Strawberry Banana Smoothie

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A smoothie is a great way to feed nutrient dense foods to children or the whole family. Anything can go into a smoothie really, but things like cooked spinach, kale, and protein powders are easier to hide for those picky eaters. Here we’ve made a delicious (and sneaky healthy) banana berry smoothie. Strawberries, blueberries, and bananas are considered superfoods. While this is largely a marketing term, it refers to nutrient dense foods, so it works for us. 

These foods are rich in antioxidants, in fact, one strawberry has more vitamin C than an orange! Plain whole yogurt is rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that help support a healthy immune system and using honey, maple syrup or raw coconut nectar to add a little bit of sweetness is a healthier alternative to sugar. We hope you and your littles enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen (or fresh) strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries (or any kind of berry)
  • 1 cup milk (I always use whole, it’s nutritionally superior to skim milk)
  • A cup of whole plain yogurt (or greek yogurt)
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter (peanut, sunflower work well too)
  • We recommend not using sweetened yogurt, as it has a lot of added sugar.
  • A drizzle of honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar

Coconut nectar is low on the glycemic index (approx. 35), which means it releases glucose slowly into the body and does not spike blood sugar levels as quickly, which is important if you have concerns about diabetes. See more on the glycemic index here.

  • Optional: ground flax, ground chia seeds or protein powder (ground flax pictured).    

Preliminary studies show that flax and chia seeds are good sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids and dietary fiber. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber help the cardiovascular system, including lowering blood pressure and preventing the hardening of arteries, a contributing factor in heart disease.

 

Directions: 

Put all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and mix until blended well!

Enjoy.

Hopefully your efforts will result in this!