Recipe: Banana-Kale Wake-Up Smoothie

Start your morning off right!
Closeup of a banana kale smoothie

Making a smoothie vs. juicing saves valuable fiber and other nutrients that are typically discarded by juicing. Our tasty version contains kale, which is high in polyphenols (a heart-healthy micronutrient), with its slight bitterness balanced by the sweetness of bananas. And ground cloves are a good source of antioxidants — but just use a tiny pinch, as cloves are potent!  

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped kale leaves  
  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes 
  • Tiny pinch of ground cloves

Directions

  1. Put kale, bananas, yogurt, orange juice, honey and ice in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Pour into glasses and garnish with a tiny pinch of ground cloves. Serve right away.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 2 servings

Calories: 220
Total fat: 3.5 g
Saturated fat: 1.5 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 25 mg

— The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Boost Brain Health (© 2012 Ten Speed Press).

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