TO EAT IS A NECESSITY, BUT TO EAT INTELLIGENTLY IS AN ART
francois de Rochefoucauld
Do your kiddos not like greens?
There are so many wonderful ways to CROWD IN leafy greens on a daily basis.
I like to blend them into my morning smoothies. It is a nourishing way to start the day with the kiddos. Breakfast sets your metabolic tone for the day so the sugar filled cereals and muffins packed with hidden sugars give you a sugar surge and then a late morning brain fog and fatigue.
One trick for making a morning smoothie is to prepackage your ingredients the night before in a baggie. Place in the freezer and then take out in the morning and add your liquid- coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk.
My favorite green smoothie:
- 1 cup homemade cashew/almond milk
- 1/2 avocado
- 1-2 pieces fruit- apple, pear, berries or banana
- handful of spinach- slightly steamed
- stevia to taste
- 1 tbs chia seeds
Spinach is loaded with:
vitamin A: for healthy mucus membranes and eyesight
vitamin K: for strengthening bones
1 cup(30 grams) of spinach= 145 mcg of vitamin K
the adequate intake of vitamin K for women age 19-70 is 90 mcg (160% )
the adequate intake of vitamin K for men age 14-70 is 120 mcg (121%)
vitamin- B complex– especially B6, riboflavin, folate and niacin which help us process fats, carbs and proteins for fuel.
vitamin C- a powerful antioxidant that helps in fighting infectious agents and free radicals that cause damage to our cells.
iron- a trace element that is important for red blood cell production.
omega-3 fatty acids– reduces inflammation and important for brain, hair and skin health.
minerals- potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc.
Note: Spinach is high in oxalic acid which can interfere with calcium absorption unless it is steamed.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS TO ALTER THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF YOUR SMOOTHIES:
- Try changing the consistency of the shake by adding more liquid and less fiber
- Try adding an organic whey protein powder
- Add a tablespoon of almond butter
- Try adding different berries
- Vary the liquid- coconut milk, cashew milk or coconut water
- Add unsweetened raw cacao for a sweeter taste
- Add kale instead of spinach
Since I have been recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid, I avoid certain foods that are referred to as goitrogens, which are foods that inhibit the thyroid from metabolizing iodine. These foods include: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, radishes, spinach, strawberries, peaches, soy-based foods and peanuts. I now alter my favorite smoothie and leave out the spinach and add a little more avocado and almond butter. Still amazingly delicious!!
For those of you who do not have thyroid issues, eating goitrogens is A-OK!
Here are some helpful links:
http://iquitsugar.com/recipe/mixedberry-protein-smoothie/
http://ohsheglows.com/2014/03/31/green-warrior-protein-smoothie/
http://minimalistbaker.com/hide-your-kale-smoothie/
http://sugarscience.org/sugar-sweetened-beverages/#.VGIju_TF9x8