Eat More Greens Smoothie
I hadn’t thought about writing a recipe blog post for a smoothie. I mean… you can just throw anything you like in a blender and boom! Instant healthy snack or meal. Although, I’ve been noticing that the smoothies sold in restaurants and coffee shops aren’t quite the quick and healthy meal they seemed to be.
The “fruit flavor” in Tim Horton’s Real Fruit Smoothies doesn’t actually come from whole fruit, and therefore doesn’t contain any fiber. Additionally, they have three different added sugars: high fructose corn syrup, glucose and molasses.
McDonald’s Real Fruit Smoothies (also no whole fruit) contains added sugar and artificial flavours. This is a good reminder that even the “healthier items” on the McDonalds menu aren't really that healthy.
What about somewhere less assuming like Second Cup? Sugar is actually the second ingredient listed in their Fruit Chillers. It’s even listed before fruit. The 24oz Strawberry Fruit Chiller has 141 g of carbohydrates with 135g of that coming straight from sugar. Zing! That’s about 6 or 7 chocolate bars worth of sugar.
These smoothies are some pretty heavy hitting sugar bombs without any significant fiber, protein or healthy fats to slow the insulin spike.
Eat more greens smoothie
My favorite homemade smoothie is actually mostly vegetable. The healthy fats and protein make it a well-balanced meal that won’t cause a sugar crash.
THE BASE
2-3 stalks of frozen kale (frozen gives a better consistency)
1/3 of whole avocado (no skin)
¼ of whole cucumber (with skin)
¼ cup coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
2-3 ice cubes
*protein of choice below
*sweetener of choice below
THE PROTEIN
While it may make some squeamish, I throw in 2 raw egg yolks. They add creaminess, protein and added nutrients. If using raw eggs, ALWAYS make sure they are organic and free range. Caged eggs are prone to higher levels of contaminants.
Not ready to make the raw egg leap? You can also add grass-fed gelatin or a couple tbsp’s of hemp hearts.
THE SWEET TOUCH
I grew stevia in my garden this summer and add a pinch of the dried leaves to this smoothie. You can also use a small amount of raw honey and/or some frozen low-sugar fruit like peach or berries. Top with nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut or bee pollen.