My Daughter Eats Spinach for Breakfast

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Yup, my daughter eats spinach for breakfast almost every day. Zucchini too.

Now, before you think I’m out there where the buses don’t run and only feed my kids vegetables, let’s just talk a little bit about breakfast first and hopefully you’ll see I’m not nuts.

Yes, it’s true that breakfast is usually your most important meal of the day.  You’ve just fasted for 10 or more hours (break fast. Get it?), and this is a huge opportunity to start your day off with some quality fuel.

Unfortunately most people blow it.

Really, how many of you grab a donut, bagel, bowl of rice chex, or some toast and wash it down with coffee and OJ?  If that is you, well Sparky, you certainly are missing an opportunity to do your body some good.

And before you start whining that you just don’t have time in the morning, or your kids won’t eat healthy food, just don’t even go there.  That’s crap and I’ll prove it to you.  Eating a healthy breakfast is a lot easier than you think.

I’m rushing to get out of the house in the morning just like you.  My wife has to get to work, I’ve got a 6 year old who needs to get ready for school and who, along with her 3 year old sister, needs to have breakfast along with me.  If you’ve got kids, you know what mornings can be like.

So, here’s how you can have breakfast quickly, make it healthier than what you’re currently eating, and also get your kids to eat it.  You’ll get a serving or two of vegetables, another couple of servings of fruit, some healthy fats, and it tastes like chocolate.  How’s that sound?

Breakfast in our house (most mornings anyways) is called Daddy’s Super Smoothie.  Super easy, super healthy, super quick, and super good.  Here’s the recipe:

2 cups frozen strawberries
1 banana
2 cups fresh baby spinach (yes, spinach. Work with me for a minute.)
1 small zucchini or summer squash, sliced (just stay with me now.)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup rice or almond milk
2 tbsp almond or peanut butter
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
ice (optional)
2 tbsp maca powder (also optional. I get mine at www.wildsuperfood.com)

The measurements are rough approximations. Anyone who measures out ingredients for a smoothie needs to chill out a little.

Toss the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth (approx. 30 seconds). This makes enough for me, my wife, and my oldest daughter, so you need a good sized blender. I’ve got a heavy duty Kitchen Aid that does the trick quite nicely.

While I generally have this for breakfast, you can really have it any time. If you want to add in a little more fat, substitute 1/2 cup of coconut milk for half of the rice/almond milk.

Now, don’t get your shorts in a bunch and squirm because of the spinach and zucchini.  YOU CAN’T TASTE IT. Really.  My 6 year old is like every other 6 year old and would not be drinking some nasty spinach shake in the morning.  But she drinks this and loves it.  How many of you can say your kid starts their day off with spinach, zucchini, strawberries, blueberries, and banana?  That’s probably more fruit and veggies than many kids get in an entire day, and my daughter gets it before 7:30 AM.

So there you go.  A quick, simple way for you and your kids to both upgrade your most important meal of the day.

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