Top o’ the Morning Energizing Green Smoothie

Green smoothies are everywhere.  And I have one more to add…

I have a daily coffee habit.  I never used to.  In fact, I never even started drinking coffee regularly until I was in my 30s when I went back to school for my Master’s degree.  I sometimes wonder if I would have successfully managed to stay awake in more of my undergrad classes if I had been a coffee drinker, given the fact that I was chronically sleep deprived at that time in my life.  Anyway, I have now succumbed to the obligatory daily caffeine fix.  But, because I tend to like my coffee mixed with loads of not so healthy stuff like cream, sugar, and chocolate… I went in search of a healthier alternative to get my day started.

I decided to create an energizing green smoothie that is boosted with healthy green tea which provides both caffeine and antioxidants.  I also added some chia seeds for long lasting energy, and well, let’s face it… chia seeds are just the superfood of choice right now.  I used dates to sweeten this smoothie, although you could probably use your choice of sweetener, depending on what you have available.  Also, my frozen mangoes were pretty tart, but if you use fresh mango that is very sweet, you may not need any additional sweetener.

The first version of this smoothie that I tried included a banana.  However, the banana flavor overpowered the smoothie, and I wanted something a little fresher and cleaner tasting.  If you love bananas, feel free to add some, but I preferred this smoothie without it.

While I doubt I will ever abandon my coffee/sugar/cream ritual, perhaps I can switch it out 1 or 2 days per week with this healthy energizing smoothie that will keep me going through the day.  Enjoy!