Goop Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

Founded in 2008, Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow’s digital lifestyle publication and many women’s “most trusted girlfriend” on the web. The curated collection of fashion, wellness, travel, cooking guidance and more is updated weekly to share the kinds of tips that organically pass among your friend circle.

I only recently subscribed for issues sent straight to my inbox, but am already fully addicted, most rapidly devouring the recipe register.

Simple yet oh-so-good, the Veggie BLAT will surely become a go-to dinner, and I can’t wait to snack on the hearty homemade granola bars as I haven't found a satisfying supermarket variety. There’s also an enticing smorgasbord of juices and smoothies I’m adding to my beverage portfolio ASAP, starting with the Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie.

As someone who turns up her nose to eggs and grudgingly chokes down orange juice only when sick, breakfast has always been a stitch in my side. My family teases about the time I ordered French toast with a side of toast at a post-Mass brunch. I agree this carb-heavy kind of feast isn't ideal, but many menus don’t offer much beyond omelets and frittatas. I had no choice.

In addition to my taste bud handicap, time is a limitation. I dawdle through morning showering, blowdrying and dressing, making pancake-flipping a non-existent possibility before catching the bus. I’ve been in a yogurt routine, interspersed with the occasional English muffin, but these AM meals quickly boil into humdrum monotony.

GP’s Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie is a godsend if you experience similar restrictions, but want to start the day in a purely nutritional, energizing -- and interesting -- way. 

photo courtesy goop.com

The blend of greens, avocado, protein powder, almond milk, cacao and fresh mint packs serious power that sustains til lunch. A hint of minty chocolate gives the ultra-healthy drink an indulgent tastiness that is the motivation to get out of bed and get to work. 

While contributing energy equal to a heaping plate of bacon, this liquid breakfast maintains the flat-stomach feeling you wake up with instead of cooking up the bloated belly of a lumberjack. Make a batch of the beverage before bed and freeze or refrigerate so you can grab 'n go at daybreak -- perfect for lollygaggers like me. 

A one-stop shop for reliable recipes [and all things lifestyle], Goop is virtual gold. I can’t stop reading. Props, Gwyn.