Yummy Green Goodness

Although the weathers getting a little cool for smoothies, its still my go-to quick and easy breakfast. I'm constantly asked whats in the bright green smoothie I lug around with me everywhere, and how I keep it so green. So I thought I'd share....

Ingredients:
- 1 cup mangos - frozen 
- 2 cups of kale - absolutely fresh
- 1 whole apple 
- 1 banana
- 2 tsp ground flax seed
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- a splash of water
- 1 scoop of the protein powder of your choice (plain or vanilla taste the best for this recipe)

Side Note: to keep it green, avoid adding coloured berries like blackberries/blueberries/strawberries. Stick with peaches, pineapple, and mangos as your fruit. 

Tips: smoothie do's & dont's

• Additions: If you're taking fish oil or using flaxseed oil, go ahead and toss it in... but AFTER blending - the speed and heat of the processing will denature the fatty acids, which is no good.
  
• Caution with added juices: while using a fruit juice base adds some good flavour, it also adds the calories and sugar spike in the morning - which you DONT want. Stick to nut milk bases such as unsweetened almond and coconut milk 
• Fibre: adding in ground flax is always a plus - it gives you some great fatty acids, helps with bowel movements, binds cholesterol and hormone waste products in the gut, and helps moderate blood sugar levels. But use caution: it must be taken away from medications (especially cholesterol meds) as it can interfere with their absorption. Take meds roughly 2 hours away from fibre supplements. 
• Blend the night before: if you don't have time in the morning, theres nothing wrong with blending it up the night before and throwing it in the fridge. It may separate a little, but it does the trick.
• Place is a mason jar: anyone who knows me, knows I have a romance with mason jars. But they're incredibly practical for smoothie transport - the glass is BPA free, and the seal on the container allows you to throw it in your purse/bag and run! Convenience in style!

PS: for anyone curious, that beautiful red blender is made by ByDash - a newer company trying to compete with the blendtec and vitamix blenders. It's a 2 hp motor, with a lifetime warrantee, and uses the exact same cyclone technology as the vitamix containers. 6 blades instead of 4. But the best part, half the price as the professional series blenders!
Its been treating me VERY well so far - I make homemade soups and dips in it with ease - and its got its own cleaning function. 
I got mine at kitchenplus.ca at 50% off. 

Happy blending!