Without a doubt, the question I’ve gotten asked the most over the last few years is how I make sure my children get all the nutrients they need. It’s a question that I sometimes find difficult to answer, not because I don’t have an answer… quite the contrary. I find it difficult because I have so many answers (like using Raised Real for example). So today I just want to attack the easiest answer. Smoothies. Specifically, superfood smoothies. I know for many people this is nothing new, but if you’re at your wit’s end or you’re just looking for a way to pump up the jam, here’s a little reminder that for most kids smoothies can be a game changer.
Today I’m sharing 3 kid friendly superfood smoothies are a total win-win. My kids love the flavor and I love knowing that I’ve gotten fruits, vegetables, and a little bit of protein too.
The Golden One (Turmeric Superfood Smoothie)
With coconut water, pineapple, fresh orange juice, and mango, this one tastes like summer. Ginger root adds zing and the turmeric does all the magical turmeric-y things. New to Turmeric? This little root is pure magic, but I like to include it mostly for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We use either the root or the powder, depending on what I have on hand. Adding a dash of pepper increases bioavailability, but isn’t always appreciated by the kiddos.
I also have an assortment of Barleans Oils that I mix and match depending on the smoothie. I like the 3-6-9 Swirl Omega + flax oil because of the easy, non-oily way it allows me to add all three important omega fatty acids and healthy fat in the smoothie. If you don’t want to use Barleans, 1/4 of an avocado is another great source of healthy fat (but is not a great source of omegas, fyi).
This smoothie is also highly customizable, I will often throw in a handful of kale or spinach, but beware that makes the color more brown than orange; my kids don’t mind, but it’s not for the finicky set. Throw in bee pollen, hemp seeds, soaked cashews, a date, whatever you want to add even more nutrients.
- 1 Mango fresh (or 1 cup frozen)
- 1 Green apple
- 1-2 Carrots peeled
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 tsp turmeric powder (or 1-inch fresh)
- 1 cup frozen orange juice (or fresh orange, peeled) -I like to juice oranges and put them in ice cube trays for smoothies
- 1-inch fresh ginger root (peeled)
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 tbsp 3-6-9 Omega swirl
The Red Root One (Beet Superfood Smoothie)
The heavy hitter in this one is the beet. I love them. I’ll eat them roasted with a little vinegar, or sliced in a salad, or in this case, blended into a smoothie. This is an ingredient that is best prepped ahead for quick and easy use. Lightly steamed makes for softer beets and easier blending, but raw will have the highest nutrient payload. I’d base the choice on how strong your blender is. Beets are high in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese, and folate… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
- 1 large beet peeled & halved
- 1 Carrot peeled
- 1-2cups kale or spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen mangos
- 1 cup cashews (soak overnight or for a few hours so that they blend easily)
- 1/2 cup coconut water or milk of choice
- 1/2 cup Kefir
- 1 tbsp 3-6-9 Omega swirl
The Green Smoothie (Kale/Spinach Superfood Smoothie)
Want to hear a funny story? My boys have been having kale in their smoothies since they were toddlers. In fact, when asking, they almost always specify that they want a green smoothie. This wasn’t that spectacular when we lived in L.A. Toddlers sipping green smoothies at the playground was a pretty normal occurrence.
Fast forward to moving to the D.C. area, shortly after moving here Jeremiah specifically asked for a green smoothie. I was pregnant, we were living in temporary housing further into VA, and I didn’t have ingredients on hand to make one. So, I found the nearest smoothie place on the map and we ventured out. When I attempted to get my toddler (not yet 3yrs old) to be satisfied with a “kid smoothie” he almost threw a fit. So, I just ordered him the adult “superfood green smoothie”. Before we could even walk away from the pickup counter he took one big sip. I could see him processing the flavors. He looked at me and loudly asked, “Does this even have kale in it?!?” I bet you can imagine my face as I realized that the other people in line were staring at me like some health nut weirdo.
It was in that moment that I realized just how L.A. my children had become. But I mean, the kid wasn’t wrong. That smoothie did not have kale in it. But this one does. Kale is a pretty fantastic nutrient powerhouse. A single cup exceeds your daily needs of vitamins A, K, and C. It also has manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium; not to mention 3 grams of plant-based protein. If the kale flavor is too strong you either sub half or all of the kale for spinach. It too is pretty awesome and when it comes to kid-friendliness it’s probably the best green option as it’s relatively flavorless in smoothies.
- 2 cups kale (or 1 cup Kale + 1 cup spinach or 2 cups spinach)
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen mangos
- 1-inch fresh ginger root (peeled)
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 1/2 cup Kefir
- 1 tbsp 3-6-9 Omega swirl
Enjoy!
Xo, Kimberly Fe'Lix
