deconstructed superfood breakfast
This superfood smoothie is delicious on top of fruit or just drink it plain.
Each of these superfoods alone are a treasure trove of energy! I have listed some of their amazing benefits at the end of this blog.
Blend in Vita-Mix:
- 1 cup water
- 1 banana (I use 1/2 banana, but it does take a bit getting used to all the other tastes, so start with a whole banana, or 1/2 a banana and other fruit)
- 1 tablespoon bee pollen
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
I pour it on top of blueberries and pomegranates for a divine breakfast!
Superfood milk on top of blueberries and pomegranate
The beautiful bowl in the picture above is made by my sister Frith Bail. She is a master potter!
Tips:
- Serve the smoothie right away or the chia seeds will thicken it and it will be more of a superfood pudding.
- If you want it sweeter add a whole banana or a bit of raw honey.
- If you want even more flavor add some frozen mango, apples or strawberries
My experiments (as I run out of different ingredients):
- I have made this without banana: Â Bitter.
- I have made it with frozen mango: Yummy.
- I have made it with apple: So-so
- I have made it without hemp seeds: Not as creamy
- I have added Maca (it’s another superfood, supposed to increase libido!) Tasty too.
- I’ve added almonds for extra protein and calcium
- I have added coconut water and/or young coconut milk. Luscious.
Here is a brief blurb on each of the above superfoods. Â These are in the order of how they appear in the picture above. (From left to right)
Bee Pollen: I can’t say enough good things about bee pollen. It’s loaded with nutrients, enzymes, protein, folic acid, b-complex, trace elements, and more!
Bee Pollen strengthens your immune system, builds resistance to allergies and gives you loads of energy.
My favorite sources for  bee pollen are Eat Local Honey in Boston and  Honey Gardens in Vermont. Honey gardens also has some great cold and cough remedies that I use with my kids.
Chia seeds: Very high in Omega-3 fatty acids (higher than flax seeds). High in antioxidants, fiber and trace elements, protein and calcium. Chia seeds also absorb a ton of water which makes them a great endurance supplement.
Hemp seeds: Also very high in protein and a great balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Hemp seeds are packed with trace elements and antioxidants. I throw a tablespoon of hemp seeds into fruit smoothies to boost the protein and slow down the absorption of the fruit sugar into the blood stream.
I created this superfood-milk after a particularly strenuous workout one day. It gave me all my energy back and more! Now, I make it almost everyday. It’s delicious and it leaves me satisfied and full of energy.
Try it and let me know what you think!
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Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, LMT is the Smokin’ Hot Mom Mentor and Family Wellness Expert. She’s the founder of SmokinHotMom.com and HealthyYummyKids.com. She helps busy moms look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.
Nina Manolson, MA, is the founder of Body-Peace®.She helps women end the war with food and body and finally feel truly at home in their body—as it is.
She is known for her deeply feminist, anti-diet, body-peace® approach. She brings her 30 years of experience as a therapist, Body-Trust® Guide and Psychology of Eating Teacher to helping women create a respectful and trusting relationship with their food and body.
Nina’s Body-Peace® work is all in service of helping people get off the diet roller-coaster, and into a compassionate and powerful way of eating & living which creates a positive long-lasting change in and with their bodies. Her courses, coaching, poems and Body-Peace APP positively change the conversation that women are having with their body.
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Nina, you’ve done it again. Delighted and inspired us with your creative combinations of healthy foods. We are going right out to buy chai, hemp seeds and bee pollen. Thanks so so much.
Anne and Ayala
Thanks!
I have received a few emails and calls about this recipe. I love the enthusiasm! However, someone made it and didn’t love it. Here is what I recommend if it tastes bitter to you: 1. Make sure your ingredients are fresh, old seeds taste bitter. 2. Don’t be afraid to put in the whole banana if you tend to like sweet things.
Enjoy!
Are chia seed sprouts good to eat?
Hi Judy,
I stick to eating chia seeds plain, not sprouted. As we all know, because of the infamous chia pet, 🙂 chia seeds sprout well, but they do need a clay base to sprout and they are not that tasty on their own.
I like using chia seeds in crackers or things that need to stick together. Because they absorb so much water they create a mucilaginous goo that is a great binder.