Post - ALIVE+WELL Nutrition

I used to hate on smoothies because I never felt like they were filling enough for breakfast. Then I started experimenting with more ingredients (cacao powder! ground flax seeds! fresh ginger!) and adding killer toppings. These days, I wake up craving a bowl of green goodness in the warmer months.

If you’re new to adding greens to your smoothie, I understand your skepticism. But as long as you choose veggies that have a mild flavor and are easy to blend (think: baby spinach or baby kale), you’ll hardly know they’re in your cup.

Best of all, when you throw just a couple of handfuls of spinach into your blender, you start your day with a dose of iron, vitamin A, folate, potassium, and vitamin K. Folate is a B vitamin that’s critical for cell health and DNA synthesis, while vitamin A supports immune function.

This Green Ginger smoothie recipe is particularly great for digestion thanks to its high fiber content and the addition of fresh ginger, which has been used as a digestive aid for centuries. The antioxidant-rich ingredient also contains enzymes that allow food to move through the digestive tract more easily, soothing bloat and constipation.

To start your day strong, blend up the below + go.

Green Ginger Smoothie

Serves: 1

Blend:

1 small banana, sliced and frozen

2 hefty handfuls organic baby spinach

1 cup milk of choice, or more as needed to blend everything well (I recommend cow’s milk if you tolerate it or unsweetened + organic soy milk)

1 serving protein powder of choice

2 thin, round slices fresh ginger (optional)

1 tablespoon natural peanut or almond butter

1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds

1 medjool date (this is also optional; only add if you need extra sweetness)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 ice cubes

Nutrition:

450 calories

37 grams of protein

48 grams of carbohydrates (10 grams of fiber)

18 grams of fat (2 grams of saturated fat)

NOTE: I always like to top my green smoothies with some crunch. Feel free to add homemade granola, a low sugar cereal, chopped nuts//seeds, or a sprinkle of cacao nibs on top for added nutrients + extra texture.