Green Goodness

I get asked a lot for my recipe for my morning Green Goodness shake.  It is spectacular.  Fabulous.  Full of spinach and kale and just an amazing bunch of goodness to put into your body first thing in the morning.  I wish I could take full responsibility and credit for creating this lovely glass of green morning goodness, but I most certainly didn't come up with it myself.  However, I have tinkered with this recipe and I beleive it's morphed into something extra special and nutritious that I can't wait to have first thing when I roll out of bed. 


Green Morning Goodness
1 large handful of spinach
2 large stalks of kale (rip the leafy bits off, no need to throw the stalks in there)
1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
1/2 a banana
1/2 a cup of UNSWEETENED and UNFLAVOURED almond milk
1 scoop of whey protein powder (please, please, PLEASE don't add a sugar laden or worse an artificially sweetened one...use an unflavoured kind; I like Sisu brand.)

Blend and enjoy.  It's that simple.

Variations:

• Skip the kale and just add lots and lots of spinach, although I'm not certain why you would, as kale is an amazing natural anti-oxidant (especially important for distance athletes who generally have quite a few little free radicals floating around the old system); vice versa you could skip the spinach and double up on the kale.
• Substitute whatever kind of berry or frozen fruit you would like in place of blueberries, although again, I'm not sure why you would.  Blueberries.  Yum.
• Skip the berries altogether and use a full banana. As one specific trainer I highly admire and the women whose nutrition philosophy I attempt to follow, one AT says, there is really no such thing as half a banana...nature made it just the way it is for a reason.  It's supposed to be eaten in one serving!
• If you're not partial to protein powder, greek yogurt is a nice substitute (chalk full of protein); add a dollop
• Toss in a tablespoon of chia seeds.  Or flax seeds.  Or hemp hearts.  Or a combination of all three.

Now there are those of you, I just know, who are asking yourselves right this moment, why on earth should you even consider drinking a morning Green Goodness shake?  Personally, I like to have this shake as a vehicle to get a large serving of leafy greens in the morning.  More vegetables certainly can't hurt a gal, yes?  Most people I know don't eat nearly enough vegetables.  This is a great way to consume 2 whole servings in one tasty shot!  Also, I find it difficult to get enough protein, particularily when I'm training.  And protein is just so important to repair the tear down that you're doing if you are training for a distance event of any kind.  Of course, it also keeps you feeling full for longer which is a nice added bonus. 

And just so you know, as long as you throw at least half a banana in the blender, you won't even taste the green, I promise.  Go ahead, try it...who know you just may like it!