The Amazing Smoothie for Toddlers, Pregnant Women, and Everyone Else
This is what I had for breakfast every.single.day for the last 4 months of my pregnancy...and it's what my 1 year old and 3 year old begged to have for breakfast each morning as well!
When I was pregnant with my 6th child, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. My ob insisted I needed to add protein to my breakfast. I couldn't handle eggs for breakfast, so I started with an all-natural healthy smoothie recipe that was high in protein. Then I started tossing in ingredients from the "Top 10 Healthiest Foods" lists (spinach, blueberries, and flax seeds). Cinnamon is supposed to help your body regulate insulin, so I added that as well.
What I didn't expect is how much this would affect my eating habits! Prior to drinking this smoothie each morning I had constant cravings for cake and cookies every single day. After a few days of drinking this smoothie, all those cravings stopped! I was amazed when I could easily bypass the candy aisle and bakery aisle without a second thought. This of course led to me barely gaining any "baby weight." After I had my baby, I was only 10 pounds heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight!
If this wasn't good enough, my toddler and preschooler always begged to share my smoothie, so I usually doubled the recipe and shared it with them. This was such a great way to add in vegetables into their diets!
Since I've had my baby, I continue to drink this smoothie frequently, and my children and I enjoy it together!
Ingredients
- 4 -6 c. raw spinach leaves
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 3/4 c. plain yogurt (I prefer Greek) (optional)
- 2 tsp. honey (optional)
- 6 -10 baby carrots (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed (optional)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. dry milk powder (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. (Tip: I have found it easier to start with 1 handful of spinach, turn the blender on, and then add the remaining spinach through the hole in the top as the blender is going.)
