Editor's note: Portions of this article have been previously published on the author's website.
This delicious smoothie delivers a nutritional bundle of mood-boosting, dopamine-rich blueberries and several fruits and vegetables in an easy and beautiful way to get a large portion of your daily allowance of produce. Paired with a rich cream cheese and nutmeg-laced breakfast bread, this comforting breakfast is just the thing to send your family members out the door with a smile.
BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE
1 generous handful of raw power greens (chard, kale and spinach) or raw, clean spinach
1 large banana
¾ cup pineapple juice or orange juice
6 ounces plain yogurt
1½ cups frozen blueberries
Optional: Add protein powder, chia seeds, bee pollen or other ingredients as desired
Place the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Makes about 3 cups.
CREAM CHEESE NUTMEG BREAKFAST BREAD
1 cup bread flour
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup butter, softened
6 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a beehive-shaped baking pan with a pan-release spray that contains flour, or use a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, sprayed and lined with parchment.
Stir together the flours, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; set aside. Cream together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and lemon zest. Gradually add sugar and beat in eggs one at a time.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the creamed ingredients, blending well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes in the beehive pan or 85-95 minutes in a loaf pan. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter, jam and honey if desired.
Pam McMurtry is a wife, mom, artist and writer with a bachelor's degree in art teaching/drawing and painting. She is the author of "A Harvest and Halloween Handbook." Her website is pammcmurtry.com.