A Very Green Breakfast

I'm either all or nothing.  Either I eat greens all the time, or I buy a bag of salad greens....and let it rot in my produce drawers.  One way I've found to get myself off to a good start in the morning is with a filling and energizing green protein shake.  I started making green/berry smoothies back in December, with the blackberries or blueberries actually making it purple (a gentle way to start, since "green" can be an alarming color for the un-initiated).  More recently I've been making an even simpler shake that I think is rather delicious.  It's bright green, about 225 calories, and it gets me all the way to lunch before I'm hungry again.  Score!  (Note: hemp protein adds a nutty flavor here along with heart healthy fats, but if you have another protein powder you'd like to substitute, or even just a few tablespoons of nut butter, go ahead.  Have fun and experiment!)





Green Breakfast Smoothie
Makes 1 shake

Ingredients:
Approx. 2 cups kale (ribs and stems ripped out) or spinach
1 cup almond milk (or your milk of choice)
2 tablespoons hemp protein (I use Nutiva brand)
1 ripe banana (preferably frozen)
honey, agave nectar or Stevia to taste...although if your banana is really ripe, you probably won't need it

Blend until smooth.  Add a handful of crushed ice at the end if you like it really cold.  Enjoy an energetic start to your day!