Smoothies

To kick off the New Year as well as the fact hubs and I put on some extra pounds last year  hubby and I got a YMCA membership and have tried to begin starting a new healthy eating lifestyle. This was our first week and so far it is going great and I am feeling good! One of the parts of our new eating habits is to include food in our day which is made up of 'fruits from the earth' so to say. In other words fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. This week we have been focusing on introducing a smoothie and salad into our menu each day. Smoothies have been the best breakfast!
Here are some simple smoothie guidelines - that I have mastered in one week : )

Fruit - I use a mixture of frozen and fresh. I started with fresh earlier in the week but as the week draws to a close I have moved to frozen until I can get to the store and get more fresh fruit! Frozen fruit is good too because it helps make the smoothie a little colder! Some of my favorite choices of fruit are blackberries, strawberries, bananas, and mangoes!

Spinach - I add as much spinach as I possibly can fit in the blender! In addition to spinach I have been adding collard greens as well. I have learned this week I am not a huge fan of collard greens in salad but don't even notice them when they are thrown in a smoothie. Kale is also a great option to throw in. (Just a fun fact: collard greens and kale are some of the best greens you can eat!)

Some sort of liquid:
Almond Milk - Although I am not going to cut out good old fashioned skim milk from my diet I don't think it hurts to reduce my dairy intake. Not to mention that almond milk adds a totally different flavor than dairy milk does! I usually adjust the amount of almond milk that I use based on the consistency I am looking for with my smoothie. I don't mind my smoothies a little on the thick side while Coy prefers his more liquid - therefore we have had to compromise with a little more liquid!

or

Orange Juice - Of course Simply Orange is the best, but any OJ will work. I chose orange juice because of the nutritional value it adds to the smoothie!

Ground Flaxseed - Flaxseed is a great way to add some fiber and Omega 3 into your morning. Using flax meal is beneficial because it helps to breakdown all of the nutrition so that your body can digest it! This is also the same with blending spinach - by blending it helps your body absorb all the nutrients it has to offer!

Although I am just beginning my journey as a new health guru I feel good about the progress I have made in one week. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods is about to become my new best friends!