Breakfast is the perfect opportunity to jumpstart your day with a nutritious meal. And there’s no better way to fuel your morning than by blending a bunch of healthy ingredients into a delicious, sweet, and creamy breakfast smoothie!

This recipe is great for inflammation, but it also brings a punch of antioxidants to keep you feeling your absolute best. And if you know you’re in line for an active day, throw in some protein powder or extra greens for an added boost.

Pro tip: a smoothie is a great way to “hide” your veggies!  

Ingredients 

• 1/4 cup tart cherry juice

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 tablespoon bee pollen

• 1 tablespoon almond butter

• 1 cup spinach

• 1 frozen banana

• 1/2 cup frozen organic cherries

• 1/2 - 1 cup almond milk to desired consistency

Optional

• Scoop of protein powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

The Wonders of Bee Pollen 

When you hear the term bee pollen, your first thought probably isn’t to toss it into your smoothie, but the truth is that many people are finding health benefits from this natural source.

Collected by honeybees as they gather nectar from flowers, bee pollen contains numerous vitamins, minerals, enzymes, lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids, and more. In fact, a recent study found that bee pollen can contain over 200 active compounds!

All of this has been found to help with reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and improving one’s metabolism.

That said, if you know you are allergic to pollen or have other seasonal allergies, check with a doctor before ingesting pollen.

Kick Start with Tart Cherry Juice

Made from Montmorency cherries, tart cherry juice is quickly becoming a favorite source of nutrition for those looking to add a little punch to their meals.  

Unlike the super sweet flavors of the Bing cherry, Montmorency cherries aren’t often eaten raw. Instead, they are often canned, dried, or pressed into a tart cherry juice. And research has found that this juice is absolutely full of nutrition and health benefits, from improved sleep, better memory, anti-inflammation, and improved athleticism.

And not to mention, it tastes great!

Beware The Dirty Dozen 

It’s always important to wash your fruits and vegetables, but sometimes even that is not enough to ensure you’re eating clean produce.  

That’s why it’s so important to check your food labels and make sure you’re purchasing one-hundred percent organic when it comes to the “dirty dozen” — A.K.A. the twelve fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Here’s this year’s list:

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard & mustard greens

4. Grapes

5. Peaches

6. Pears

7. Nectarines

8. Apples

9. Bell and hot peppers

10. Cherries

11. Blue berries

12. Green Beans 

As I’ve discussed before, food labels will often attempt to trick you into believing your produce is “healthy” with flashy marketing techniques. But when it comes to pesticides and the dirty dozen, settle for nothing less than “Organic.”

Instructions

1. It’s a smoothie — throw it in the blender and blend it, baby!