Super smoothies

I've been mixing up and enjoying a lot of smoothies lately, mostly because they're an easy and delicious way to consume a variety of healthy foods and nutrients in one go, but also because I recently bought a Magic Bullet and I have a strange fascination with pulverizing things in it.

Anyway....

I was inspired to start making green smoothies after reading Angela Liddon's recipe at ohsheglows.  (Angela is a baker of all things healthy and a delightfully honest blogger who shares scrumptious vegan recipes on her site.  I highly recommend taking a peek at the link!)  I'll admit I was a little hesitant at first about adding handfuls of spinach or kale to a smoothie -- they make it look so... green! -- but after my first sip I was hooked.  The greens blend in really nicely with the other flavours of fruits and nuts in the drink, and together these foods provide a healthy dose of vitamins, protein, fibre, and antioxidants.

I started with Angela's great recipe for a Green Monster Smoothie and began experimenting with different nut butters and add-ins.  This particular smoothie uses cashew butter and mango along with banana and spinach, and it is really yummy!

To make this super smoothie, you'll need:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp cashew butter
2 handfuls of organic baby spinach
half a mango, peeled and diced
1 frozen ripe banana

Place all ingredients in the order given in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour smoothie into a glass and enjoy!

If you're not familiar with chia seeds, they're a really powerful energy food.  Though they're tiny in size, the seeds are packed full of omega-3s, fibre, iron, calcium and magnesium.  Chia seeds are great blended in smoothies, sprinkled on salads or oatmeal, or used in baking recipes.  (Fun fact:  If you grew up in the 70s and 80s like I did, you may have even used chia seeds to grow your own pet!)

Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!

Smoothies like this green one make a wonderful breakfast or snack drink; they're quick and easy to make, portable, and there are endless tasty combinations of fruits, veggies, and nut butters to try.  If you've never had a green smoothie before, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good they are!  If you're already a regular smoothie drinker, please share your favourite flavours with us in the comments section below.  Cheers!