Can you make a Smoothie wrong??

A smoothie a day, keeps the doctor away…

One smoothie done right each day, that act alone, can catapult your health in the right direction.  Can you believe it?

You can power pack the nutrition into that one drink and get in more than half your vegetable and fruit servings for the day. 

The problem is too many people do the smoothie wrong and end up setting themselves up for failure when they are trying to do a good thing, and I do not want that to happen to you.

I want you to get the most nutrition benefit from your smoothie so I created a set of 5 rules to follow when making your smoothie. 

Smoothie Rules:

1. The ratio of fruit to veggies should be 1:4 ratio. You do not want to add a ton of fruit to the smoothie and drink it fast causing a major blood sugar spike and a lot of work for your liver ( liver breaks down fructose). This means 1/2 cup of frozen fruit ( berries are the best option- the lower sugar the fruit is the better) to 2 cups of vegetables.( greens such as spinach, kale, cauliflower, zucchini, celery, carrots-endless possibilities).

 2. Add in some fiber- chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds will add a great boost of fiber to the meal which will add in feeding the good gut bugs and slow down the digestion of the smoothie-slower digestion equals slower blood sugar spike.  Plus the recommended daily dose of fiber is 25-30 grams.

3. Add Protein- so many of us do not get enough protein in our loves so adding protein is a great boost for your muscles and cells and slows the digestion once again.

4. Add Fat- adding a quality fat to the smoothie will make it more satisfying and slow down digestion as well. I love coconut milk in the can, nut butters, avocado, etc.

5. Chew your smoothie- that's why the smoothie bowl with a sprinkle of grain free granola, or nuts, seeds can be amazing because it will slow down the time in which you eat the smoothies by chewing instead of gulping and allow digestion to catch up to your mouth.

When done the right way, smoothies can be amazing for getting in those extra nutrients and veggies for your day-but if done wrong your blood sugar will spike and you will be hungry and craving sweets an hour later.

Get the ratios right and you will feel satisfied, nourished and energetic for the day.  

Blueberry Smoothie Bowl Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1.5 cup frozen spinach 
• ½ cup frozen cauliflower
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or almond milk) 
• 1 tbsp cashew or almond butter
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or flax seeds
• Filtered water get perfect thick consistency

Toppings

• Chia Seeds
• Flax Seeds 
• Coconut Flakes
• Drizzle of almond or cashew butter
• Fresh berries
• Cacao Nibs
• Chopped nuts 

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add to the bowl then sprinkle on toppings of your choice.