based on using an animal-based kefir)
ENJOY and stay energized!