Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Last week, Judy Andino joined CORE/El Centro to offer a Healthy Cooking Class focused on quick and easy protein-packed breakfasts. The attendees learned that having a healthy serving of vegetables doesn't taste all that bad, especially in a smoothie! 

The mix of ingredients we started out with.

There are many other ingredients to use in a smoothie other than fruit. The most interesting vegetable used was kale, but some other unusual ingredients were chia seeds and flaxseed. Kale, chia seeds, and flaxseed are sold at most major grocery stores. Kale is found in the vegetable aisle, and chia seeds and flaxseed can be found in either the natural aisle, supplement aisle, or baking aisle, depending on what store you're in.

The smoothies we learned about are fast and extremely easy to make. The class favorite was a twist on a tropical fruit smoothie:
-1 1/2 carrot
-1/2 banana
-A handful of greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
-A handful of tropical fruit (which is best if bought frozen)
-A tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed
-Water of fruit juice
You can play around with smoothies and make them how you prefer them.

Everybody was attentive and eager to learn about the art of smoothie making.

Quotes from class participants:

"I didn't know you can add kale, spinach, different seeds (chia, flax), and spices and fruits together and have great meals!"

"Was nice to share in a group and especially the motivation for healthy living."

"I learned that we can replace some of the protein from meat with vegetables and seeds."

"Being able to experience the tastes will help me to continue using the recipes I learned today." Written by Chloe