Easy Teen-Tested Smoothie to Boost Bone Health

Smoothies are an excellent (sneaky) way to get my teen to swallow his dark leafy greens and flaxseeds.

Here’s one of my simple, teen-tested smoothies that makes an ideal breakfast, morning boost, or power sports snack.

If the thought of drinking blended spinach makes you say, “Ewww…”, believe me, you won’t even taste the greens in this recipe.

What’s In It

• 1/4 cup calcium-fortified orange juice
• 6 oz. non-dairy plain Greek yogurt*

*Yogurt options (plain, no added sugar, no artificial sweetener): Kite Kill® Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk Greek-style Yogurt (probiotic non-dairy yogurt)

• 1 medium organic apple, chopped with the skin – I particularly like using the sweeter “Honey Crisp” apples in this recipe. (Antioxidants called flavonoids may help benefit heart and cell health and the soluble fiber may reduce risk for heart disease and certain cancers.)
• 2-1/2 oz. frozen organic sliced peaches, about 4-5 slices

Vitamin C helps absorb the iron in the spinach. Peaches are also a great source of vitamin A — an essential nutrient for healthy eyes and youthful skin.

• 2 Tbsp. ground golden flaxseed

Flaxseed has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

• 2 cups fresh, organic raw spinach

Spinach is a good source of Vitamin A, vitamin K, and folate, which support bone, cell, and vision health. Spinach is also high in non-heme** iron, which is good for muscle oxygenation.

**Heme iron is the type of iron found only in animal proteins (the blood and muscle of meat, poultry, seafood, and fish). On the other hand, non-heme iron is found in plant-based foods like grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

How It’s Made

Toss all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed, then blend on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth. (It will be green!) Serve immediately over ice cubes — tastes refreshingly good when chilled! Serves 1.

Karen’s Fit Tip: Per serving, Kite Hill plain unsweetened plant-based Greek yogurt has over four times the protein (17 gm), nearly the same amount of calcium (56 gm), and half the carbohydrates (4 gm) of their plain unsweetened almond milk yogurt.