Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, isn't it? We've all heard this before and if you have ever skipped breakfast, accidentally or deliberately, you know just how true this is. Equally as important as having breakfast is what type of breakfast you have.
Most of my life, I was a cold cereal and skim milk girl. I had a mini stint of fruit smoothies for a little while, in high school, but after I broke the fourth(?) blender with too much ice, I went back to good old cereal. Oatmeal has held a life-long second place to cold cereal, due to its convenience, shelf-life, and lack of need for milk.
Despite my cereal history, the move to fruit and veggie smoothies was relatively pain-free. It didn't hurt that they were delicious, filling (fiber-filled), and convenient for on-the-go. Because I already outlined the main ingredients, I just wanted to supply a little more information concerning their "superfood-ness" and share some additional superfoods to add for even more benefit.
We started with a base of fruit:
- blueberries, which contain flavonoids and antioxidants, as well as essential vitamins
- bananas, which famously contain potassium, also provide vitamin B6 and C, as well as manganese
added vegetables:
- kale, which contains more than the daily requirement of vitamin A and a variety of flavonoids and antioxidants
-spinach, which is known to provide vitamins C and K, as well as antioxidants and beta-carotene
and milk or "milk":
- skim milk or almond milk
and through research, found the following additions to our smoothies (amounts in parenthesis):
- cacao powder, which supplies antioxidants, mood enhancement, and magnesium (2 T)
- gogi berries or powder, which provides vitamin A and a number of antioxidants (1T)
- spirulina, a blue-green algae, which is rich in protein and supplies vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and antioxidants (1 t)
- chia seeds, also called warrior seeds, which contain fiber, omega-3 fats, calcium, and protein (1 T)
and
- flax seeds, which provide fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans (2 T)
we also add:
- local honey, which is believed to boost immunity and reduce allergies (1 T)
We purchase most of the seeds and powders through Amazon, but you might be able to find them at stores near you. Both chia and flax seeds should be available in your local grocery store "natural" isle.
Beginning the day with the benefit of all of these amazing foods has helped me become more centered and focused to start my day. Sometimes, to prepare for a busy week, we take a weekend afternoon and pre-package the powders, so they are simply dumped in all at once. If you're interested, give this a try and see whether you feel amazing. It took a little trial and error to see what worked best for us, so if you find any other superfood to include, please leave it in the comments.
Enjoy!
The above picture, from top to bottom, contains:
chia seeds, cacao powder, gogi berry powder,
spirulina powder, and a second serving of cacao powder
Labels: Go Ahead--Try It!, Mindful Eating
