Happy Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but I’m glad this particular Monday is over! We had a power outage due to storms that lasted over an hour and a half, than it was practically a monsoon the rest of the day. BUT, thankfully we {and our loved ones} survived the storms, and for that, I am truly grateful!
Tennessee is relatively mild when it comes to weather, at least if you like the summer heat {I do!}, but mid Spring and early Fall we often get severe weather that all too often turns in tornado warnings and watches. I’m hoping my next house has a basement or some sort of underground shelter area, it can be quite scary.
Anyway, I figured what better way to start Tuesday than with this fresh, cheerful Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie! I love smoothies, although I’m such a creature of habit, I rarely eat them for breakfast. Instead I stick with my tried-and-true Greek yogurt with flax, berries, bran flakes and a little coconut oil, topped with cinnamon! Which would actually make a pretty good smoothie, too. BUT, I like to chew. There is something psychologically satisfying in chewing my food as opposed to just drinking it.
I’m not making a very good case for this smoothie, am I? But really, I do love smoothies. They come in all colors and flavors, and there is no wrong or right. It’s just about what you’re in the mood for and whats hanging out in the fridge or freezer. Not only that, but I’m often amazed at how full I feel after downing a good smoothie.
And blueberries. Ah, blueberries. Frozen, fresh, in a pie, or a muffin, I’ll take them whenever I can. I love blueberries. Which is why, to me, they are the perfect base for this Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie. They are the ideal sweet berry, not too tart, no seeds to overcome, and both a flavor and color that overpowers, in a good way, whatever its paired with.
For this smoothie, I added in some flax-seed, {my go-to for morning meals, it helps start the day off with some healthy fat and fiber} and whole oats to thicken it up a bit while adding some nutritional benefits. Another go-to for me when it comes to breakfast is cinnamon. I try to add about a teaspoon of cinnamon to my breakfast every morning, it’s a great metabolism booster. For more reasons to make this Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie, check out all the amazing health benefits below!
BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRIES:
- Contain fiber as well as vitamins such as C, K and B6, and minerals like phosphorous and manganese.
- Blueberries contain plant pigments called anthocyanins, these compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help increase brain signals and memory function.
- Studies have shown benefits of improved learning ability, memory skills and blood sugar levels.
BENEFITS OF BANANAS:
- High potassium content, which is necessary for good nerve and muscle function as well as for maintaining a healthy balance of fluids in the body.
- Good source of vitamin C, which helps boosts your immune system and cell health and improves the absorption of other nutrients such as iron.
- Excellent source of vitamin B-6, also called pyridoxine, your body uses vitamin B-6 to grow new cells.
- Contains manganese, necessary for bone health and metabolism.
- Good source of Dietary fiber, which helps you feel fuller longer and keeps your digestive processes running smoothly.
BENEFITS OF CINNAMON:
- Offers anti-clotting and anti-microbial benefits, boosts brain function and contributes to a healthy colon.
- Contains Cinnamaldehyde, which works against harmful blood platelet clotting that can result in inadequate blood flow.
- Beneficial for any condition that causes inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
- May help stop the growth of harmful bacteria or fungi, such as those that are responsible for candida, or yeast infections.
- Reduces the rise in blood sugar after eating (especially high-carbohydrate meals) as it slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals.
- Brings blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes to normal by improving their cells’ ability to respond to insulin.
BENEFITS OF FLAXSEED:
- Helps lower risk of heart disease, contains Omega-3, which helps reduce bad cholesterols and blood pressure.
- Good source of Lignans, an antioxidant which helps protect against breast, ovarian, uterine and prostrate cancers.
- Contains insoluble and soluble fiber, the latter being able to slow the rise of blood-sugar levels after a meal (good for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes).
- As a good source of fiber, it also helps regulate bowel movements and to prevent constipation.
BENEFITS OF WHOLE OATS:
- Whole oats are a good source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and are particularly high in B vitamins, phosphorus and iron. In 1 cup of cooked oats, there are approximately 150 calories, 6 g of protein and 4 g of fiber. (The iron is important for those of you like myself who don’t eat a lot of red meat!)
- Purchase organic whole oats if possible to eliminate the chemicals, additives or genetic modifications that are often used on the non-organic oats.
I don’t know about you, but for me, clean eating does not always come easy. There are times when the Cheetos on the lunch table or the Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies in the kitchen seem to be screaming my name. I don’t buy those things at home, so it is much easier to make good choices, but of course I cannot control what others bring into the office. During these times, I have to continually remind myself that what I put into my body is what I can expect out of it. It’s not just about the calorie intake of these unhealthy choices, it’s about what they have to offer, or rather what they lack to offer in the way of nutrition for my body. Aside from that, these processed snacks contain added chemicals, preservatives and other things that our bodies are not meant to consume.
A quick smoothie like this one, helps keep me in check and is not only satisfying to my taste buds, but it energizes my mind and spirit too as I know it is adding value to my health as opposed to harm.
Sorry for the quick soap-box, I hope each of you have a fabulous Tuesday!
Blueberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 small-medium bananas
- 2 cups Almond Milk I like the Vanilla Unsweetened
- 1 cup frozen blueberries fresh will work
- 1/4 cup organic whole oats
- 1/4 cup ground flax-seed
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to high speed blender or Nutribullet and blend until smooth and creamy, then drink!
- Garnish with additional cinnamon and blueberries if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional Benefits taken from LIVESTRONG.com
