Thanks to Del Monte Pure Earth Juice for sponsoring today's discussion on how to jumpstart your day with a green smoothie.
How do you jumpstart your day? I am not a morning person at all, so getting my day started used to be very hard for me. Nowadays, I’ve implemented a few new steps to my morning routine that has helped me to hit the ground running every morning. First up, hubby makes me a glass of warm lemon water every morning. Approximately 30 minutes after that, we do a thirty minute workout. Finally, I prepare either a green smoothie or green juice every morning to have with breakfast.
Becoming physically active has not been easy. In fact, nobody can just snap into an intensive lifestyle, appropriate steps and small changes must be made. Fortunately, however, what many people do not realize is that it is the small steps that end up making the biggest difference. Drinking more water every day, or choosing to take the stairs instead of an elevator, all of these things can be enough to help you get started on the path towards better health. Nutrition is also a good place to get started. Not only should you get rid of certain things from your diet, but there are also many additions that you can make to see a healthier, slimmer new you!
Green smoothies are a popular trend, one that has always been around, but has really begun to see more mainstream attention in recent years. I have to admit that the stark green color of the smoothies I saw did not look very appetizing to me at all. The fact of the matter is that healthy green smoothies or juices can be a great way to jumpstart your day. When made correctly, not only are they full of vital nutrients and metabolism boosting vitamins, but they can also taste great. At first I was hesitant to even try them. I mean they’re for crying out loud! But once I finally tried it, I really liked it. I started making them more and more often, invested in a professional blender, and now I make either a green smoothie or green juice every single day.
When I make a green smoothie, I always include an alkalizing green vegetable that is rich in nutrients like kale, spinach or chard. I actually buy a green mixture from Costco that includes all three. Next up, I add fruit and more veggies. I use a variety of different fruits and veggies. I try to stick with low glycemic fruits to keep the sugar count as low as possible, but I do use other fruits as well. My favorite fruits to add are apples, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, pineapples and mangos. My favorite vegetables to add are carrots, celery, cucumber, and beets. A few additional ingredients I like to keep on hand are yogurt, nut butters, protein powders and ginger. Then I add a liquid. I don’t add a lot, usually about a splash to 1 cup. Choose your base liquid wisely. I try to stick to liquids that are healthy and refreshing, such as water, green tea, coconut water, or fresh, low calorie and low-sugar juices. I also use almond or oat milk on occasion.
I was recently introduced to a new 100% fruit juice that recently hit the shelves. It’s called Del Monte Pure Earth and it comes in a variety of different flavors like pure 100% Pineapple and blends like pineapple/blueberry/blackberry juice. It’s really good and I love the fact that there is no added sugar. Want to try it out yourself? Then you’re in luck as there is a $1.00 coupon for Del Monte Pure Earth Juice that you can find here.
After trying it out, I decided to make a new smoothie recipe incorporating their pineapple juice. Hope you like it!
Pineapple Banana Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oz. vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
DIRECTIONS
- Place all the ingredients in a blender, and mix until smooth.
- Enjoy immediately.
Makes one serving.
No matter how you prepare them, green smoothies and juices are for the most part incredibly healthy as long as you keep the calorie and sugar count low. Drinking a green smoothie every day can be a great way to jumpstart your day.
What do you do to jumpstart your day?
