Lately I've been creating different smoothies because my schedule is so packed and having a liquified lunch is one way to get a ton of nutrients without spending too much time with food prep. My favorite new addition to my smoothies is spirulina, which is a blue-green algae that supplies a source of complete protein, vitamin K, vitamin A, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids (omega 3 & omega 6). You can find spirulina in any health food store in the supplement aisle. Although it's not what one would call "delicious", it's nutritional profile makes it worth it, plus you can mask the taste by adding to a green smoothie with some fruit. Here's the basic recipe for the spirulina smoothie I've been experimenting with.
Spirulina Smoothie
- 1 frozen banana, cut into smaller pieces, or 1 fresh (unfrozen) banana + 3 ice cubes
- ½ cup berries (strawberries taste pretty good in this recipe)
- 1 cup vanilla coconut milk or almond milk
- 1 tsp. spirulina
- 1 cup chopped, raw kale, spinach, or other leafy green
In a blender, add ingredients and blend together until a smooth, liquid consistency is achieved. Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy!
-Jess