“Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn–that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness–that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.”―
Yes, you read that right, a chocolate smoothie with kale. It appears that kale is one of those foods that people have either a love or hate relationship with. Trust me, when
it comes to this recipe, you will not even know it has kale as an ingredient.
When I first started drinking green smoothies I found that a frozen banana is key
because it gives the smoothie sweetness and makes it creamy. I buy several
bunches of bananas and when they get extra ripe, I peel and toss into a bag in
the freezer. That way I always have bananas on hand for smoothies. Over the
summer I did the same thing with the kale that we grow. Kale is so simple to
raise and it is wonderful in salads, soups, and smoothies. You will want to add
some to your garden. We harvested from the same patch of kale all summer long
because it does not get bitter like some greens do.
If you are not familiar with green smoothies, they are a great way to fortify your
iron and strengthen your immune system. Since the blender breaks down the cell
walls of the greens, it makes it easier for our bodies to absorb the nutrients.
If you do not have a high-powered blender I recommend blending up the greens
and liquid first and then adding the fruit (cut up in small pieces) a little bit at a
time. When you freeze your bananas you will want to slice or break them into
small chunks.
This smoothie is a current favorite in our house. Not only does my husband love
to take one to work in the morning for breakfast, my step kids Avalon and Lukas
enjoy drinking one at any time of the day. It makes a great filling and healthy after
school snack!
Make sure you let me know you what your favorite green
smoothie combination is. I would love to feature your recipe in a future post. As we head into the winter months it is especially important to fuel our bodies with nutritious ingredients. I lift my glass to you and yours. I hope you enjoy this smoothie combination as much as the Waldo family
does!
Chocolate, Banana, Peanut Butter, & Kale Smoothie
*1-3 cups of kale (I really like to pack the greens in my smoothie, but if you are
just starting you may want to add just a bit at first. Spinach also works well in
smoothies because it’s naturally sweet)
*1 frozen banana
*1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (gives the smoothie some staying power,
which makes it a great breakfast)
*1 Tablespoon of peanut butter
*Handful of ice cubes (can use more for thicker smoothie)
*1 cup of liquid (you can use milk, dairy free substitutes, or water) I usually start
with ½ cup of liquid and add more as I blend. You may use more of less,
depending on how thick you want your smoothie.
Produce with Amy 