Whether you’re looking for a breakfast on-the-go, a post workout recovery or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, smoothies can be a fast and easy way to pack a good nutritional punch.
Here are some smoothie basics and a couple of recipes to try:
The Smoothie Foundation
- Aim to have at least half a cup of liquid as your base. This can be water, milk (or soy alternative) or tea. You may also add soda water to give your smoothie a sparkling component.
- For a protein boost, add a scoop or 2 of whey protein powder. Having both vanilla and chocolate flavors will add to diversity of possibilities. There are many different flavors available.
- Yogurt, kefir or cottage cheese or tofu also make for good protein choices and provide a thickening agent to your creation.
Smoothie Add-ons
- Fruit – this is the hallmark of a great smoothie. You can add blueberries, strawberries and other berries as well as bananas, papaya, mango, peaches, melon. Frozen mixed bags are available year-round.
- Veggies – yes, even veggies can be delightful in smoothies (not to mention exceptionally healthy). You can add them raw or cooked.
- Ground flaxseeds or salba
- Nuts
- Peanut butter
- Flaxseed oil
- Canned pumpkin
Flavor Enhancers
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Honey
- Splenda
- Vanilla extract
- Ground coffee
- Cocoa powder
A couple of smoothie recipes
Quick and Easy Berry Smoothie:
1 cup milk or water
½ cup yogurt
1 cup single or mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1 Tablespoon flaxseeds
Chocolate Almond Coconut Delight (My own concoction)
¾ cup low fat milk
¼ cup Coconut milk
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 tablespoon almond butter
Nutritional Breakdown
Calories: 358
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fat: 17.5g
Protein: 31g
Blueberry Madness
½ cup herbal fruit tea
½ cup water
¾ cup ice
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup cashews
¾ cup low fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch cinnamon
Splenda to taste
Nutritional Breakdown
Calories: 328
Carbohydrates: 19.9g
Fat: 17g
Protein: 23.9g
Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe?
I love smoothies. Great recipe and healthy too!
Favorite – 4 shots espresso, 1 tbsp at least of chunky peanut butter, 1 sweet/low, 1 bannana, and 1 scoop of chocalate protein powder. Don’t know how healthy it is but it sure starts the day off a good note.
I usually make a smoothie every day as a 3pm pick me up! This is what I use:
1 whole banana (sometimes frozen)
about 5-6 frozen strawberries
handful of blueberries
about 3-4 ice cubes
about 1/2 – 3/4 c of water
My 8 yr old begs me to make these every day!!
** sometimes I even throw in some frozen cranberries or a scoop of sherbet!!
i love smoothies they make me feel refreshed inside specialy when you drink it it you can feel the ice go through you little bits of ice i love the strawberry smoothies with banana chunks let me tell you the recepie it is 4strawberries cut 1 banana into chunks 1/2 cup of ice it is a very simple recepie
Smoothies – so easy to make and so filling. I love them so much, especially yogurt based ones that I compiled 1001 of them
I love smoothies. Thank you for the recipes!
Well, if it’s breakfast I’d rather have the fruit and yogurt, but I find smoothies very handy to sip while I do homework or work on the computer. I don’t get my hands dirty and I drink it slowly. Also, it help avoid the chocolates.
While fruit is in season (here in the northeastern US), I’ve been buying extra local fruit and freezing it for the winter, much of it to be used in smoothies. My freezer is now packed with blueberries and peaches.
thank you for these tips, save all! Hah
I think that people are afraid to try something new like this. I have been a protein shake advocate for almost two years now. I don’t get near as fancy as you do, but I appreciate the ideas and will give them a try!
Some of these ingredients are great! I think I really get stuck in a rut with many of my daily shakes. Things like Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract I could see really enhancing the shakes.
“Any Whey” brand makes a flavorless protein powder that I like far better than the chocolate or vanilla standards – you can mix it into any smoothie (or any food/drink) for extra protein without having to deal with a flavor.
i have to try canned pumpkin. if i could mix up one that tastes like pie i will be happy!
I love smoothies. They make me feel so energized and healthy.
Smoothies are a great way to get your fruits in for the day – for me personally I’d rather grab a smoothie than a yogurt and a piece of fruit. When you make your own, you control the calories and the contents.
I have a post with more smoothie recipes – visit
http://blog.honestdietreviews.com/smoothie-recipes
Take Care
EXOTIC FRUIT SMOOTHIE
From The New Spa Food Cookbook by Edward Safdie
Calories: 60 per serving
1/2 cup chopped ice
1/2 cup papaya nectar
1 banana cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1/4 cup raspberries
4 slices starfruit (garnish)
Serves 4
In response to Kim: Unless required for medical reasons, sugar substitutes are a really bad idea. New research shows that we’re not fooling our body and it’s going to do everything in its power to get the calories you’ve promised it.
Check out the article on CBS.com: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/13/health/webmd/main701408.shtml
Another eight-year study at the University of Texas indicates that you actually have a greater chance of becoming obese when you consume diet drinks.
Nice smoothies!
I love anything with coconut. Plus, coconut is so good for you.
Here’s one from my book:
BANANAMANIA
1 banana
water of 1 young coconut
4-5 scoops of young coconut meat
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cashews
Give this a shot. It will blow your mind!
Unless you’re making a green smoothie, in which case it is quicker to get all the greens through, it’s probably quicker to just grab the yogurt and fruit and go! So I don’t understand how it’s any better as a “breakfast on the go.”
Thanks for the tips, Mike! I used to frequent those smoothie places, until I realized how many calories I was consuming. I made this smoothie recently, and it was great!
Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
(one dairy/protein serving, two fruit servings)
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt (the brand I buy is artificially sweetened)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 medium banana
1 Splenda packet (wasn’t quite sweet enough for me without it)
Directions: Blend. I used my Blendtec, and it came out thick and creamy. Yum!
Enjoy!
I could never understand the appeal of smoothies. Sure, they taste good, but the nutritionals are usually equal to that of a regular meal.
My mom used to make strawberry smoothies using Crystal Light drinks (any kind), strawberries, and ice. Other things could be added, but the calorie count, I believe, was pretty low.