MatchA & Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

• Matcha Powder
• Mushroom Powder (I know - Gross right?  It's not!  Read on)
• Frozen Strawberries 
• Frozen Banana
• Coconut Water (with pulp)
• Coconut Milk
• Protein Powder

Directions:

• Add Coconut Water / Milk to bottom of the blender (around 16 oz of liquid)
• Add Frozen Berries and Banana 
• Add Tablespoon of Matcha 
• Add Half Tablespoon of Mushroom Powder
• Add Scoop of Protein Powder (I used Vega Berry in this one)
• Blend until Smooth

Smoothies are a very frequent go-to in our household. Between my juicer and blender, I can cram a shocking amount of greens and healthy (non pizza) items into my 12 year old.   

Finn used to be an incredibly picky eater so I always needed a creative way to get a lot of vegetables & greens into his diet.  I'm convinced I could hide anything in a smoothie.  

When I say I hide things in smoothies - I'm not just just talking about hiding spinach or the occasional beet - I hide MUSHROOM POWDER which I can only assume would be served on Hell's Buffet during each and every meal.  Just the thought of Mushroom Powder grosses me out. I make the smoothies and I have to hide it from myself but I use it as much and as often as possible.

Why? It's actually delicious, it brings a subtle earthiness that doesn't compete with any of the other flavors.  Where it goes, I have no idea.  I'm just glad it goes somewhere.

Here's a bit of Mushroom Information that will make you give more love to these little guys than perhaps you did before.

Mushroom Facts:

• Boost Immune Function, it also improves cellular function and improves gut immunity
• Helps fight cancer cells - it also helps repair cells if you're undergoing chemotherapy 
• Great for cardiovascular health
• Has great antimicrobial properties 
• ​Good source of Vitamin-D
• Boosts energy and brain function
• Helps curb inflammation 

Want the details? - check our Dr. Axe's page on Shiitake Benefits.  The information in his page echoes what I have found in countless books related to health benefits of Mushrooms.  I love Dr. Axe and his entire site is just a tremendous source of information.

In addition to the mushroom powder, we love Matcha - Green Tea is probably the greatest nutritional weapon in our arsenal and we love combining it with berries and coconut water / milk to make a delicious smoothie!

Matcha Benefits:

• Packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg
• Boosts metabolism and burns calories
• Detoxifies effectively and naturally
• Calms the mind and relaxes the body
• Is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
• Enhances mood and aids in concentration
• Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
• Prevents disease
• Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar

We use a base of coconut water and milk (always combined) and frozen fruit as the foundation for every single smoothie we make.  We usually top our smoothies with cocoa nibs and coconut which adds a bit of texture and crunch.

Enjoy!!
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