Healthy smoothie variation (Pear, Kale, & Mango Smoothie)

I posted an awesome pineapple spinach smoothie I’d been trying out for breakfast every day a couple weeks ago. On a few of the smoothie websites I’d read that you should mix it up, not just always do the same fruits and veggies, to get the most out of the nutrients. So I switched up a few of the ingredients for the past week and made this pear, mango, & kale smoothie.  Just as good, though I think I prefer the spinach one from a texture standpoint.

What I’ve been doing is making this in the morning, drinking part of it on my way to work, then putting it in the fridge while I have my normal coffee and such. Then I pull it out of the fridge around 10:30 and have breakfast part deux.

Basically it’s the same basic solids/liquids/additional stuff ratio, I just played around with it. Instead of pineapple I used mango, instead of spinach I used kale, and I added orange juice and pear because I like them.

Start with a banana, the frozen mango (about 1/2 cup to 1 cup), and 1/2 pear (cut into pieces).

Add about a cup of water and 1/2 cup to a cup of high-pulp orange juice.

Take 2-3 big leaves of kale and pull the leaves off the stem, also removing any really tough stem-y spines of the leaves. Tear into pieces and toss into the blender.

Put in about a cup of plain, nonfat yogurt (either regular or greek).

And chia seeds. Chia seeds are awesome, they are nutritional powerhouses. Like the tiny gymnasts of the nutrition world—super tiny but wow do they pack some power!

Add in 1-2 tablespoons of the chia seeds (or your healthy additive of choice).

And blend! With the kale especially, you have to make sure to blend for a minute or two to get the pieces broken up. Between the pear and the kale, this smoothie definitely has more graininess to it, but still delicious and a good break from the spinach variety.

Pear, Mango, & Kale Smoothie

Exact amounts are flexible

1. Start with a banana, the frozen mango (about 1/2 cup to 1 cup), and 1/2 pear (cut into pieces).
2. Add about a cup of water and 1/2 cup to a cup of high-pulp orange juice.
3. Take 2-3 big leaves of kale and pull the leaves off the stem, also removing any really tough stem-y spines of the leaves. Tear into pieces and toss into the blender.
4. Put in about a cup of plain, nonfat yogurt (either regular or greek).
5. Add in 1-2 tablespoons of the chia seeds (or your healthy additive of choice).