Mixed Berry and Spinach Smoothie

This morning I was moving slowly so I made a quick breakfast smoothie. I used what I had on hand, which is how I typically make smoothies.

We buy bags of frozen mixed berries from Costco because it includes three different dark berries (raspberries, blueberries and Marion berries), which are a great fruits to consume if you are eating for good health. Dark berries are packed with good nutrition. I include them in our diet as often as possible.

Most of the calories, and protein in this smoothie comes from the soymilk. Next time I may try to remove one cup of the soymilk and replace it with water and a couple tablespoons of oatmeal to reduce the calories a little.

If you are unfamiliar with flaxseeds, they are a fantastic item to include in your cereal, salads and smoothies. I buy whole golden flaxseeds at the health food store and keep them in my freezer and grind them just before I plan to eat them. Flaxseeds are very high in omega 3’s and are thought to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of some cancers, and reduce inflammation. After reading “Eat to Live” I try to include flaxseeds in our diet daily.

The spinach was included in this smoothie for nutrition. The dark blue color of the berries masked the green from the spinach so it wasn’t obvious. However, the nutrition was the raw spinach was still there. Dark green leafy vegetables are so good for your health. Spinach is a rich source of vitamin’s K and A. Researchers have identified at least 13 compounds in spinach that function as anti-cancer agents. Spinach is a great food to incorporate in your diet whenever possible.

Mixed Berry and Spinach Smoothie
Makes 2 large smoothies

Ingredients:

3 cups of mixed frozen berries (blueberries, Marion berries and raspberries)
3 cups of soymilk
2 small bunches of young spinach (about 20 leaves)
2 tablespoons of flaxseeds (freshly ground)

Directions:

Put everything in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories -408.9
Calories From Fat (25%) 103.08

Total Fat -11.66g
Saturated Fat -1.25g
Cholesterol -0mg
Sodium -271.11mg
Potassium -1256.21mg
Total Carbohydrates - 62.43g
Fiber - 16.8g
Sugar - 35.9g
Protein - 19.32g

Comments:

This smoothie is packed with nutrition and tastes only of berries. If you are trying to get more nutrition into your diet, this is a great way to start. I like knowing that I start my day with a healthy smoothie that is packed full of vitamins and phytonutrients.

Since a few of you have asked, no I couldn't taste the spinach at all. It added nutrition but without an overwhelming spinach flavor.

Nutrition Info updated 07.05.09