Smoothie Tips & Tricks

I know a lot of you like to start your day with a smoothie or incorporate them into your routine regularly. But there seems to be a lot of confusion about how healthy smoothies are and how to build a better one.

Smoothies are convenient and easy to make and can be a great way to get more vegetables and fruits into your diet. But they can also be loaded with sugar and calories and leave you starving shortly after (especially some of the ones you purchase instead of making at home).

So, what are the keys to a healthy and filling smoothie?

The first thing is to decide what purpose you want your smoothie to serve. Is this something that is going to replace a meal and be your breakfast for the day? Or do you want one that you can drink alongside your eggs or toast? If you are not trying to replace a meal, then you have to pay attention to how many additional calories you are consuming and may want to stick with just fruits and vegetables in your smoothie.

If this smoothie is going to replace a meal, then you have more leeway with what you add and you will want to incorporate protein, fat, and fiber, as well as fruits and vegetables. This will help to ensure that you are full until your next meal.

Additional tips:

• Include at least one vegetable in every smoothie

• Be mindful of how much fruit you are adding (recommended max of 2)

• You can use fresh or frozen fruits/vegetables (I prefer frozen)

• It can be hard to get the portions right - feel free to put the extra in the fridge and re-blend the next day

• Have fun with your smoothie recipes and mix it up!!

Pick and choose from each of the categories below to make your own special blend:

Liquid –

• Almond Milk

• Coconut Milk

• Coconut Water

• Oat Milk

• Water

 Protein –

• Any sort of high quality protein powder (check the label to make sure it doesn’t have a lot of sugar)

• Greek Yogurt

• Cottage Cheese

• Collagen Powder 

Fat –

• MCT Oil

• Olive Oil

• Avocado

• Almond Butter

• Peanut Butter

Fiber –

• Flax Seed

• Chia Seed

Vegetables –

• Kale

• Spinach

• Cucumber

• Zucchini

• Carrot

Fruit –

• Blueberries

• Strawberries

• Blackberries

• Raspberries

• Cherries

• Banana

• Mango

Add in’s –

• Cinnamon

• Turmeric

• Maca

• Spirulina

• Cacao

My go to smoothie recipe –

1 cup Almond Milk (add more if necessary to blend)

½ cup Kale

¾ cup Spinach

½ cup Blueberries

1 tablespoon Flax Seed

1 tablespoon Almond Butter

1 scoop Protein Powder

What’s your favorite smoothie recipe??