Agave Berry Banana Smoothie | Behavioral Change For Breakfast

Not long ago I realized I needed to change a bad behavior that has stuck with me most of my life. I've always known about it, read the research, and yet still had a hard time changing. My behavioral change dilemma? Breakfast. I have a hard time eating it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE breakfast food. I just love a really unhealthy breakfast - biscuits, bacon, gravy, hash browns, etc.

Since I'm not a morning person, I don't make much time for the first meal. Quick options like cereal and breakfast bars just don't tempt me and it's not like they're always the best option. Many of them have too much sugar, preservatives, and are lacking in protein. To add to the problem, I've already mentioned in a previous blog post that I need help eating fruit which is really important to eat early in the day. So I would typically just skip breakfast altogether.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about the importance of breakfast, but one thing WebMD points out in this article is that skipping breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity and it can make weight control more difficult. All these years that I thought I was saving calories and leaving me more room for lunch has in fact lead to a larger accumulation of body fat by eating the same amount of calories in fewer meals.

In order to change my breakfast behavior, I need something that is quick to prepare, full of the nutrients that I need first thing in the morning, and can easily travel. My solution? A simple breakfast smoothie. Some smoothie recipes are complicated with lots of ingredients in them - kale, seeds, powders, you name it. I don't have time for a laundry list of ingredients that may be expensive or spoil easily.

Here's a recipe for a refreshing and healthy fruit smoothie that uses simple ingredients - mostly frozen and spoil free - and can be prepared in a matter of minutes. You can throw the ingredients together with your eyes half open in a few minutes, rinse out your blender carafe, take it on the go, and be ready to repeat the next morning.

Here's a few tips to make this breakfast delicious, easy, and affordable:

• Invest in a good blender - I know this may not strike you as a tip to make things more affordable, but there is nothing more frustrating than struggling with a blender first thing in the morning that only gives you a gloppy mess. After going through several cheap and midrange blenders over the years, I invested in a Vitamix. While it's probably overkill for just making smoothies, I use it in many culinary adventures and it never disappoints.

• Buy bulk frozen berries at a club store - Frozen berries are cheaper than fresh and last as long as you need them to. It has also been shown they contain more nutrients than the fresh fruit on the shelves since it's blast frozen as soon as it's picked and hasn't had time to degrade.

• Frozen Bananas - Bananas are pound for pound some of the cheapest fruit you can buy. They add a smooth, creamy consistency for your morning shake and are loaded with healthy nutrients. I now buy more bananas than I would eat in a week and as soon as they start to get brown, I peel them and throw them in the freezer in a zip top bag. Easy, inexpensive, and always ready to use.

Ingredients

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup orange juice

5 frozen strawberries

1/2 cup blackberries (or any other berries such as raspberries or blueberries)

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 Tbls agave nectar

Directions

Combine in blender and mix until smooth. If you're having problems mixing it, add a bit of skim milk or light soy milk.

Serves 1.

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