- “The blender is too loud in the morning.”
- “The blender is a pain to clean and I don’t have time to do that.”
- “There are too many ingredients to put together in the blender – it’s chaotic!”
- “I just don’t have time…”
These are all common reasons for why smoothies don’t work in the morning. While all valid, it is a shame that there are so many challenges to getting in a perfectly balanced and super nutrient-rich start to your morning.
Let me tell you why smoothies can be a great option for the first meal of the day.
I see it time and time again. Our breakfast meals are often too carbohydrate-heavy. Why is this a problem? Our blood sugars spike after a carbohydrate-rich meal, leading to a surge of insulin being released from our pancreas. This causes a rush of glucose (sugar) to be let into our cells to be used for energy. This leads to a dip in blood sugar. What comes with a dip in blood sugar? Low energy. This leads to the urge to want to munch on something else to get our blood sugars back up. You can see how this pattern can lead to overeating! In addition, the more insulin that is released, the more inflammation the occurs and fat storage that is created.
How can we prevent this blood sugar spike?
Add protein, fibre and healthy fats to your breakfast meal. These nutrients slow down the breakdown of food, avoiding that huge spike in blood sugar.
Okay, so back to the excuses that we give for not having that smoothie in the morning. How do we get around them?
Try This: Frozen Smoothie Bowls!
Simply make smoothies in advance and divide them in bowls/jars and cover with a lid/plastic wrap before putting them in the freezer. The night before you plan to eat one for breakfast, transfer one to the fridge to defrost. Alternatively you can start to defrost them in the morning and bring them to work or school. They should be good to eat within 2/2.5 hours! You can thank me later ☺
Frozen Cauliflower Berry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen berries
- 2 cups frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 cup frozen avocado chunks
- 2 cups soy milk (or alternative)
- 4 scoops of vanilla protein powder
- 1 tbsp of maple syrup or honey to taste (optional)
Directions
- In a blender, combine all of the above ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the contents into bowls or jars. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze.
- Defrost in the fridge the night before you wish to consume them. Enjoy!