We are all looking for ways to make the best possible food choices with limited time while not breaking the bank. Jeremy and I are no different. Watch for these Hyatt Family Eats posts where I’ll share some of the things we’re eating, making and learning about in our house. First up is a quick seasonal smoothie update.
Max and I were making smoothies together last week. He looked in the vitamix and said, “it looks like a salad in there” in his hilariously amused and delighted voice as he heaped in the handful of toasted almonds. As the seasons change, so does what goes in to our daily smoothies. Here is the latest version of our family staple. Note: I’m quite certain the only reason Max is on board with the smoothie after seeing all the greens that go in is because 1) it turns out reddish some days – his favorite color and 2) he sees the “big” piece of chocolate that goes in.
Disclaimer: If you haven’t tried a morning smoothie yet, I can’t encourage you enough. Optimizing time in the mornings is key for everyone. Between balancing workouts and getting to work, the morning kids shuffle and everything else, having a smoothie ready to go gives you more time to focus on LIFE. I love being able to grab the smoothie I made the night before, and know that at the very least I’ve got solid nutrition on board as I face the day. And that each member of my family has one is a bonus. I put the kids’ out in the morning for them to sip on while I prep breakfast. Jeremy takes one. Every sip that goes in is good nutrition.
Since our last smoothie post, I’ve added fresh kiwi and dark chocolate to our mix.
Current recipe with sources and detail: I’ve done the of leg work on sourcing things in the most cost effective way so no need to re-invent the wheel! Note: I make enough for our whole family – two large insulated klean kanteens and two small so you may need to scale back.
2 C Tempt hemp milk in vanilla (any dairy free will work, I think hemp gives a creamy texture)
1 banana (our Costco on Jenkins Rd in Beaverton sells organic)
1 spear of pineapple (Costco sells pre cut spears)
½(ish) C plain organic whole milk yogurt (I make this but it is easily store bought, Trader Joe’s has good options)
2 fresh kiwi peeled (Costco)
3ish squares of dark chocolate (I added this after the anti-inflammatory diets lecture. I buy the pound plus dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s and break it in to three square chunks that are ready to go each night)
1 generous handful toasted almonds (I buy the big bag available at our Costco and toast ½ to 1/3 of the bag at a time and store in a container for ease. To toast cook in a dry skillet until aromatic stirring frequently or use oven and spread out on baking sheet at 350, about 20 minutes or until aromatic). I feel like the toasting really does make a big difference in the flavor and is worth the time.
1 generous handful organic kale or power greens mix (Costco – organic pre-washed mixes. Also great to have on hand to sauté or use in salads)
1 C(ish) of frozen fruit (Costco – organic anti-oxidant blend)
handful of ice
I let all this process for quite a while in the vitamix to get a nice smooth texture. The klean Kanteen insulated bottles are truly amazing at keeping smoothies cold. Pop it in an insulated bottle. Store overnight in fridge and grab in the morning!
