Shakes and Smoothies

(Green Machine pictured here)

Hey there Mamas! I've learned a few tricks to get my toddler daughter to have her greens!!! Would you ever guess this smoothie is loaded with spinach?!? By using blueberries here it hides the green color and makes it look more appetizing for the toddlers!

We buy bananas then peel, slice and freeze them on a cookie sheet on wax paper. Once frozen put them into a freezer ziploc. You can actually do this with any berry! Frozen bananas work so well in smoothies they work in place of ice! Many times bananas with brown spots will be marked down at the grocery store, it’s a cost saver to buy these because they peel and freeze great and they are sweeter!

In general the idea with these smoothies is to sneak as many nutrient-rich add-ons in that you can get away with without having your child say “icky Mama!" :) Also, remember to use organic spinach, kale and berries because the pesticides used on conventional produce is MOST harmful to our childrens’ bodies. Bananas are fine to buy non- organic as they are in the Clean 15. However, organic bananas taste better to me and they are one of the least expensive organic produce items!

My sweetheart LOVES green "Shakes" as she calls them.

Smoothie Base: Unsweetened Almond Milk, Organic Milk, Plain Yogurt, Baby Food Pouch (organic brands with less sugar can be great to get extra nutrients in a smoothie!) Frozen Banana (thickening), Chia Seeds or flax seeds* these are high in omega 3 fatty acids so important to get in our diets as well as our kids, also these help with thickening.

Fruit or Veggie: Any frozen fruit will give a thicker consistency and make it cold like a milkshake. Spinach will dissolve easier with less taste than kale so I add spinach to ALL shakes and smoothies.

Coconut oil can be added to any of these recipes but it should be mixed when it is a liquid consistency otherwise it will not dissolve in the smoothie but instead clump at the bottom. You can use a little hot water to dissolve 1 teaspoon of coconut oil before adding it to the smoothie. Or use Unsweetened coconut flakes as pictured above!

Get creative, adding a little here and little there will prove some awesome recipes for the kids! I make it fun by having cool neon straws to drink it out of! Or a special smoothie cup (ie favorite Disney character, Sesame street or Barney)

Nutty Buddy:

Add Base 1 cup (I do unsweetened almond milk or organic milk)

Frozen Banana (works best to slice so it blends completely)

Peanut butter or any other nut butter (about a tablespoon, may need to add more if not using banana)

Chia seeds (teaspoon or so)

Organic Spinach (small clump)

Green Machine: (using blueberries and raspberries or strawberries will hide the green color and make it look more appetizing for the toddlers!)

Unsweetened almond milk (1 cup) or Plain organic greek yogurt (1/2-1 cup)

Protein powder

Organic Spinach or Kale

Organic Blueberries, Raspberries or strawberries(frozen or fresh but organic!)

Chia seeds or flax seeds (1 tsp-2)

Honey or maple syrup if necessary to sweeten taste but just a few drops!

Vanilla Bean Banana Cinnamon:

Base of choice (I choose Unsweetened Almond Milk Vanilla flavored)

Frozen banana (1/2- to whole)

Cinnamon (1-2 teaspoons)

Chia or Flax seeds (1 teaspoon)

Organic Vanilla Extract ½-1 teaspoon

Peanut Butter Avocado (This is staple if we are having a day where we can't get our toddler to eat!)

Add Base 1 cup (I do unsweetened almond milk or organic milk)

Peanut butter or any other nut butter (about a tablespoon, may need to add more if not using banana)

Chia seeds (teaspoon or so)

Spinach or Kale (small clump)

½ organic avocado

*If the avocado is too prevalent in taste add frozen banana

No need to bribe her to drink her smoothies Mamas! She loves them and many refills needed! -Sarah