Keeping The Ingredients Minimal But Flavourful
My biggest piece of advice is to keep it simple!
Pick 1-3 fruits to add, maybe a leafy green such as spinach and then your liquid and protein source. That’s it!
Don’t make it harder on yourself by going out and spending all this money on fish oil, fresh turmeric, etc and then have a smoothie where you don’t enjoy the taste very much or you’ve spent $100 on ingredients and have turned it into a complicated process. Sometimes the healthiest foods are the simplest foods.
Banana Date Smoothie With Ginger And Cardamom
The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner
Dates add a natural sweetness to smoothies that will provide the flavor you want without spiking your sugar levels. Combined with frozen banana, Greek yogurt, fresh ginger, and a pinch of cardamom, you have a healthy, dessert-worthy drink. If your dates are a little hard, simply soak them in warm water before using.
Orange Strawberry Squash Smoothie
This two-serving sipper is a delicious way to help you reach your daily fruit and veggie requirements. Like many smoothies, you could blend it into a drink or a smoothie bowl. If you want to make more of a meal out of it, add protein-rich enhancers, like protein powder or Greek yogurt.
This smoothie bowl packs 27 g of protein to power you through a long morning. Plus, wild blueberries are packed with antioxidants and fiber.
If a non-dairy smoothie is more your style, this one, with plant-based protein powder, makes a delicious and filling meal.
Cottage cheese provides the protein in this layered drink. Its made parfait-style so the smoothie and cottage cheese are kept separateperfect for days when you want to dig in with a spoon.
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Skinny Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
This vegan recipe will have you drooling for more! Its vegan, low calorie, and delicious! What makes it different than any regular strawberry smoothie? The secret is in a butter extract that gives it a rich pastry flavor while keeping it low in calories. If you feel like leaving your chair to blend this one up right away, you are in good company.
Which Blender Is Good For Making Smoothie
To make a thick and frosty smoothie, you want to have a good blender that can whirl the ice and ingredients well. High-powered blenders like Vitamix Blender or Blendec can handle frozen and whole uncut fruits. If youre making smoothies every day these blenders are definitely worth the investment to have in your kitchen.
However, a high-powered blender costs at least $300 and you are not sure if making smoothies regularly is right for you. If youre not sure, I highly recommend NutriBullet.
The best feature about NutriBullet is that the motor is powerful enough to blend up the fruits, and its easy to both use and clean. It comes with cups in different sizes and produces 1-2 servings. You can drink straight up from the cup after blending and there is almost no cleanup required as its easily washed. I bought mine from Costco with rebate for $89, if thats not an option for you, also carries them.
Read Also: Smoothie Recipes With Almond Milk And Frozen Fruit
Chocolate And Peanut Butter Shakes
Peanut Butter Cup Shake – 53 g of protein
Don’t sacrifice your gains! With milk and egg whites for texture, this shake tastes as good as the real thing.
Peanut Butter Banana Shake – 65 g of protein
Peanut butter and banana is a classic combo and is great for fuel and muscle recovery.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake – 72 g of protein
This sinless treat allows you to enjoy your chocolate and peanut butter with the benefits of muscle-building protein.
Want to make your protein shake thicker, more decadent, and slower digesting? Use casein instead of whey.
Peanut Brittle Shake – 58 g of protein
This shake is just as tasty as any crunchy brittle. The secret is pudding mix!
Chocolate-Lover’s Shake – 51 g of protein
Chocoholics unite for this super chocolatey shake featuring both cocoa powder and sour cream!
Chocolate Almond Shake – 40 g of protein
A nutty candy bar in a glass, this shake proves protein doesn’t have to be bland. You will make it again!
Caramel Hazelnut Shake – 70 g of protein
Hazelnut creamer makes this into a Nutella-y dream of a shake. Yes, please!
Bad Girl Shake – 67 g of protein
This caloric beast is for the aspiring weight-gainers out there! Ground up girl scout cookies in a shake? Go ahead, be bad.
Tropical Punch Protein Shake – 30 g of protein
All the fruit! Tantalize your senses with this vitamin-packed tropical shake.
Milk And Honey Smoothie
Make use of the celery in your produce drawer with this blended juice, which combines it with almond milk, cucumber, and grapes for a sip-worthy snack.
In a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 medium Kirby cucumber , 1 cup seedless green grapes, 2 medium stalks celery , and 1 Tbsp honey. Blend until the mixture is smooth, serves 2.
Nutrition : 124 calories, 2 g fat , 2 g protein, 26 g carbs , 21 g sugars
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Yellow Fruit And Turmeric Smoothie
Turmeric is a time-honored superfood with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Powered by curcumin, one of its primary substances, the spice may help boost memory, ease joint pain, lower the risk of certain cancers, and lessen the symptoms of depression. What are you waiting for? Make this smoothie thats bursting with the stuff.
Best Ways To Add A Protein Boost To Smoothies
Smoothies don’t have to be just full of fruits and vegetables. They can be excellent sources of protein too! Whenever you are trying to add protein to a smoothie, you need to use something that will blend in really well and won’t add any distracting flavors.
Here are my favorite ways to add protein to smoothies. I have used these ideas in various smoothie recipes .
- Nut or Seed Butter
- Hemp seeds
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More Info On Each Easy Smoothie Recipe:
Strawberry Banana Smoothie: This is a pretty, light pink, sweet, and creamy cold drink thats perfect all year long. Its forever one of my classic favorites, and I make sure to stock up on strawberries when theyre in season so I can freeze them for year-round enjoyment. My kids ask for this one all the time, so you can say its a household requirement around here!
Simple Tropical Smoothie: This has a sweet flavor and reminds you of summer, no matter what month it is. My sunshiny Henry loves this one its summer in a glass. The color is a lovely cream-orange, and its always a hit at our house. Costco sells frozen mango and pineapple cubed and ready to go for a great price.
Very Berry Simply Smoothie: This is made with mixed frozen berries that you can get in the freezer section, including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I mean, who doesnt love berries?! It almost tastes like ice cream, and it hits the spot any time of day. I make it on movie nights and call it a milkshake. Meanwhile, my kids have no idea it doesnt actually include ice cream!
Peanut Butter Simple Smoothie: This one is a whole big glass of peanut buttery goodness that tastes like dessert but is packed with protein. I cant get over it. Its probably one of my very favorites because I love, love, love peanut butter.
Tropical Papaya Perfection Smoothie
This coconut-infused breakfast smoothie tastes just as decadent as a milkshake. One sip will immediately transport you to a tropical island.
Cut 1 papaya into chunks and blend it with 1 cup of fat-free, plain yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup crushed ice, 1 tsp. coconut extract, and 1 tsp. ground flaxseed. Process the mixture for about 30 seconds, or until its smooth and frosty.
Nutrition :299 calories, 1.5 g fat, 13 g protein, 64 g carbs , 44 g sugars
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Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie
The peanut butter cup smoothie is a rich concoction that tastes like a decadent dessert. Good news for you – it’s healthy for you! Mixed in with the oatmeal, bananas, and chia seeds is a hidden superfood – cauliflower! You won’t even be able to taste it, but you’ll still benefit from its nutrients and antioxidants.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes For Meal Prep
Did you know that you can actually assemble your smoothies ahead of time and either store in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to use? When I do this, I usually add all the ingredients, except for the liquid, into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for about 3 days and the freezer for up to 3 months.
I like to use glass mason jars for packing my smoothies because it doubles as a container to drink your smoothie out of, but you could also use freezer safe ziplock bags, or these cool reusable bags.
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Healthy Superfood Smoothie Recipes
Did you know that many store-bought smoothies are very high in sugar and calories? I used to grab one for a healthy boost all the time when I was in my twenties not knowing that they were doing the opposite. Most store-bought smoothies use juice, way too much fruit and flavored yogurt. These ingredients can add up to your daily recommended sugar intake in just one drink! But the truth is that its much healthier and cheaper to make your smoothies at home.
Theres actually a simple trick that you can use to make healthier smoothies: Use less fruit, no fruit juices, and no flavored yogurt. Fruit juice are high in sugar and totally unnecessary for a smoothie. The same goes for yogurt if youre going to use it, which I do in the raspberry yogurt recipe below, then you only want to use plain yogurt with no added sugar or flavorings.
How To Make A Fruit Smoothie
Making a fruit smoothie is as simple as tossing ingredients in a blender and letting it rip, but we want to make sure you succeed every time, so heres our exact process:
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Here Are Some Of My Favorite Things To Add To Smoothies For An Energy Boost:
GREENS Spinach, kale, and lettuce can all be used in a smoothie. Ive tried them all spinach is the easiest to use so if youre new to smoothies, start with this. Next, try kale! Make sure to remove the stem of kale before adding it to the blender. Try lettuce last you can definitely taste the lettuce in a smoothie, but I actually quite like it! I tend to alternate between these three to give my body more variety.
AVOCADO Add 1/4 or 1/2 of a ripe avocado to your smoothie and it will create the most beautiful creamy consistency. Avocados are a great source of healthy fats which provide our bodies with longer lasting energy.
SEEDS You can add hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds. Theyre all high in protein and healthy fats. I tend to buy all three from Costco to use in my smoothies. I store each bag in my freezer to preserve freshness.
PROTEIN POWDER Im a big fan of Iron Vegan Sprouted Protein Powder. It contains 17 grams of plant protein from brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet and pumpkin seeds. Other protein powders have left me feeling bloated before, which is why I prefer a sprouted plant-based protein powder. Im sure there are other brands available, but this is the one that I personally love and use every day.
NUT BUTTER Adding 1 Tbsp of nut butter or seed butter to your smoothies will add more healthy fats. Choose a nut butter with little additives and no added sugar.
How To Make A Strawberry
The classic combo we all know and love: a strawberry-banana smoothie. The strawberries make it sweet, the bananas make it creamy and the beverage comes together with just a few ingredients. Start with 1 cup of water or orange juice in the blender. We like fresh orange juice, but the stuff in the carton will work just fine too. Add any nutritional powders like protein or fiber, or, if youre looking to make it a little sweeter, a teaspoon or two of sugar. Then add 1 cup each of non-fat plain yogurt and strawberries and top off the blender bowl with 1 banana cut into 1-inch chunks. Puree away. Check out the recipes below for classic takes and spin-offs of our favorite smoothie.
Coconut water ice cubes plus all your favorite fruits make this one crazy refreshing and easy to make.
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Six Healthy Superfood Smoothies
Here are six healthy superfood smoothie recipes that are affordable, nutritious and will give you energy throughout your day.
These healthy smoothies are delicious and one of the easiest homemade drinks youll ever make. This superfood smoothie guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make the best healthy smoothies!
Below are six delicious smoothie recipes, tips on making the best smoothies, and favorite superfood ingredients. Theres something here for everyone no matter what youre craving!
Smoothies are a staple in my home. I drink one every morning as a nutritious breakfast. My 5-year-old daughter loves them too! Keep reading to see how you can easily start to make healthy smoothies for yourself.
Is Having A Smoothie For Breakfast Healthy
Yes! But as we discussed earlier in this post, not all smoothies are created equal. I highly recommend a green smoothie in the morning, with minimal fruit. This is my favorite morning green smoothie recipe.
If youre going to use fruit, stick to berries like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries and banana. Try measuring your fruit and using 1/2 cup or less in total. This will help to prevent a blood sugar spike.
Fruit smoothies like the ones Ill share below are best enjoyed as an afternoon treat. I love to share one with my daughter after school. Either way, making your own smoothies at home are way more healthy than the store-bought versions!
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What Are The Health Benefits Of Fruits And Vegetables In A Juice Cleanse
- Kale insanely low in calories, powerful anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, and helpful for arthritis and autoimmune diseases
- Spinach the beauty of spinach lies in how easy it is to disguise the taste. Its mild tasting yet packed with vitamins, has anti-cancerous properties, and is one of the healthiest foods on the planet
- Cucumber since its 95% water, its an incredible detoxifier and helps with liver and kidney function
- Lemon one of the most important items to stock in your kitchen as its a highly effective cleansing agent and cuts through the bitterness of greens
- Carrots – known for being a good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, and potassium. Carrots have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health
- Celery – low in calories since it is mostly water. It is a low-glycemic food and a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K.
- Beets – contain nutrients that may help lower your blood pressure, fight inflammation, and support detoxification.
- Apples – “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a famous saying for good reason. Helps to fight inflammation and heart health.
- Oranges – immune system booster since it is high in Vitamin C and low in calories.
- Turmeric anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties
- Ginger aids in digestion and supports the immune system
Benefits Of A Whole Food Diet
In a 2014 analysis by Yale University, they concluded that a diet of minimally processed foods close to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively associated with health promotion and disease prevention.
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables or other high-fiber foods like whole grains and nuts is really important in maintaining good long-term health and preventing health problems like diabetes and cancers. These kinds of foods also help our bodies to cope and control the effects of inflammation.
In fact, one review from 2019 stated that diets high in plant foods could potentially prevent several million premature deaths each year if adopted globally. This is a big endorsement for a whole food diet.
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Golden Glow Turmeric Smoothie
The sound of having turmeric in your smoothie might make some of you cringe, but it is definitely worth trying. For one, pineapple has such a strong flavor in and of itself that the turmerics taste is almost completely masked. Secondly, turmeric is a strong anti-inflammatory that everyone should try adding it to their diet. You might be surprised to find out that it is actually pretty tasty as well!
Whats The Best Blender For Making Smoothies
Blenders have gotten so advanced in the past few years, that its hard to pick one that wont blend up a great smoothie! If youre blender shopping, here are the three blenders we recommend for daily smoothie-making:
- MOST AFFORDABLE: Cuisinart Immersion/Stick BlenderDont let its small size fool you, this tiny handheld blender is packed full of power, and will easily make a smoothie for you every day! Its perfect if youre limited on counter space.
- MEDIUM: Ninja Professional BlenderFor under $100, you get an incredibly powerful blender that makes a dreamy, creamy smoothie. This was the blender we used in the Wholefully test kitchen for years, and its a great starter-level, but still high-powered, blender.
- SPLURGE: Vitamix Professional BlenderA Vitamix is the top of the line when it comes to blenders, and its what we use every day in the Wholefully test kitchen. It comes with a hefty price tag , so if youre just blending a smoothie every now and again, there is no need to make the splurge. But if you do a lot of cooking or make a lot of smoothies or blended drinks, you might want to start saving your pennies for a Vitamix. Its a lifetime appliance that is a dream to use!
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