Banana Almond Flax Power Smoothie

This post comes courtesy of Jennifer Farley, blogger, recipe developer and food photographer at Savory Simple. 

This is my daily power breakfast. It’s a Banana Almond Flax Power Smoothie, very filling and so good for you! I like this smoothie so much that I used it to kick my morning caffeine habit. I used to look forward to coffee. Now I crave my smoothie.

May I talk about flax seed for a moment? One of the most common nutrition-related complaints I hear from people is that they don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Indeed, it can be quite difficult to get the recommended 20 to 35 grams per day, especially if you don’t eat a lot of fruits and veggies.

One-and-a-half tablespoons of flax seed has 4 grams of fiber! That’s the same as eating a cup of brussels sprouts. In addition to containing fiber, flax seed has omega-3 essential fatty acids and lignans, which have antioxidant properties. There’s evidence that flax seed may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Adding flax seeds to a smoothie is a perfect way to incorporate natural, healthy fiber into your diet. I recently discovered roasted flax and prefer the flavor and texture over standard flax seed, but either will work fine.

This recipe is completely customizable. I like using almond milk and butter because almonds are another superfood, but feel free to swap out the almond milk for soy or coconut (coconut milk tastes amazing with the other ingredients and is a healthy fat).  Use any nut butter you prefer.

I know a lot of people are squeamish about green smoothies, but I promise you won’t notice the kale. It’s so good for you, and this is any easy way to fill your tummy and add nutrition. I freeze individual servings of banana and kale so I can simply drop them into the blender. The kale chops up better when frozen.

Banana Almond Flax Power Smoothie

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 frozen banana, chopped

2 Tbs. almond butter

1 1/2 tablespoon flax seed (I prefer roasted flax)

Optional: a handful of kale, preferably frozen

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Mix on low for 30 seconds to chop up the banana and begin incorporating ingredients.

Blend on high to puree the smoothie. Blend until the flax seed are kale are broken down and the mixture is frothy. Serves 1.

About the author: Jennifer Farley is the owner, recipe developer and food photographer of Savory Simple. She graduated from the Culinary Arts program at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD where she trained in classic French technique. Jennifer currently works as a recreational cooking instructor and social media marketer. She resides in the Washington DC metropolitan area and can often be found exploring the local culinary scene in search of new inspiration.