Dairy Free Breakfast Smoothies! Yum!

A few years ago, it was suggested hat I give up yogurt completely. I had discovered that I had become lactose intolerant upon my return from Cote d'Ivoire after my two year stint in the Peace Corps. (I didn't eat dairy for two+ years.)  It made even more sense when my gallon-of-milk-a-day brother also suddenly couldn't eat or drink dairy anymore.

Quitting yogurt cold turkey was hard.  And sad.  I was super crabby about it. I had convinced myself that yogurt had a different make up (which it does) that I could still digest. But I couldn't.  Luckily it was December and steel cut oats held me over for a few week until I could find some smoothies that worked out. 

Here are three of my favorites.  They all make about 2 servings. I'll follow the recipe and then I end up drinking one for breakfast and freezing the other in a jar. When I need breakfast, all I have to do is pull one down from the freezer and put it in the fridge the night before.  It will be mostly thawed in the morning.  

Raspberry & Avocado Smoothie.

I first found this recipe from Eating Well.  I've made a few changes:

1 ripe avocado
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup cheery juice
handful of spinach or mixed leaves (like kale/spinach combo)
1/2 cup water (depending on how thick you like your smoothies)

Peel the avocado, remove the pit.  Slice it into small piece and blend with the orange juice and cheery juice until smooth.  Add your greens and blend until smooth.  Lastly add your raspberries.  You may have to take a spoon or spatula to mix it up so that you can finish blending it.  Divide the servings into two.  It will be thick.  You can always add some water to change the consistency. Drink one now, put the other one in the freezer for another day.


Kale Apple Ginger Smoothie

Again, I found this one in Eating Well.  It's super delicious but I've also changed it up a bit.

1 ripe banana
1 apple
1/2 cup apple juice/cider
1/2 cup water
1.5 - 2 cups chopped kale
1 tbsp. grated ginger*
6 ice cubes

Peel the banana and put it in the blender with the juice.  Slice up the apple, add to the mixture and blend.  Add the kale and the ginger and blend until smooth.  I will end up adding up to 1/2 cup water to get the desired consistency.  Then toss in the ice cubes.  Again, divide in half and freeze one and drink the other.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie

I just recently stumbled on this delicious smoothie in Clean Eating magazine! So yummy!   I altered this one just for one serving size as I found it was too much liquid to blend comfortably.

• 1 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1 large bananas, peeled and halved
• 1 tbsp natural unsalted creamy peanut butter
• 4 pitted dates
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• 1 cup unsweetened plain coconut milk

Blend the coconut milk, spinach and banana.  Add the peanut butter and dates.  Lastly add the frozen fruit.  Again, you may need a spatula to mix it up to get it the consistency that you desire.  This makes about 1 serving.

* splurge on organic ginger.  It's spicier than non organic.