Though there may be a lot of time on our hands during this pandemic, waiting in grocery store lines may not be the perfect way to spend it.
With toilet paper hoarding dying down, grocery stores continue to improve the shopping experience to prevent the spread of the virus, but the shopping experience may not be as breezy as you hope for it to be. As much as an individual tries to protect themselves with masks and gloves, there are nevertheless other people who stand too close to you when cruising through the store or ignore the floor signs placed at checkout indicating physical distancing measures.
Alongside this, the increase in prices or long lines can contribute to people straying away from grocery shopping in person. This results in a reliance on whatever they have at home.
Pre-pandemic, I had a crazy obsession with a certain smoothie recipe I learned during a school trip. I know that a lot of picky eaters, myself included, may be skeptical of including spinach. However, the ingredients are blended so well that you will barely notice it. Spinach is also a great start for individuals with low iron.
Here’s a recipe for a smoothie that’ll help you use all those unopened or ripening foods you may have accumulated in your pandemic pantry.
1⁄2 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 fresh or frozen banana
1 teaspoon of chia seeds (optional, can substitute with oats or other add-ins)
Instructions
1. Peel the banana and cut it into thirds.
2. Pour the orange juice and banana into a blender. Blend this first so that the smoothie mixes easily.
3. Rinse the spinach and berries.
4. Add the berries, spinach and chia seeds to the blender.
5. Once all the ingredients are placed inside the blender, blend on high for at least 30 seconds.
6. Once the contents are blended well, pour into a glass and enjoy!
Totally forgetting all the measurements of the recipe when initially learning it, I ended up eyeballing the entire recipe. The smoothie was either too thick, the banana was way too ripe so it ended up tasting like mushy banana or way too many chia seeds. Stick to the measurements, and you’ll have smoothie success in no time!
This smoothie can be enjoyed however you want, but I prefer to drink it in the morning with some toast just so my breakfast isn’t too boring. I find it is a perfect substitute for coffee.
Featured image by Jasdeep Kaur Lally.
