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Have you been behaving now that the new year is in full swing?
Err.... you probably should be the one asking me that question. After all I'm the one who went on a quest for those perfect Lemon and White Chocolate Sugar Cookies, right? Each batch required a sample or two to determine if they were "the end of the quest".
It really takes a while to get back on a healthy eating track after the holidays, doesn't it? And it seems, the longer you go, the harder it is to get motivated.
One thing that always seems to help get my nose pointed in a healthier direction is green smoothies.
Green smoothies? Oh yes, they're healthy, satisfying, easy to make and honestly, super delicious. You'd never know in a million years, that there's a whopping 2 cups of super nutritious spinach in each serving!
When we feel like we've indulged just a bit too much (like almost always happens after the holidays) we'll just jump on the green smoothie wagon and it helps a lot. We'll replace one meal a day with a big glass of these vibrantly-hued, chocked-full-of-great-nutrients drinks and we don't feel like we're missing out on anything.
There are a zillion different combinations that can be used in these drinkable meals. This time I used lots of fresh green spinach, avocado, fresh pineapple, a ripe, sweet banana, a small knob of ginger, a little sun-shiny fresh orange juice and a splash of lime juice.
I throw it all in my blender (I don't have one of those fancy-schmancy ones) with a big cup of ice, give it a whiz and within minutes we're sipping a delicious Banana Pineapple Green Smoothie - these keep us full and satisfied past lunch time!
Oh heck, I probably didn't need to tell most of you any of this stuff. You're probably super-duper well behaved and as soon as the first day of 2015 rolled around, you put all the over indulging up on a shelf till next year.
But just in case... just in case there might be one or two who need a bit of help, this Pineapple Banana Smoothie is a delicious way to get you started...
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- 4 cups fresh organic baby spinach, lightly packed
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1 medium banana
- ½ medium ripe avocado
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 approximately 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey more to taste*
- 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups crushed ice or 3 cups if you're using larger ice cubes**
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Combine all ingredients (except ice) in a blender container. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until blended.
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Add ice and blend on high for another 30 seconds or until smooth.
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Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve.
* The riper the banana, the less honey you'll need. It's funny, there are the same amount of calories in a green banana, as they're are in a super ripe, super sweet one. I like to take my over ripe bananas, cut them in chunks and freeze them on a small sheet pan or dinner plate. Once they're frozen, I pop them in a zippered plastic bag to store. Then when I want a smoothie, I just throw a few in the blender frozen and I don't have to worry about always having fresh bananas.
** If I'm making this for myself, I go ahead and make the full recipe, even though it serves 2-3. But I only add ice to the portion that I'm serving right away. I store the rest in a covered jar or container in the refrigerator. When I'm ready to serve the remainder, I pour it back into the blender and add the ice. It will keep for several days and it tastes, after you add the ice, like you just made it! The color does not change, even though there is banana and avocado in the smoothie. The orange and lime juice keep it all really fresh tasting.
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