Thus begins a new “column” that you’ll see from time to time: Junkfood Makovers.
Have you seen those “Danimals” or “Yoplait Endulge” or whatever they’re called drinks at the store? Ever been tempted to down one of these “healthy” drinks? Perhaps you have (even I used to) but then one look at the dreaded “Nutritional Info” and it’s clear that High Fructose Corn Syrup and “emulsifiers” and “red #4″ isn’t so healthy.
Here’s a delicious way to treat your kids to a quick, healthy breakfast using plenty of that homemade yogurt (see post below!):
Thienes Family Power Smoothie
Basic smoothie:
1 cup homemade yogurt (or kefir) OR coconut milk (for a vegan treat!)
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 banana
6 drops liquid stevia (or sweetener of choice)
1 cup of frozen fruit (berries, mangoes, pineapple, cranberries; whatever we’ve got!)
2-3 egg yolks (don’t freak out people! I use pastured egg yolks from a farmer I know!)
Bonus features: (add any of the following…for the brave and strong!)
+1 Tbs nutritional yeast (this is a strong flavor– best hidden with lots of raspberries)
+1 scoop of Rice Protein Powder (I don’t love this, but my husband does)
+1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
+1 tsp spirulina
+fresh or frozen spinach (I promise you won’t taste it!)
Whirl in blender. Serve to happy, hungry, family members with a handful of nuts or a piece of toast, and you have a complete breakfast! Toddlers especially enjoy eating this with a spoon in a bowl for “breakfast ice cream”. Shhhh! Don’t tell. Freeze leftovers for popsicles, or pour directly into your ice cream maker!
With Jamba and Booster Juice at about $4.50 a pop, this is a very thrifty way to make a delicious whole-food meal. And unlike other smoothies that are laden with sugar, this one being full of good fats with sustain your blood sugar throughout the morning.
This does indeed make a killer smoothie! I use maple syrup as a sweetener (not too much is needed).
Carrie, on a totally different subject … since we’re in Lent, I’ve been thinking about this …
do you avoid soy products altogether? I try, but …
Hoping that sometime after you’ve covered ALL the other stuff, you’ll tackle Lenten choices in line with your way of eating. Thanks! (I already told you I love your blog, right? I love your blog!)
I make a smoothie for my children almost every day. This morning we had a chocolate smoothie (still healthy, believe it or not), toast made from homemade bread, spread with raw butter and peanut butter, and an orange. Yummy!
Thanks for the reminder! I forget how easy and tasty this combination is!
S makes his power-smoothie every morning to get him through his physically demanding job:
1 c. (soy or almond) milk, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 Banana, 1 generous spoon of tahini or coconut oil
sometimes he uses a dollop of peanut butter or a scoop of green drink, but the stuff we used to buy is now over $30 a container.
Carrie, do you ever buy organic “green drink”? If so, do you have an affordable source?
With summer coming soon and the variety of fruits available, I need to remember the smoothy option for those “snack” moments. Thanks for the recipe. I must admit, however, that I’m not as healthy as you Carrie, but your blog is definitely inspiring.
I second the first commenter: maple syrup is a great sweetener for smoothies. Then if you use the coconut milk (or oil) along with frozen pineapples, it tastes like a pina colada!
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