I have spent years perfecting my morning routine to ensure I am always energized and motivated to take on my day. Part of my routine includes things like drinking 12 ounces of room temperature water before my feet hit the ground, practicing gratitude, and enjoying light stretching. However, another thing that I can’t go without is my morning superfood smoothie.
I find most people are willing to ditch the most important meal of the day - I used to be one of those people. However, they are missing starting out on the right foot. My first meal prepares me for more than my morning workout, it helps me tackle smaller tasks and bigger challenges the entire day; coffee and a pastry can’t do that.
If you’re finding yourself challenged by the necessity to get a full, balanced meal for breakfast because you don’t have time to cook, or maybe even find it difficult to sit down and eat a lot of food in the morning, a smoothie could be your ticket! My breakfast smoothie is easily one of my favorite parts of my morning because it is fast, easy, healthy, and delicious without compromising on the vital nutrients I need to start my day right.
START WITH YOUR BASE
The base of my morning smoothie is simple: find yourself a high-quality and comprehensive meal-replacement shake mix. My personal favorite is Ka'Chava, a daily superblend packed full of protein, vitamins, and nutrients from superfoods! A good mix as your base will leave you feeling full and energized for hours to come. As we know, a recipe for nutritional success includes incorporating vitamin B12, potassium, fiber, and calcium into your diet.
Many people will stop here, adding water or ice to reach their personal consistency preference and that’s okay, but I still prefer to boost my smoothie with some other beneficial and delicious ingredients!
ADD YOUR SUPERFRUITS
There’s nothing I love more than adding fresh fruit to a smoothie. It adds the perfect amount
of sweetness and brightness to the meal and is an excellent way to keep your flavors new and interesting. Blueberries are a favorite; the benefits of blueberries are well documented, including protection against heart disease and cancer. However, there are a multitude of other superfruits out there that can make for great additions to your morning smoothie. Don’t be afraid to change it up and make a few recipes to keep yourself from getting bored with the same exact drink every day.
Fresh fruit can also be a wonderful addition for bowl-ifying your smoothie breakfast. If you have some extra time—instead of drinking right out of the blender (a habit my wife hates), make yourself a thicker blend, pour it into a bowl, and top with some fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or granola. It’s delicious, extra filling, and has a new texture that can add even more variety to your healthy breakfast.
I always consider taking stock of what is available seasonally and locally to be an excellent practice that keeps you, your community, and the planet healthier and happier!
EXTRA PROTEIN
Protein is vital to your diet. It keeps you full longer, reducing your urge to pick at unhealthy snacks, helps you stay fit, and can keep your muscles and bones strong. Peanut butter is my personal favorite protein to add to smoothies, but there are a variety of nut butters out there to choose from. Maybe you like cashew butter, almond butter, or sun butter. All of these nuts and seeds have dense nutrients, protein, and good fats that can help lower bad cholesterol and keep your heart happy.
DON’T FORGET YOUR LEAFY GREENS
Smoothies are also a great way to boost your intake of leafy greens. Whether you feel like you just aren’t getting enough in your diet or you (or a loved one) just aren’t the biggest fans
of those beneficial leaves, blending them up with all of your wonderful fruits, proteins, and smoothie mixes will make their vast health benefits easier to enjoy.
Leafy greens are also very easy to grow on your own. So, if you’re using a garden to keep movement a priority as you age, you can include the mighty harvests you gather in your morning routine.
Until next week,
Dwayne
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