At this point in the season it generally feels like it’s been winter for three decades, am I right? Between the stuffy noses and the random snowstorms, it becomes harder to enjoy getting up in the mornings and to face the days. In the spirit of refusing to settle for gloomy mornings, I decided to try incorporating smoothies to my routines. As minimal as my strategy may seem, it totally changed my energy levels. First of all, they tasted good—which always helps—but they also gave me a boost of energy. There is something about using fresh fruits in the morning that just makes your insides feel better. I try to make them as colourful to counter the monotone scenery of my outside bedroom view. You have probably heard about colours having the power to play with your mood. It is so true! Warm colours like red, orange and yellow are known to be colours that evoke happiness, optimism and energy. Because I want every collegiette to find a way to brighten their mornings as well, I have listed my three favorite smoothie recipes for you to try:
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Sweet Green Smoothie
Serves one person
½ cup chopped pieces of mango
1 cup kale
1 cup spinach
½ cup chopped pieces of pineapple
Orange juice (one cup – or more depending on how juicy you want the concoction to be)
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Banana-Strawberry Smoothie
Serves one person
½ cup frozen strawberries or fresh strawberries
Half a banana
1 cup milk, soy milk or almond milk
Ice (optional—only if you chose fresh strawberries over the frozen one)
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Kiwi-Mango Smoothie
Serves one person
½ cup chopped pieces of mango
One kiwi
1 cup peeled oranges (cut in triangles)
2 tbsp. ginger minced
1 cup orange juice
There you have it, my three holy grail morning smoothies that are guaranteed to add a touch of energy to your winter mornings. If your ingredients are already chopped and measured, the whole preparation time should be under five minutes. Do not hesitate to put your ingredients in a ziploc bag the night before if you usually wake up in a rush in the morning. If you are not sure about the power level of your blender, insert the liquids first before the chunks of fruits and vegetables: it will make blending easier for the machine. Cheers!