I have been creating a daily morning smoothie for the family for the past several years. My potentially critical smoothie consumers each morning are my husband Mark and three children who are now teenagers. They have grown up on this daily morning smoothie ritual. Looking back, as our children are now 19, 17 and 13, I like to think that this routine and its consistency contributed to the health and success of our family. Good habits are all a part of daily wins.
Reason For Establishing the Habit of the Morning Smoothie
Sure, making a daily smoothie requires planning ahead with making sure you have suitable ingredients on hand. Making a daily smoothie is an easy habit one once the routine is established. It is said that if you do anything consistently for three weeks, you have started to form the habit.
My reasoning is that if I make sure that each family member gets a shot of nutrition in the morning through all of the goodness I put into this smoothie, that may be the only nutrition they get all day, and I’ve done my duty.
This may be true mostly for the kids who know what they should be eating to be healthy, but often do not refer to this knowledge when choosing what to eat. Once the kids are off to school and looking after themselves more, its any parent’s guess as to what they are eating while they are not at home for most of the day.
Smoothie Rules Of Play
The smoothie I make is usually pretty good, but there are days that it is a little tough to get down. Maybe my cilantro to fruit ratio was a bit high, but the rule is you still have to drink it, and I will try again tomorrow.
Every day is a different smoothie because I am not a fan of recipes when it comes to getting this produced each morning. I prefer to use what I have on hand, and change it up.
Marketing The Healthy Habit
Especially in the beginning of establishing the habit of drinking a smoothie first thing every morning, all sorts of tactics were needed to ensure the children drank their portion. Depending on the day, there was coaxing, bribing, humor, empathy and when time was running out, threats. What I found worked best though, was flat out marketing. I decided to name the morning smoothie “The Glass Of Success.”
Upon serving, each child was greeted with a “Good Morning! Here is your Glass Of Success. Don’t squander the opportunity!” As the children grew older, I think they understood this morning greeting more, as health is the key to success in any endeavor.
Must Include Staple Smoothie Ingredients
There are staple ingredients in each smoothie, and variable ingredients. A frozen or fresh banana is a must for texture and keeping the smoothie from separating too much. I also like to include immunity boosting ginger and some sort of leafy green. Half a lemon that seems to sweeten the green flavor in every daily smoothie. Variable ingredients can be changing up the leafy green and the fruit.
In Every “Glass Of Success” Smoothie
Banana, Leafy green, Ginger, Lemon with rind, Water
Variable Ingredients for “A Glass of Success” Smoothie, Choose One Or Two:
Fruit like:
Pineapple, Papaya, Melon, Berries, Peeled orange
Different milder greens like , choose one, maybe two:
Spinach, Basil, Cilantro
I am very deliberate to keep fats, protein powders and nuts out of the morning Glass Of Success. The liver needs a break from fats, it needs to cleanse too. Animal and plant based proteins and fats can come after the smoothie, just give it an hour or so to process. This is also why I use water and not nut or dairy based milks as the liquid.
The Importance Of A Good Blender
Using a powerful blender is essential, too. If the smoothie is served with the slightest chunky texture, it is enough to throw off the kids and make them revolt. The rest of the ingredients are whatever I have and whatever moves my creativity in producing a morning smoothie that will not go down with too many complaints.
I started the daily smoothie habit with a powerful blender, a Vitamix, that lasted 7 years. It eventually broke and instead of replacing it, I thought I could substitute its services with a less powerful blender that we had on hand that I used mainly for sauces.
This Almost Derailed The Glass Of Success Habit
The children complained about the chunks the less powerful blender left, and the time period that I used this inferior blender for the smoothie almost derailed the whole habit for them.
I started to find full smoothies hidden in their rooms the day after, or even days after they were made, rotted and wasted. These chunky smoothies were the ones they did not drink before school due to the fact they couldn’t get them down due to the texture.
Also, a less powerful blender can not process the rind of the lemon or all of the strands of cilantro well enough, and it is essential to get these blended up well so that there are no chunks.
A few weeks later, our family had enough of the less powerful blender and I bought a new Vitamix. I bought the most basic model, no Bluetooth bling that breaks easily for us. The more basic your blender is, I feel the longer it will last, as there are less components to break.
Here is the “renewed” Vitamix that I am referring to, it is refurbished with all new parts, and one of the few items I recommend buying refurbished. It comes with a 1 year warranty, too. It is less expensive and just as spectacular as a new one.
Notice there are no fancy buttons or Bluetooth connections, just basic on/off, pulse buttons and a speed dial, which most people will ever need. The 64oz low profile canister that comes with it is brand new.
Introduction of Blue Spirulina into The Glass Of Success
Along with naming the daily habit, having the glass look visually appealing in color also created interest and even a pang of excitement. Vibrant fuchsia from berries or a bright lime green were and still are winners.
The day I put a generous scoop of blue spirulina into the smoothie created the greatest reaction hands down. “Whoa! What is THAT?” the kids exclaimed. They excitedly took a sip only to realize that it tasted like the other fruit that was included in that smoothie, not a taste of its own. It just looked super exotic, new and exciting.
The Magic Of Blue Spirulina
My family knows that I do not use artificial colors, ever. The electric blue that the blue spirulina was able to produce, overtaking the other colors looked impressive, different and even beautiful. There is almost no taste, either, so if you want to impress with your food creation, this natural super potent blue that the blue spirulina creates is simply amazing.
The thought of how this superfood could uplevel baking was a whole other topic. The ideas seemed endless.
What is Blue Spirulina?
Blue spirulina is an incredibly healthy cyanobacteria which is often referred to as blue-green algae. It grows in lakes, ponds and more alkaline waterways. The plant pigment that gives blue spirulina its radical and electric blue color is called phycocyanin.
What is Blue Spirulina Good For?
Blue Spirulina has a very high nutritional content due to its vibrant blue pigment. It can help improve digestion and increase the abilities of the immune system.
The phycocyanin pigment found in blue spirulina has been found in studies to block tumor growth and kill cancer cells, and it is being studied for its potential in eliminating and or slowing the growth of cancer cells. It also reduces inflammation in the body.
More Benefits of Blue Spirulina
- Blue spirulina has the ability to bind with heavy metals and remove them from the body.
- Adding blue spirulina to your diet boosts protein intake
- The abundance of B vitamins found in blue spirulina can boost energy, which can in turn help you lose more weight with exercise. It is able to do this due to its high antioxidant content which decreases oxidation that is created during exercise which leaves muscles feeling fatigued.
- Promotes good digestion by allowing for healthy bacteria to thrive in the gut.
Is Blue Spirulina Good For You?
Yes! This is a superfood. Blue spirulina suppresses oxidation, often referring to it being an anti-oxidant. Aside from the merits mentioned above, it has also been found to lower blood sugar and reduce blood pressure.
Is Blue Spirulina Safe?
Blue Spirulina is a food found in nature, not a chemical or something that is processed by humans. The form that you use comes from the algae itself ground up into a fine powder. It appears to be completely safe, even at higher doses. The only thing to be mindful of is that you should buy from reputable sources. Poor quality spirulina has the risk of being contaminated with other substances that may be toxic. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor.
Highly Rated and Recommended Blue Spirulina
The Reserve harvests a very high quality, certified organic blue spirulina. It is the brand that I trust and use with my family, as seen here. The powder shown at the beginning of this article is The Reserve blue spirulina on a white plate, showing it’s vibrant blue color. Some blue spirulinas are less vibrant.
Sometimes if I need to budget a bit more, and will buy this organic blue spirulina, which is about a third less expensive:
What Can I Add Blue Spirulina To?
Smoothies, baked items, pasta, sauces, raw food and treats, and more!
For smoothies, add 1 tsp per serving, and watch the electric blue color come alive.
Try The Benefits of Blue
If you want to change things up with the appearance and health benefits of your food, trying this blue spirulina will not disappoint! Send us your comments on how your loved ones reacted, we’d love to hear it!
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