Recipe of the Week: Tracey's Breakfast Smoothie

Now that we're in the latter half of August, our attention has turned to getting our children ready to return to school. With that in mind, I'd like to share with you a recipe that I created, and continue to refine, as I strive for the perfect meal to give to my children in the morning. It is extremely nutritious, quick to prepare and clean up afterward, and my children feel like I'm serving them flavored milkshakes for breakfast!

Each ingredient has a reason for being included in the recipe. There is no fluff.  The ingredients can be added in any order.

Start by placing the frozen mixed berries into a medium-sized mixing bowl. This will give them a chance to soften before being blended with the other ingredients. Mixed berries contain two powerful antioxidants, anthocyanins and reservatrol. The anthocyanins destroy free radicals and the reservatrol may decrease estrogen production which is important for reducing your risk of cancer.

Next, add the non-dairy yogurt which provides probiotics, which replace or add to beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. I often switch between soy yogurt and coconut milk yogurt to vary the sources of non-dairy alternatives. In one of my upcoming blogs, I will explain why it is critical to remove the dairy from your diet.

Salba seeds are available at most health food stores and are high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and fiber. They are also full of anti-oxidants and adequate but not excessive, high quality protein.

The wheat germ provides adequate but not excessive protein, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, and selenium.

Add the flax seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts, all valuable sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids and fiber.

The Brazil nuts that will be added next are your daily source of vitamin E and selenium, two very powerful nutrients for your anti-cancer arsenal.

The non-dairy milk is added next. I switch between soy, coconut, and almond milk to provide variety. The non-dairy milk provides half of the moisture needed to blend the dry ingredients into a smoothie consistency.

The apple juice that is added next prevents the loss of an important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which is important for memory and brain health.

The banana provides vitamins C and B6, potassium, manganese, and fiber.

The Vitamineral Green replaces fresh spinach in my original recipe. It was too difficult to completely blend the spinach and the Vitamineral Green provides greens, whole grains, roots, seaweed, and enzymes created into a powder form using a method that maintains its status as a raw, living food. I would suggest that you gradually add as much in as you can before being able to taste it in the smoothie due to its extremely high nutrition content. This mixture also encourages alkaline tissues and blood which I explained in my last blog is very important in reducing your risk of diseases such as osteoporosis, kidney disease, and cancer.  Vitamineral Green is available on the Internet at www.healthforce.com.

The maca is a root vegetable native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru. It helps to rejuvenate the adrenal glands, which can become fatigued by stress and caffeine. It also helps to reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Maca increases energy by way of nourishment, not stimulation.

Tracey's Breakfast Smoothie

Makes approximately 4 1-cup servings

1 cup frozen, organic mixed berries

1 container of blueberry non-dairy yogurt

1 container of strawberry non-dairy yogurt

2 tablespoons ground salba seeds

2 tablespoons of wheat germ

2 tablespoons of freshly ground flax seeds

2 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

4 chopped Brazil nuts

1/3 cup non-dairy milk

1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice

1 banana broken up into large chunks

2 teaspoons of Vitamineral Green

1 teaspoon maca

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl with an immersion blender.