Satisfying Banana and Blueberry Smoothie

This is my absolute favorite smoothie to make! I make it about once a week to break up my filling Whole30 breakfasts. Now, technically the founders of the Whole30 would not approve of a smoothie for breakfast. They do not believe in drinking your meal. Which I totally understand, especially if you are battling a "sugar dragon". But once in awhile I want a smoothie, so I "indulge".

Satisfying Banana and Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
(1) Whole frozen banana in pieces
1/2 Cup frozen blueberries
1/2 Cup canned coconut milk
1-2 Tablespoons raw, creamy, unsalted almond butter
1 Tablespoon Chia seeds
1 handful of spinach or kale (in season)
Enough water to make it the consistency you like, start with a 1/4 cup

Blend and enjoy!

I had to include Herb-y in my picture, especially filled with beautiful Zinnias from our garden!

So, what makes this a satisfying and great smoothie?
Bananas- Check out this article on the Food Matters website. I could list everything good about bananas, but that would fill up another blog post.
Blueberries- Local to the midwest, and many other areas. Full of fiber, phytonutrients, vitamin C, manganese.
Almond butter- A great source of fiber, protein and healthy fat.
Chia Seeds- A great source of fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids. Also contains some calcium, magnesium and protein.
Canned Coconut milk- I use coconut milk because dairy in my smoothie is not an option. Canned coconut milk is a good source of fat. I also use it in my coffee. If you decided to use coconut milk, make sure it is canned and the only ingredients are coconut milk (water is okay if you are buying the light version). The kind of coconut milk you find in cartons has a list of ingredients containing things you do not want to drink. I should note that when I make my daughter smoothies, I use local, organic whole milk for her. She can tolerate dairy. If you can tolerate dairy, please use this kind of milk. Anything less then whole milk has had the vitamins and minerals added back in. This is silly as whole milk has the vitamins and minerals naturally, and your body will be able to digest them better in their natural form.
Spinach or Kale- I am sure you have all heard the power of greens! Calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. The list goes on!

When I make this smoothie it is filling and satisfying. I can make it to lunch without needing a late morning snack. Give it a try! It makes one huge serving that fills the 20 ounce glass that you see in the first photo.

Enjoy!