Green Pina Colada Smoothie

A fabulous smoothie to kickstart your day!

A couple of weeks ago I started going to spinning class. Twice a week, I've been dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 in the morning and heading to the gym. I know, shocking, right?

This may not seem like a big deal to you some of you, but it kind of is for me. I am not an exerciser. I am very content spending my day on the couch, reading, cooking, photographing and blogging. I'm one of those people that wishes blogging was a workout.

I will admit, I do enjoy getting out and moving my body. Once I'm out there, I'm happy. I sometimes feel trapped if I don't do some sort of exercise during the day, but spinning is pretty hardcore. More hardcore than I'm used to.

I'm a yoga person.

Calm. Cool. Collected. Gentle.

Well, most of the time at least - and especially when it comes to exercising!

Fresh. Sweet. Healthy. Green.

Since I've been pushing my body so hard on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I'm come to discover that a healthy, balanced breakfast is critical. I don't eat before I workout, so by the time get home and am done getting ready for work, I'm totally famished. Clearly in need of something that will refuel my body, give me protein and help sustain me until lunch. So, I've been experimenting.

Last week I was playing around with Millet Porridge and Quinoa "Cream of Wheat", but those were too heavy. Too much of a carbo-overload in the morning. Oatmeal is another option, but doesn't seem to sit well with me. I've discovered a phenomenal cereal combo (the recipe is inspired by Lisa at With Style & Grace), but that also is essentially just carbs - don't worry, I'll be posting my recipe soon!

My conclusion? I need something light, protein rich, and sweet, but most importantly green.

Greens are essential to a healthy diet. We all know this -  that's why our parents tried to force them down our throats when we were little. They're good for you. Simple as that.

For me, eating greens is fun. I love everything about them. All kinds even. I try to sneak greens into every meal that I eat, even though it can be a challenge, especially at breakfast. I'm one of those people that likes a jolt of sugar in the morning (always from fruit of course!). Greens are usually the last thing on my mind.

In an effort to incorporate greens into my daily routine, I've found that smoothies are the best way to hide these in my breakfast.

Green Pina Colado Smoothie

Green Pina Colada Smoothie

This is a perfect post-workout beverage. It's packed with vegan protein, fresh greens, sweet fruit and healthy fats. The avocados and bananas bring the amazing, creamy texture that I love. The pineapple and coconut take me on a vacation to the tropics.

Since bananas are a fabulous post-workout food, with its high levels of potassium, I reserve them for these days only. They're one of the fruits I try to eat in moderation because they're high in starches and sugar. Plus, because I only eat them twice a week, it makes them that much more special.

And trust me, this smoothie is just that. Something special.

This smoothie is light, fluffy and decadent. It's frothy and icy cold. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet and savory (or in this case, green). 

ingredients:

• 1/4 ripe avocado
• 1 small ripe banana (preferably fair-trade & organic)
• 1/2 cup ripe or frozen pineapple
• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder
• 1 tablespoon flax seed
• 1/2 teaspoon green stevia
• 4 - 5 ice cubes

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high for two minutes or until all the ice cubes are crushed and the ingredients are totally combined. 

Serve immediately with a slice of pineapple for a little flair.

Makes 1 large smoothie