Stufft is about eating healthy and feeling truly satisfied. I love food. I love eating and I love thinking of recipes. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve been on a detox diet this week eliminating all addictive foods such as carbs, sugar, caffeine and dairy. But I found it was just as creative! What I loved most is every morning I’d make a different type of protein shake. Many people skimp out on breakfast, but it’s actually better to have a wholesome, nutritious and packed with protein to stay energized throughout the day. I try to keep it under 400 calories. Protein shakes also keep you full until lunchtime. Here’s a delicious recipe for Blueberry Almond smoothie.
Health Stuff
Blueberries: are packed with antioxidants and have been linked to improved brain function and memory. They are low on the glycemic index, which means it does not have too much of an effect on your blood sugar. What’s really cool is that freezing blueberries does not damage anthocyanin antioxidants, so frozen blueberries are just as healthy!
Almonds: are an excellent source of vitamin E, copper, magnesium, and high quality protein. Lower in calories than regular milk, almond milk also has no saturated fat. This recipe calls for both almond milk and almond butter as well as almond meal if you have it.
Chia seeds: are a great source of Omega-3 Fatty acids, great for those vegetarians who are not able to get them from fish. They also have several other essential nutrients including protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. Just one ounce has 137 calories so a little goes a long way.
Bananas: add sweetness without adding sugar. Also high in potassium, magnesium and vitamins C and B6
To Prepare:
To make the blueberry almond smoothie I have for breakfast, in a blender or magic bullet, combine:
- Half a frozen banana. I freeze it overnight to keep the smoothie cold. You can add 1 banana if you like it sweeter.
- 1 Tbsp unsalted creamy almond butter
- 1 handful of blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla flavored almond milk
- 1 tbsp (approximately) chia seeds
- 1 tbsp almond meal
- 1 tbsp protein powder (optional)
- Water to fill up the rest of the cup
Blend blend blend until smooth and enjoy!
