Power Smoothie

There are a million ways to make a smoothie. Some good, some bad. Here's my favorite:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. water
1 T chia seeds (soaked, if possible)
1 T flax seeds (ground - I use a coffee grinder dedicated to this)
1 1/2 T cod liver oil
1/2 - 1 banana (frozen or not)
1/3 cup frozen peach slices
1/3 cup frozen pitted cherries, or any kind of berry (frozen or not)
2 or 3 ice cubes
optional: kefir, kale

This drink starts my day with many phytonutrients from the fruit (and kale), lots of fiber (fruit and seeds) and a good dose of Omega 3 fats (chia seeds, flax seeds, cod liver oil). Kefir is a cultured milk products. I use coconut kefir. Cultured foods contain many enzymes and are great for digestion.

I don't worry too much about protein since like most Americans, I'm probably getting more of this nutrient than I actually need. Too much protein is hard on the body, especially the kidneys. Studies have shown that except for professional athletes, no one needs to supplement their protein. Even professional athletes only need about 10% more protein than the average person. Serious amateurs do not need supplemental protein. If I'm hungry before lunch, I grab a hard boiled egg mid-morning. I trust the proteins and nutrients in a whole egg more than in something processed (and once open, who knows how much the nutrients in those powders actually last).



The only part of this that takes any time at all is soaking the chia seeds. If I were organized, I'd put the chia seeds in a cup of water and refrigerate them overnight. I'm not, so if I have time I put the water and chia seeds into my blender about 15 minutes before I want my smoothie and add the rest of the ingredients when I'm ready to make it. If I don't have the time, I just plow ahead and add everything at once.



I love a bit of kale in my smoothie, but this is not for the faint-of-heart nor for those who haven't yet gotten over an aversion to green food. Kale is a mild green and breaks down pretty well in a blender, but I won't lie - add it to your smoothie and you'll know it's there both because of "green" taste and the added fiber. Romaine would probably be an even gentler entre into greening your smoothies. Why greens? To jump-start your day with the under-eaten, but exceptionally healthful, nutrients in them. Americans eat too much protein but too few greens.


What's your favorite smoothie?