For many of us, a smoothie is an excellent snack but hardly enough to tide you over from morning workout to midday meal. This particular smoothie recipe is not only packed with enough protein to keep you full until lunchtime, but you even get in a serving of kale without tasting a thing—promise! As with any smoothie recipe, feel free to play around with what you have at home and make it your own. If Persian spice isn’t quite your speed, you can easily make this a tropical-themed smoothie by substituting pineapple for banana and coconut milk for almond milk. Also, add oats and/or almond butter to any smoothie to give it a boost of protein and make it more substantial.

Ingredients

-1 avocado

-1 ripe banana, frozen

-1 cup of kale (about 3 large leaves, ribs removed)

-3 tbsp unsalted pistachios

-3 tbsp oats

-3 tbsp unsalted almond butter

-1-2 tbsp agave, honey, or pure maple syrup

-2 cups almond milk

-2 tbsp. pomegranate seeds (to garnish)

Persian Spice (optional)

-1-2 tbsp jaggery (instead of agave)

-2 tsp rosewater

-¼ tsp cinnamon

-¼ tsp cardamom

-¼ tsp coriander powder

Method

1. Chop up avocado and banana into small chunks and combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

2. Pour into glasses, garnish if desired, and enjoy immediately. (Yields 2 servings.)

—Amy Kothari

Amy Kothari is the founder of the artisan jam and jelly company Big City, Small Batches and shares her recipes and food photography on her blog, Tastes Like Chicken.