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Hey guys! Happy New Year! I’ve been away from blogging for a bit – as you can probably tell on the date from my last post. I have relocated from Los Angeles to the Central Coast for a job opportunity and getting settled into a new place during the holidays can be quite exhausting! And in the midst of unpacking, assembling furniture, and navigating a new city I was found with lack of time to cook new recipes and be able to share them with you. And I have missed that very much! But now that I’m all settled, I plan to share more recipes to help you maintain a healthy new year.

One of the many creations that I’ve been enjoying has been making smoothies with my NutriBullet I received as a gift this past Christmas. If you find yourself with lack of time to prepare a snack or find it challenging for you (or your family) to get in fruits and vegetables into your diet, making a smoothie is one way to meet this dilemma. It really takes the pressure off cramming more fruits and vegetables into your meals. One thing I do want to point out is that a smoothie should not replace a meal and should not be considered as a diet. Instead, think of smoothies as a way to supplement your diet or get in a nutritious snack loaded with vitamins and minerals.

There are so many different combinations you can make for smoothies. You can add frozen or fresh fruit (tip: using frozen fruit makes the smoothie more frothy), unsalted peanut butter or walnuts for added protein, hemp seeds, coconut water, celery, and even ginger. And best of all – in 5 minutes or less you have a very filling and nutritious drink!

Serves: Makes 2 servings
Total Time: 5 minutes (or less)

Ingredients

2 cups of greens, packed*
1 small carrot, peeled and cut
1 banana
1 small red apple, chopped
½ green pear, chopped
1 tbsp raw almonds (or almond butter)
1 tsp chia seeds
2 cups liquid (1 cup soy milk + 1 cup water)

Directions

Cut and prep all fruits and vegetables
In blender, place the greens first at the bottom and pack them well. Then add the rest of the ingredients.
Blend for 30 seconds or until all ingredients are well blended**

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 224| Sugar: 25 grams| Fiber: 8 grams| Protein: 7.5 grams

* I usually buy a package of greens that includes baby spinach, baby kale, and collard greens. You may use any of your favorite dark leafy greens

** To make the smoothie less frothy, add more liquid/water

*** Raw cacao nibs and chia seeds used for garnish