Sunday 29 November 2015

Morning Ritual

I don't get people who do not have breakfast in the morning. I know I would get a headache or feel sick if I didn't start with something in my stomach. Lately I have been trying to eat "clean". That just means that I try to eat whole foods, less processed, more proteins with complex carbohydrates at every meal. So, I have been choosing this smoothie as my breakfast a lot. It is a combination of something I saw on Dr. Oz last year, and my own taste preferences and need for protein in the morning. I have this smoothie on week days when I am going to work, as well as on weekends when I can slow down and not have to rush through my morning routine.
The ingredients (in the order that I put them in my blender) are: a generous handful of baby spinach, a couple of hefty spoonfuls of plain yogurt (which I forgot to include in the picture), a banana which has been peeled and broken apart into a few chunks, then frozen in its own ziplock bag (which I reuse over and over for more frozen bananas), frozen blueberries (maybe half a cup??), a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, and some almond milk so it will blend well. I used to just use water to top it up and blend it, but discovered almond milk. The taste is much better than soy milk, it has a lot of B12 in it, which is good for me right now, and it lasts a long time in the fridge. I wouldn't sit down to a big glass of it, but I like how it makes the smoothie taste.
This is the pretty colour that it ends up being after you pulse / blend it in a blender. I like to keep mine more on the thick side so it feels like I am having a milk shake for breakfast!!

I always start my day with one cup of coffee. But after coffee comes breakfast in the form of my protein smoothie. The rest of the ritual is that I sit at the computer and sip away at it through a bendy straw (yes, a bendy straw) and read blogs. This protein smoothie is delicious. You do not taste the spinach at all, if that is a concern. Best of all, it feels like a decadent treat.

What does your morning routine entail?

5 comments:

  1. I am a coffeeaholic...lol...We are trying to eat whole, too, and I have been doing smoothies in the morning-very similar to yours. Barring that I do eggs and a pear or piece of fruit. xo Diana

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  2. I actually feel nauseous if I eat breakfast to early. I do think I would be able to down your smoothie, as it looks great. Two cups of coffee for me every morning. One on the couch with my dog and one in the jeep on the way to work.

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  3. That smoothie looks absolutely delicious.
    Our breakfast routine never varies. We both have a bowl of porridge, made by the farmer who always gets up first and brings me a cup of hot water and lemon to bed. The medication i have to take has a side effect on the liver so I try to eat as much fruit and veg as I can and also have a cleanse with this lemon in the morning. After the porridge I have a banana. The farmer has two rounds of wholemeal toast with marmalade. Our drink is always tea - the farmer's with semi skimmed milk, mine black.

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    1. I've just never been one to keep eating the same thing all the time. My husband doesn't mind repetitious meals, but I always have to keep changing it up. I do like certain kinds of cereal as well (Kashi Go Lean Crunch is a favourite), and I've been known to eat oatmeal with fruit and a little vanilla yogurt. I just don't have time for eggs and such Monday to Friday. Thanks for dropping by!

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  4. Like you, I must eat breakfast after a cup of strong coffee. My husband who can go for 6 hours after waking without a meal, but I would just become ill. 2 eggs, fresh from the barn and a piece of fruit keeps me going for quite awhile, but the smoothies sound yummy!

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