Banana Pear Shamrock Smoothie

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Since I know everyone is looking forward to drinking some, ahem, green beverages today, I thought I’d pop in with a tasty green smoothie recipe.

The weather here in North Carolina is getting warmer, which means that it’s time for me to bring out my blender! I’m all about oatmeal and comfort foods in the winter… but once spring rolls around, a nice cold smoothie makes for the perfect breakfast.

This green smoothie packs 18g of protein and 10g of fiber, which will fill you up and keep you satisfied as you get your morning going. It would also make a great recovery drink after a workout. The best part is that it’s super simple with only 4 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to make.

Now, I wouldn’t say I have mad smoothie making skills per se, but I have learned a few things by trial and error. Whenever I have a batch of bananas that are getting overly ripe, I slice them up and stick them in the freezer. They are perfect for smoothies! I much prefer using frozen fruit instead of ice cubes so my smoothie doesn’t get watered down.

I use frozen spinach instead of raw in most of my smoothies so I don’t have to worry about the fresh spinach going bad before I can use it all. It’s great to just have your freezer stocked so you know you’re covered if you’re ever in the smoothie makin’ mood.

Did you know that frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh? Actually, sometimes they have more nutrients because frozen vegetables are frozen shortly after harvest, whereas fresh produce sits at the grocery store and loses nutrients over time.

I love smoothies because they’re a great way to make sure I’m getting in my fruit and veggie servings. This smoothie has me covered with 1/2 banana, 1 pear and 1 cup of spinach.

The recipe makes a large smoothie… feel free to cut things in half if you’re looking for a bit of a lighter snack. And that would actually fit right in with my post yesterday about choosing foods with protein and fiber for healthy snacking!

If you’re feeling fancy, a scoop of chia seeds or ground flaxseed would be a great way to add some healthy fats to your smoothie!

Enjoy and have a great St. Patrick’s Day! <3