Almond Butter Smoothie

Thankfully, when Joan woke just a moment ago following a brief 30 minute nap, she stopped repeating "Wake up!" and drifted back to sleep. It appears even my perpetually congested self can sing her back to sleep. So here I am, snuggling my babe with a stuffy nose, writing about breakfast.

This morning I made a smoothie that tasted too darn good, I had to share it with you. I've got a number of smoothie recipes on the blog, smoothie bowls, too, and they're not very different from this version. But it made me happy, so up it goes.

Ok, I just had a coughing fit and she stayed asleep. Perhaps it'll be a long one!

Update: it wasn't.

Almond Butter Smoothie

Notes: this recipe is a nice base to work with. You could add raw cacao powder for a chocolatey vibe, or swap the nut butter for avocado. You could add some berries or spinach, and use a different milk. Whatever appeals. Know that switching from almond butter to peanut butter will change the flavour, making it quite sweet. I prefer almond butter in my smoothies, as it's a more subtle flavour, and allows me to add a decent hit of sweetness from dates without it tasting too rich. Add 1/2-1 date based on how sweet you like it and how big & ripe your banana is. In regards to the quinoa flakes, I've found they are a fabulous addition to smoothies, toning down the sweetness and adding bulk and goodness. Feel free to use oats instead (some people find oats easier to digest if they've been soaked first). Lastly, this recipe makes great popsicles. Add an extra banana or two (or cut down the milk) to make a fast, homemade ice-cream.

Makes 1 tall glass

1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon almond butter*
1 tablespoon hemp seeds**
1 tablespoon coconut oil***
1/2 - 1 medjool date, pitted
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk****
1/4 cup quinoa flakes

* see notes above for why I don't recommend swapping in peanut butter
** optional, but a great protein & fats hit
*** again, optional, but I love the flavour of coconut oil
**** add less for a thicker smoothie, more to thin it out. I buy this milk.

Method: add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth.

Heidi xo