PB and J becomes AB and Bs

If your child has ever asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, this is sure to please. PB and J: Meet AB and B (almond butter and banana/berries). You could make a peanut butter and jelly with bananas sandwich for breakfast, but I think this is a great alternative. Less carbs, more probiotics, whole fruit, less sugar, and omega 3s make this an easy powerhouse breakfast.

It almost follows the smoothie guidelines missing only the serving of vegetables (review my post Breakfast Smoothie #461 for smoothie rules). I have experimented with adding spinach, celery or cacao greens powder for veggies and it is still pretty good, but truly I make an exception most days and leave the veggie out of this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberry or other fruit flavored kefir of choice. My daughter has decided pomegranate is the best. (probiotics/protein)
• 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's almond butter with roasted flax seed (protein/omega 3s)
• 1/2 banana (fruit)
• 1 cup frozen berries (fruit)

These are just my ratios. The easy part of smoothies is adding more or less of each ingredient until you get the flavor and consistency you like.

*Side Post: Why almond butter with flaxseed over plain peanut butter?*

Almond are less allergenic as they are a true tree nut as opposed to peanuts which grow underground and are prone to mold and fungus issues.

Almond butter gives you a slight edge on fiber and slightly less sugar. Almond butter has less sodium but more fat. Trader Joe's almond butter with flaxseed edges out the peanut butter for me with the addition of omega 3 fatty acids, but ultimately they are pretty similar. The choice is yours.

I will use Trader Joe's peanut butter as a comparison but check the stats against your brand of choice.

Almond Butter with Flaxseed v. Peanut Butter

Serving Size: 2 TBSP

Calories: 200/ 200

Total Fat: 17g/ 15g

Sat Fat: 1.5g/ 3g

Sodium: 80mg/ 150mg

Carbohydrates: 6g/ 6g

Dietary Fiber: 4g/ 3g

Sugar: 1g/ 2g

Protein: 7g/ 9g

Okay so now you are ready to start experimenting with smoothies but what if you have to add a little more this and then add a little more that and then Oh No! Too much smoothie! Don't worry, I have a plan that too....

Breakfast Smoothie #461

Today's post is titled "smoothie number 461" because that's how many smoothies I have made since purchasing my blendtec a little less than a year ago. It has a built in digital counter so you can keep track of your own crazy! And that's not counting the hundreds I made before that in my magic bullet.

My name is Allison and I am addicted to smoothies. Admitting it is the first step. If you having smoothie lust as well I strongly recommend buying yourself either the blendtec or the vitamix. I will save the debate over which is better for another day (they both have there merits) but here is how you know if you need one.

• Do you frequent smoothie king, jamba juice, or robeks a couple times a month at 4/dollars a hit for blended fruit that cost 25/cents?
• Do you curse with your everyday blender when you are eating the end of your smoothie with a spoon due to underblending?
• Do you want to watch your child suck down handfuls of spinich, kale, carrots, and beets before they head off to school?

If you answered yes to any of these questions it is $400 blender time for you. No regrets.

This morning's smoothie might be my laziest one yet, a good one to start with for a smoothie novice. And with minimal blending required any blender can handle it.

Here is my smoothie requirements every morning:

• Healthy dose of probiotics to strengthen against the booger onslaught of the kindergarten classroom.
• At least one fruit and one vegetable
• 5g of protein

Here is how to do it:

1. 10 Frozen mango chunks (I love the ones from Trader Joe's, cheap and so sweet)
2. Big scoop of plain yogurt
3. 1/2 cup or so of water depending how you like your consistency
4. scoop of Amazing Grass Cacao Superfood

If you make it and you don't like the flavor add more mango, or switch to flavored yogurt. The possibilities are endless. And if you don't like the flavor of this one just wait until I post my almond butter-bananas-strawberry recipe. It will rock your world......