Tasty Bites: Enter The Green Monster

By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)

Yesterday I sent what I thought was a helpful link to an article to my youngest son who works out very hard nearly every day. It contained a recipe for a good post-workout refueling shake full of nutritional goodies written by Matt at No Meat Athlete.. My son’s response?

“I’ve never heard of most of that stuff.”

OK, so I went overboard with a recipe containing selba, sprouted buckwheat, chlorella or spirulena powder. I just love Matt’s site and the article gave some great advice, but in all practicality, it was time to apply the KISS principle if I was to convince someone to not eat fries and a soda after a workout.  So I told him to make a Green Monster.

At first he was skeptical when I told him the ingredient list. Skeptical. as in “Eewwww.” But I convinced him, and after searching all over for flax seeds (you have to know what you’re looking for) he was home with the ingredients.

He was sold. ”Looks like a Shamrock Shake.”

This smoothie packs a nutritional punch, and trust me when I say you will not taste the spinach in this. Without further adieu, I bring you the …

Green Monster

2 Big Handfuls  Baby Spinach

1/3 Cup  Oats, Rolled (raw)

1 Cup  Skim Milk or Almond Milk

1 Tablespoon  Almond Butter or Peanut Butter

1 Banana -- frozen, sliced

2 Handfuls  Ice

1 Tablespoon  Ground Flax Seed

Splash of vanilla extract

Grind oats in blender until fine. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

To make this easier, I keep sliced frozen bananas in my freezer so they’re ready to go at the slightest hint of a smoothie craving. Frozen bananas make great snacks all by themselves.

And maybe with a drop of peppermint extract it would taste like the infamous Shamrock Shake. But it’s healthy and tasty just the way it is.

Candy Steele is a registered nurse who has worked with cardiac patients for over thirty years. “Functional foods” have become her passion, and she enjoys sharing her love of cooking, a random life and a faithful Jesus with her friends at Steele (the Day). She is blessed with three grown children, a new daughter-in-law, and a kind and patient husband who only knows how to fix popcorn (but she’s OK with that).

Comments

[Nick the Geek]

Yep, you've sent that recipe to me. I really keep meaning to try it. I'm just busy (read lazy) so I don't. One day I will though, and if it is really good and I feel great I might even try drowning myself like you keep recommending, but don't hold your breath (see what I did there?)

[JasonS]

That does sound good and nutritious. Might have to try that one- thanks Candy.