I have two defining smoothie moments. The first came at the ripe age of seven; I can still recall taking that first sip from my Orange Julius cup and deciding that I could either die happy or live off of the strawberry and banana puree for the rest of my life. The second moment came at the age of 21 when learned I could (and actually should) make smoothies appear as regulars in my diet.
Smoothies are the ultimate treat and clean eater’s dream! They fill you up, are packed with essential nutrients and will sometimes even fool you into thinking you are indulging in a delectable dessert. These power-packed liquids come with an essential keyword attached: volume. The thickness of the smoothies take up room in the tummy to fool the stomach into thinking it’s fuller for longer.
Healthy smoothies that make 2 8-ounce servings (so you can share!) are made up of ¾ cup of skim or 1% milk, 3-4 crushed ice cubes, and a scoop of low-fat vanilla yogurt. The fun is in mixing and matching the rest. Add berries (fresh or frozen), a tablespoon of peanut butter, banana, almond butter, cinnamon. The list could literally go on for days. Look up new smoothie recipes online to constantly shake up your drink- and your diet.
An ingredient to add to almost any smoothie concoction that gives the body a boost in burning fat and building muscle is whey protein powder. Hold on one second… You might be tempted to say: “I don’t want to gain bulk,” or “protein powder is for body builders.” This is a misconception that I will break down faster than whey breaks down fat cells.
Adding whey protein powder to your smoothies, or diet in general, will help to fight against obesity and give you a good 20-30 grams of protein. Straight protein. And let me just tell you, our bodies have massive crushes on protein. They crave it, feign for it, and live for it. So grab a scoop and go! Add a scoop of any kind of natural whey protein to your smoothies for an extra kick (and most proteins come in delicious flavors like French vanilla, chocolate and strawberry).
These 8-ounce treats are great as an afternoon snack, meal replacement or before a workout. Pack in the ingredients that your body loves and your body will repay you by not packing on pounds. And that whole “everything in moderation” saying doesn’t really apply here. I make sure that I get in a smoothie to my diet every single day, sometimes even twice.
Getting ready to be certified as a smoothie expert (if only there was such a thing), I have found that investing in a mini blender does wonders for a snappy smoothie on the go. Simply throw in the ingredients, blend and grab your carry cup. However, a regular blender will work just fine; no matter the tool, your smoothie making time should usually run at 3 minutes or less. Now that is an impressive meal-making time.
Although it hurts to wrap and stop confessing my love for these beautiful bevs, I am leaving you with two of my all-time favorite smoothie recipes. Share yours below! I always love trying out something delicious and new.
Halle Berries Smoothie (from the Abs Diet for Women)
¾ cup of instant oatmeal, nuked in water of fat-free milk
¾ cup of fat-free milk
¾ cup of mixed frozen blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
1 scoop of whey protein powder
3 crushed ice cubes
Pumpkin Smoothie
½ cup of skim or low-fat milk
3 crushed ice cubes
Handful of pecans
½ cup of canned pumpkin
Scoop of whey vanilla protein powder
1 teaspoon of ground flaxseed
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Seriously, Hannah?! I’ve been thinking about adding smoothies to my diet for a mid-afternoon snack! This post came at the perfect time for me.
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I’m so into smoothie lately, that’s a good thing, right? And what makes it even better is that I successfully influenced my 9-year old twin boys into it. Now, they really love fruity smoothies, mango and strawberries are their favorites. Just the other day, they found out that pumpkin smoothies are actually good even if it is veggies. They’re not big fans of vegetables. But pumpkin is a good start, right? Tomorrow, I’m planning on making carrot smoothies for them.
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The main thing that generally has put me off smoothies in the past is that the majority seem to contain banana – and I hate bananas so much they are virtually an allergy for me. So I really like the sound of these two recipes as a result.
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You can also add greens to a smoothie (I use baby spinach and kale,) and make a green monster. I SWEAR you cannot taste it at all, I have used a half box of spinach before and never tasted a thing. You will only taste the fruit you put in, and its a great way to get added veggies into your diet. I drink one almost every morning.
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