I HAD MATCHA PROTEIN SMOOTHIES FOR BREAKFAST FOR A WEEK AND HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED...
I've collaborated with QVC to review the Vitamix (Explorian 48oz Variable Speed Blender), I have been compensated for my review but all opinions expressed are my own.
If breakfast was a person, we'd get married, move to South America, and have 17 children (anyone old enough to catch that reference?)
In short: I. Love. Breakfast (and the coffee that goes along with it).
But for a week, I committed to replacing my traditional breakfast (pancakes or oatmeal or eggs) and coffee, with a matcha smoothie, in my handy dandy Vitamix.
And after a week? I'm converted. The matcha protein green smoothie is here to STAY (at least through the end of this semester). So, what did I learn this week?
1. I'm still madly head over heels in love with breakfast.
Like, I honestly missed it. Buuuuuuuuutttt.....
2. The amount of time it saves in the morning is just coco-nuts (cray).
Not only does it save on prep, cook, and clean up time (I'm aware there are many quick breakfasts to make) but it saves on actual eating time as well. Meaning, I can bring my smoothie along for errands, preschool drop-offs, and to my desk to make sure I'm getting started for the day on time.
3. I felt a noticeable difference in energy.
It's not quite the concentrated punch in the face that coffee is, but due to the l-theanine that matcha naturally has, that affects the way caffeine is processed, I felt a more stable energy. Plus, GREENS! Anytime I provide my body with a serious dose of greens, I feel a boost. Don't believe me? Try it.
4. More time saved = more self-care. Although most of the time it saved went towards morning productivity, I noticed it also gave me a little extra time for myself in the morning. Whether that's a quick meditation, a face mask / cupping (recently tried and am hooooooked), a walk around the block, or just not being crazy stressed busy.
I always sit on a pretty couch and let myself be photographed while drinking my morning smoothie. Don't you?
5. It's like a giant wellness medley.
A smoothie allows me to pack a lot more goodness and wellness into a single serving than I was ever able to figure out with traditional breakfast. I've put spinach in waffles, collagen in my oats, and adaptogens in my coffee - but I've never found another breakfast option that allowed me to put all my "goods" into.
6. It motivates me to workout prior to breakfast...
even if it's just fifteen minutes of something. Over the years, my body has become programmed and accustomed to having a smoothie post workout. This means I don't really feel like drinking my smoothie until I've broken a sweat.
7. My morning mental load has been reduced. Eliminating one more variable or one more choice from my day cleared up my mind. This is why many successful people have uniforms - they wear the same thing every day, or eat the same breakfast everyday. I guess this is my current breakfast uniform.
So, the big question, why would I willingly give something I love up? Mostly, time. I'm back in school this semester, and between that, working, and raising a three-year-old, a leisurely hot breakfast just isn't something I have time for M-F. I talked about how my goal for this winter was simplifying in this post, and this is definitely a step in that direction.
I haven't totally broken up with my beloved breakfast. On weekends or holidays, I'll make sure to allow time for making and enjoying a hot breakfast. And on days when sleep hasn't happened, I'll probably still reach for coffee. But during the week, this baby is here to stay.
MATCHA GREEN PROTEIN SMOOTHIE:
Serves 1
1/2 -1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I like cashew or almond) - use more or less depending on how thick you like your smoothies
2 large handfuls of spinach (start smaller if you're new to green smoothies)
1 scoop Further Food collagen
2 T hemp seeds
1 T freshly ground flax seed (could just do an extra T of hemp seeds, start with 1/2 tsp as this has LOTS of fiber)
1/2 serving vanilla protein powder, Aloha is my fave
1 T almond butter
1/2 - whole banana (depending how sweet you want), frozen optional
1/2-1 tsp matcha use less or more depending on desired caffeine level
DIRECTIONS:
Put everything in the blender (I love my Vitamix!) It gets everything all blended up so there's no stray spinach leaves or unidentified chunks of stuff that didn't get mixed in. And just a note, this is definitely better tasting the sooner you drink it! Enjoy:)
Katie Buchanan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.