Since the new year started, I've been making a concerned effort to treat my body better by eating healthier and exercising regularly. As anyone who's tried to get fit will tell you, it isn't easy but when you start to see your desired results, it's totally worth it. 

One of my biggest issues I've had while trying to stick to a healthy diet is: what can I eat for snacks or quickie meals? After a day of work, running errands or going to the gym, the last thing I want to do is come home and cook a full meal. At the same time, even though it would be so easy (and delicious) for me to stop off at my local MickeyD's, I know I'll probably regret it later. 

To solve this, recently, I've been blending up a storm making awesome green smoothies. They're quick, full of vitamins and despite my initial doubt, they're quite tasty! I've found that green smoothies can be easily created by following guidelines and switching out ingredients which means that there are a ton of flavourful possibilities and only one recipe. I'll let you in on this smoothie secret and give you the recipe to my favourite green smoothie I've made so far. 

Here's what I'll be using to create my smoothie:
 
Green Tea
Spinach 
Banana
Blueberries
Coconut Oil
Chia Seeds
Protein Powder
Honey 

And here's how to make it:



Step 1: Your Base 

You'll need a liquid base for your smoothie. I'm going to use about 1/2-3/4 cup of green tea. I like using green tea because it contains anti-oxidants which have health and beauty benefits. You can also use purified water or coconut water. Be sure to let your green tea cool down before you blend your smoothie. 

Step 2: Your Greens 

This is going to be the heart of your smoothie. I recently talked about kale (check out my recipe for kale chips here) which makes an excellent green but this time around I used 2 cups of spinach. You can also go for dandelion green, chard or parsley. Veggies like beets, carrots or cucumber can be great in smoothies but are harder to break up so I like going with a leafy green. 

Step 3, 4, 5: Fats, Fibres and Fruits 

This portion calls for oils, fibres and delicious fruits to add flavour. I added 1 tbsp coconut oil, which BTW is an excellent product to have on hand. I have two jars in my house, one for beauty and one for cooking and baking. Use on your skin and in your hair to moisturize. Most oils (like grapeseed oil) have plenty of the "good fats", also try avocado. 
 
Then, I put in 1 tbsp of chia seeds. Chia seeds are, like the name suggests, the same thing in Chia Pets (say, what?!) and they are chock-full of fibre and omega-3s and anti-oxidants. Chia isn't necessary the only fibre rich product out there. You can use flax seeds for instance. 

Next add in some fruit of your choice. Most fruits contain a good amount of fibre as well which is good news. Bananas and blueberries are my go-to fruit because they both contain potassium and vitamins. As well, because they are so sweet and intense in flavour, they will mask any unpleasant 'green' taste. I added one full banana and about 1/2-3/4 cup of blueberries. 

Step 6: Extra Additions

If you want, add any extra supplements to your smoothie. I can't personally vouch for it, but I've heard recommendations for bee pollen of all things! Apparently, bee pollen contains vitamin B, vitamin C and 22 amino acids! Raw cacao, matcha powder or hemp protein powder are all good supplement candidates. I decided to add about 1-2 tbsp of whey protein powder to my smoothie. I would also suggest adding in some ginger and lemon or lime. Lemons and limes are good sources of vitamin C and ginger, besides adding some zest, is said in folklore to have many health and medicinal benefits. 

Step 7: Sweeten 

Green smoothies can be on the tarter or bitter side so you'll want to add a little something to kick it up. I added 1 tbsp (okay more like 1 1/2 tbsp) of honey to sweeten but you can also use stevia or agave. 


Okay, so it may not look amazing but they're amazingly healthy and delicious! 

Have tried green smoothies before? Is this something you'd try? And be sure to let me know what your quickie healthy meals tips or recipes are, I'm always on the hunt for something good!
 
(via heyliz.ca)