Peanut Butter-Banana Smoothie (and introducing... Chia!)

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie 

2 bananas sliced and frozen
1/4 cup oats
1/3 cup peanut butter  
3/4 cup milk (or maybe a little more)
(1 tbs Chia seeds)


Smoothie all ingredients together in blender. I like to add a couple of ice cubes, mainly because I didn't freeze my bananas this time. 


i loove smoothies, because they are yummy and oh so easy to jam pack a bunch of stuff that's good for you into one cup.  This is a new one, since I told you about my Spinach Smoothies.  In this one, for best* (healthiest) results, use organic bananas, all-natural sugar-free peanut butter- and I'm not talking Jif or Smucker's that says "natural" on the label, that's crap- Try Adam's, or make your own fresh at Sunflower Market! I used Soy milk, because it is loaded with all sorts of goodness, but just normal skim milk is super great too. 
And you may have noticed "chia seeds" at the end of that.. I add them to everything, mainly smoothies (1-2 tablespoons a day), they are a wonderful little thing. They are an excellent source of omega-3s for us non-seafood eaters, and are also packed with fiber which are the reasons why I invest in them.  You should do it!  You can hardly taste them when you mix them in...

7 Good Reasons to Eat Chia Seeds: 

1. Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.
2. Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.
3. Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.
4. Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.
5. Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect againstinflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
6. Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.
7. They are easier to digest than flax seeds, and don't need to be ground up.

This chia is what I use now, pre-ground because it was on sale at Sprouts one day, but it is usually more $$ efficient for me to just buy a bag of seeds

Try 'em!  They really are so very good for you.