SPINACH AND PEAR BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

Spinach and Pear Breakfast Smoothie is the perfect way to start the day packed full of great vitamins and nutrients, including maca powder and coconut water

Normally I love a hot breakfast. Nothing beats some soft boiled or fried eggs served with thinly sliced cucumbers, avocados, smoked salmon and pesto.

Now that is always my breakfast of choice. And really what I need to get the day off to a good start.

When you all of a sudden have your bottom two wisdom teeth remove, that is no longer an option.

Sadly there are no more eggs for breakfast. It’s an all liquid diet and you’ve just got to make the best of it.

This is where the spinach and pear breakfast smoothie comes in. Normally I don’t make smoothies. Not that I’m opposed to them, it’s just I prefer to have my meals in chew-able form, as opposed to straight liquid.

For nine days after I got my wisdom teeth out last month, I was on a straight liquid diet though. Talk about the ultimate form of torture for a food blogger. No delicious solid food for nine full days.

Not quite sure how I made it out alive at all. Luckily there are plenty of options out there for delicious soups, smoothies and juices so between the three of those I kept myself mildly fed and preventing full of starvation from setting in.

This smoothie though. This became my go to breakfast for days. Once I got a winning combination down, I didn’t even need any variety.

Spinach + bananas + pears + maca powder + coconut water.

That is all you need in this thick and creamy refreshingly vibrant smoothie. Just look at that color. So bright and green right?

And delicious and insanely healthy. I mean once you’re starting your day off with an enormous handful of spinach you’re just off to a great start and bound to feel good about yourself. The maca powder I found in my moms pantry and its one of those fairly new superfood which is quickly sweeping the shelves.

It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals and is particularly good for increasing energy levels and regulating hormone functions while helping with your mood balance.

Umm with an all liquid diet for days I needed both an energy and mood pick me up. So then we’ve got the banana, pear and coconut water. All packed full of vitamins and nutrients as well.

If I can’t have my standard hot egg breakfast, this spinach and pear smoothie might not be such a bad alternative after all.

And to top it off, it can easily be taken on the good. Just pour into a cup and sip slowly on your way to work.

SPINACH AND PEAR BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

PREP TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME

10 mins

Spinach and Pear Breakfast Smoothie is the perfect way to start the day packed full of great vitamins and nutrients, including maca powder and coconut water

Author: Vicky Berman

Recipe type: Drinks

Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 5 oz spinach
• 1 pear
• 1 banana
• ½ -3/4 cup coconut milk or coconut water
• 1 tablespoon maca powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more coconut water or coconut milk until desired consistency is reached.

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The Art of Creating a Paleo Smoothie Drink

We are living in the century of the green drink craze. Respected health officials, fitness gurus and health advocates continue to boast about the benefits of paleo smoothies and drinks. Green smoothies are nutritional powerhouses in that they are filled with nutrients that your body craves. If you’ve been suffering from bouts of fatigue and low energy it may help to incorporate green smoothies into your regular diet. Green smoothies and drinks are rich in nutrient dense minerals and vitamins that your body needs.

Spinach is a key ingredient in green drinks that are essential for the body. Did you know that spinach helps to prevent overeating and also maintain a normal blood sugar level? Spinach contains bioflavonoids which have potent anti-cancer properties. We know that spinach isn’t the most delicious vegetable to munch on. One beneficial element about spinach is that you can hardly taste it once it’s mixed in with other key ingredients of a green smoothie.

There is no perfect green drink out there so don’t be fooled by all of the fly by night companies claiming to have a “holy grail” green drink. Green smoothies are supremely easy to concoct on your own. They can be made with a variety of ingredients that will give your taste buds the party that they’ve always been looking for! The secret for making a flavourful green drink is to incorporate the right mix of fruits and green vegetables that you enjoy eating.

If you’re not much of a vegetable person and prefer eating fruits, be sure to add more fruits than vegetables in your blender or juicer. For example, try adding 2 parts fruit to 1 part vegetables. There is no specific recipe that you must follow to ensure that you make a great tasting green smoothie. The sky really is the limit when it comes to creating a green drink.

Now let’s say you’re nutritionally challenged and are absolutely clueless about what goes into a green smoothie. For starters, you will need a smoothie base of approximately 1-2 cups of liquid. Rice milk, almond milk, coconut water and fruit juice are excellent bases. After selecting your base, you will need to choose 2 cups of your preferred fruit.

Berries, mangos, kiwis, pineapples, pears and bananas are flavorful fruit options. Next you’ll need 1 cup of a green vegetable such as kale, spinach or beet greens. You may choose to drink your smoothie with just your base, fruit and vegetables. However, if you want a thicker consistency select a thickener such as yogurt, coconut meat, frozen yogurt, ice cubes or nut butter. The last step is optional and it entails adding a sweetener such as agave nectar or honey.

Green smoothies aren’t hard to make. One rule of thumb is to be creative and just go for it. In case you’re still feeling dubious and helpless here’s a green smoothie recipe that you can try!

1 Cup coconut milk 2 cups of chopped mango and pineapple 1-1.5 cups of spinach ½ cup of French Vanilla yogurt 3 tablespoons of light agave nectar syrup Dash of nutmeg

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Paleo Recipe: Winter Green Smoothie

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped kale
• 2 pears, peeled & chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 cucumber, peeled & chopped
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger root
• 2 tbs. hemp seed
• 2 tbs. raw coconut oil
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 cups ice

Method

Step 1

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender. Drink up!

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Breakfast Smoothie Paleo Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces chilled herbal tea
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 soft-boiled eggs (Nell promises you will not taste them.)
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoons ginger

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

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Kiwi Basil Daiquiri Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

3 organic kiwis – peeled, sliced and frozen
1 organic banana
1 organic pink grapefruit, juiced (about 3/4 cup juice)
1 handful fresh organic basil leaves
1/2 cup (or more) ice cubes
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Dircetion

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

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Piña-vocado Colada Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups organic raw orange juice
1 1/4 cups organic pineapple chunks, frozen
1/2 organic avocado
1 small organic banana (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup ice (more if needed)
juice from 1/2 organic lime
dash of cayenne for garnish (optional)

Direction

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

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Pretty in Pink Grapefruit Smoothie

Ingredients

1.5 cups freshly squeezed organic pink grapefruit juice (about 2 large grapefruits)
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1/2 cup ice
2 organic bananas (fresh or frozen)

Direction

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

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Watermelon Frosty Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

2.5 cups frozen organic watermelon cubes

1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 large organic lemon, squeezed (or use 2 organic limes)
1 fresh organic banana

Direction

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

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Banana-Spinach Smoothie

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
SERVINGS: 2 

1 frozen banana
1 c baby spinach
1 c unsweetened plain soy milk
2½ tsp unsalted almond butter
1 tsp honey

In a blender, combine the banana, spinach, soy milk, almond butter, and honey. Puree for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. 

NUTRITION (per serving) 153 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 7 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 50 mg sodium

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Berry-Mango Smoothie

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
SERVINGS: 2

1 c chopped kale
3⁄4 c frozen mixed berries
3⁄4 c fat-free milk
1⁄2 frozen banana
1⁄2 c fresh or frozen mango cubes
2 tsp honey

In a blender, combine the kale, berries, milk, banana, mango, and honey. Puree for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. 

NUTRITION (per serving) 148 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 52 mg sodium

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