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As excited as I am for the arrival of spring, that feeling is immediately marred by the dreadful thought of revealing what’s been lurking underneath all the layers of winter clothes that have been protecting my eyes from the reality of what eating all that “comfort food” has transformed me into. Instead of turning into a light butterfly, I think I have turned into a plump caterpillar. With that realization comes responsibility, which I decided to take while I was out in Los Angeles this past week. And if there’s any place to get motivated, it’s California where fitness reigns. My visit to one of my favorite juice places (and by the way, they are the best in LA in my humble opinion) definitely kick started my new daily routine of having smoothies (a lot more substantial than the juice) for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. And now since I’ve gotten back home, I’ve been making different variations of my own and one of the best tasting ones that even the hubby has been really digging, is this banana almond one I’ve concocted. It’s super simple, quick to make, requires very few ingredients, healthy and very filling. I wanted to share it with you because it’s that’s good. It’s time to replace the cocktails with a much healthier choice to get our bodies spring/summer fashion ready.
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 Frozen banana, skins removed and cut in half (I skin the bananas once I get them from the grocery store and put them in a freezer bag)
2 Handfuls of fresh frozen blueberries (I wash them when I get home and put them in the freezer)
1 Handful of almonds*
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. flax seed
Dates (about 4 or 6 of them)
1 Tbsp. maca powder (optional)
2 Cups of coconut water
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a blender, puree. Use less or more liquid depending on the thickness that you want.
*Fun fact about Almonds: “Fruits?” you ask. “Isn’t an almond a nut?” Well, yes and no. Although commonly considered a nut, the almond is, curiously enough, a fruit. It is part of the family from which other stone-fruit trees derive their origin, namely the rose family. Stone fruits include peaches, apricots, and plums. Next time you have a peach pit in your hand, notice how closely in size and shape it resembles an almond shell. Crack both open and you will find that the kernels are similar too. However, only almonds should be eaten, since eating the kernels of fruits like peaches can make you sick.
Photo via: my iPhone which explains the low quality of the photo. It looks way better in real life, so don’t judge it by the way it photographed. I’m curious – what’s your favorite go-to smoothie?