Post crazy rich dinners (like every plate we had at Bar La Grassa last night). OR when I somehow end up eating an entire plate of cookies, pretty much after every Christmas cookie exchange. OR days when I eat dessert after every meal, yes its possible to have cake after breakfast… I like kicking the next day off with some greens. It’s my way of detoxing and getting extra nutrients and vitamins into my system. You know to cancel out the sugar and fat. This doesn’t mean I am eating salad for breakfast instead blending it all up with peanut butter and banana.
If you have never had a green smoothie, adding spinach to your morning concoction is the best way to start. It’s very mild and will take on the flavor of whatever you mix it with. To add an extra nutritional UMPH, I add some kale to the mix. It’s a bit heartier and provides more vitamin, nutrients, antioxidants and fiber than you can even imagine. Spinach, kale, banana, vanilla almond milk, a bit of yogurt and peanut butter = BREAKFAST WINNER.
Don’t believe me? Ask my hubs. He hates Kale and is not a huge spinach lover either. But he loves this smoothie. I mean what’s not to love, it is creamy and peanut buttery with a beautiful green glow.
If you do not have both spinach AND kale, feel free to just add whichever one you do have. One important note: make sure you use a good blender that can process kale. The last thing you want are little kale flecks floating around in your creamy drink.
Whether you need a nutrient boosting breakfast or snack, it doesn’t get much better than this green smoothie. Give yourself 2 minutes, throw it all in a blender and enjoy the green glow. And since its serves 2, share the glow 🙂
Green Peanut Butter Smoothie
A creamy, sweet vegan green peanut butter smoothie with the benefits of kale, spinach, protein packed peanut butter and yogurt. Get yo GREEN GLOW on!
Serving size 2 or 1 giant smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana, previously peeled and frozen
- 2 teaspoons flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 heaping tablespoon nut butter (I use regular natural peanut butter)*
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk*
- 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt (regular yogurt or vanilla flavor yogurts work fine too!)
- Handful of frozen torn kale, roughly 3-4 leaves (stems removed and saved for a stir fry)*
- Large handful of spinach (roughly a cup)
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a powerful blender (I use my beloved Blend-tec or blendy as I like to call it) and puree until completely uniform in color and all the bits of green are pulverized. Serve immediately.
*Notes:
Greens – This smoothie can be made with just spinach or just kale. However if you just use kale, maybe add a bit more peanut butter and a dash of cinnamon to help mild the flavor if it is not your favorite. Also make sure the kale is 100% pulverized, no chunks.
I like freezing my kale for smoothies. Simply remove stems, wash and dry the kale. Then store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer.
Bananas – Frozen bananas for smoothies are the best! It makes your smoothie cold without the need of ice. However if you do not have frozen bananas, simply add a few ice cubes and drink smoothie immediately before ice melts.
Liquid – I like using vanilla almond milk but you can certainly use regular milk, soy, rice, cashew, etc. To add a bit of electrolytes, try mixing milk and a bit of coconut water.
Nut Butter – Peanut, almond, sunflower, cashew… use your favorite kind.
Originally posted 2015-12-23 14:11:54.
Leave a Reply