a Guest Post from our Chapel Hill Area Manager Jessica O.
Little kids, and even some of us “big” kids, aren’t always the best at eating our veggies. Especially hard to get past a picky palate are the dark green veggies that are so incredibly rich in nutrients and can do wonders for our health.
Thank goodness for smoothies! A quick browse through Pinterest will give you enough smoothie recipes to open your own smoothie bar, but I wanted to share my children’s very favorite way to down kale and ask for more!
This recipe is a great introduction to “green” smoothies. It has enough sweetness to it that my children think it is a treat. Yet, the kale means it is packed with fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, iron, magnesium and phosphorus – and, as if that weren’t enough, it is a fantastic source of vitamins A, C, K, B6, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese. Kale is even thought to help protect our bodies from cardiovascular disease and colon and prostate cancers – we all need some kale in our lives!!
I like to de-stem my kale, wash it, let it air dry and then freeze it. Its flavor seems to be masked better when I put it into the smoothie frozen. Also, I prefer my berries and bananas frozen, as it seems to make the smoothie creamier. You’ll see that I include chia seeds in the recipe. Chia seeds are bursting with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants. This little seed is a powerhouse! Chia seeds have no flavor and the texture of poppy seeds. I put them in smoothies, oatmeal, muffins – almost anything I can get away with!
As always with children, sometimes delivery makes all the difference. Let them help you make the smoothies, and never underestimate the fun of straws!! Before you know it, they’ll be begging you to make them a smoothie! Cheers!!
