Green Smoothie with a Twist

In today's world things are moving so fast. We are juggling appointment after appointment, errands, helping others, cleaning, organizing, etc. It is no wonder why self care is left to the very last item on our to do list, if it's even on there at all. In the morning we often fuel our bodies with something quick or something we have been programed all our life to eat when we wake like scrambled eggs and/or a bowl of cereal. Our energy levels tend to drop, fatigue may even set in mid day, headaches rise as our energy levels crash, and we find ourselves in a constant loop of eating sugary foods to "break" the cycle. When in fact all along we are feeding our bodies the very thing that caused it to crash. This blog post is not about denying you your favorite breakfast meal, however, it's to offer you a possible solution, something you could easily add into your daily routine. This little green smoothie will give you increased energy, stamina, focus, and help boost your mood. What more could you ask for? Oh yes, must I mention, it's very low in calories, will not make you gain weight, and only has natural sugars. In fact the greens inside this smoothie help regulate blood sugar, this is helpful when avoiding those crashes you may feel in your work day or when you get home at night. In addition, these greens are an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fibers. Lets find out what is in this green magical monster!

This recipe is called: Green Smoothie with a Twist

Ingredients
2 organic bananas
1/3 bunch of cilantro
3 Swiss Chard leaves (rainbow chard works as well, I used rainbow chard)
Spring Water

If you like, I can write a blog explaining the health benefits of each of these ingredients: Bananas, Cilantro, and Chard. Let me know and I will do this!

Preparation
1. Take out your blender. I use a Nutribullet because it works worlds better than an average blender. I even tried a Ninja blender in the past and it did not even compare. A Nutribullet is fabulous because when it blends, it breaks through the cell walls of the plant which aids in absorption of nutrients in your body. Furthermore, a Nutribullet takes about 1 minute to blend everything, it is easy to clean, and lasts a really long time.
2. Cut 1/3 bunch of cilantro and wash thoroughly. Throw the cilantro into the blender. I include the stems too since the blender will do it's magic.
3. Wash your Chard leaves thoroughly. Then, tear off the leaf from the stem. I do not include the stem since I want a less bulky meal. You can of course include the stems if you wish, especially if you are using a Vitamix or Nutribullet as your blender. Once the leaves are detached from the stems, I then place the leaves into the blender.
4. Peal your 2 bananas and place into the blender.
5. Pour your spring water into the blender. Since I am using a nutribullet, they provide realistic serving sizes. They offer a small cup or a large cup. I use the large cup and fill the water to the max line. If you are using a regular blender you can place 8oz-16 oz of spring water. If you are not happy with the consistency you can always add a little more water and blend again.
6. Serve into a cup of your choice or drink straight from your Nutribullet cup. Enjoy all of the wonderful healing benefits of a green smoothie.

I included a photo of the Nutribullet. I can not express how easy the clean up is. You get to drink
right out of the cup you used to blend in and then wash it when you are finished. It's great. It's fantastic and does a fabulous job with breaking up the food for maximum nutrient absorption. I could never go back to a regular blender after my experiences with a Nutribullet and a Vitamix.

If you wish for more recipes let us know in the comments sections. If you want to know the health benefits of the ingredients above we can share. Also, for the next blog I was thinking of sharing an awesome secret to help your  hair grow faster. Leave a comment if you want to know what it is!

Health, Happiness, and Hope.

Sherrie