Smoothie Colada

This smoothie is full of sweet tropical yumminess, and also loaded with protein and even fiber.
Flavorful and filling, it even satisfies a sweet tooth.

Smoothie Colada

6 oz Fat Free Greek Yogurt, Coconut Flavor

1 Banana, frozen chunks

½ c Pineapple, frozen chunks

½ c Mango, frozen chunks

½ c Cashew Milk, unsweetened

½ c Oats, ground fine

2 T Flax Seed, ground fine

2 T Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavor

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(60 g Protein, 10 g Fat*, 14 g Fiber)

(*Don't let the fat content scare you off.  Keep in mind that the fat in these smoothies comes from oats, cashews and flax seeds and is the "good fat" we all need to include in our diets.)  

Belly Blaster Smoothie

As I near the end of my Six Week Challenge, I find that I have really been missing my smoothies.

While I do believe that a diet including nutrient rich smoothies is healthy and can be conducive to weight loss, I have been largely avoiding sugar during this challenge.  However, even with the natural sugar from the fruit and the yogurt, the balance of vitamins, nutrients, protein and fiber make this particular smoothie a good weight loss tool.  Antioxidant rich raspberries and pineapple both aid in digestion and help prevent bloating, spinach and whole oats add fiber, yogurt and whey powder pack a protein punch, the cashew milk and banana give a great sweet flavor, and all together it will keep you full and satisfied for hours.

Belly Blaster

4 oz Fat Free Greek Yogurt, Vanilla

½ c Unsweetened Cashew Milk

1 c Raspberries, frozen

½ c Pineapple, frozen

½ Banana, frozen

1 c Spinach, frozen

2 T Flax Seed, ground fine

½ c Whole Oats, ground fine

2 T Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla flavor

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(60 g Protein, 10 g Fat, 22 g Fiber)

Choppin' Broccoli

One of the things I love most about smoothies is how flexible they are. There aren't any real rules and I can be creative...and use up left-overs. The other night I had cooked too much broccoli for dinner, so it went into tupperware and the refrigerator.  Next day, I went looking for smoothie ingredients, and there it was.  

This is definitely not the prettiest one I've ever made!  But, it was delicious and kept me full for hours.

Choppin' Broccoli

6 oz Greek Yogurt, Vanilla Flavor

1 c Broccoli, chopped

1 c Spinach, chopped and frozen

1 c Blackberries, frozen

1 Banana, frozen

2 T Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavor

2 T Flax Seed, ground

1 c Apple Juice, not from concentrate

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

56 g Protein, 8 g Fat, 10 g Fiber

Pumping Iron

A diet rich in vegetables does not have to be lacking in essential nutrients like iron.  In fact, many vegetables are iron rich.  

Dark green veggies like spinach and kale are great sources of iron.  Other dark color vegetables such as beets, carrots, red bell peppers and tomatoes are good sources as well.

This smoothie contains many iron rich ingredients, providing 60% of your daily recommended intake.  

And it's delicious!

Pumping Iron

5 oz Greek Yogurt, plain

1 c Carrots, shredded

½ c Red Bell Pepper, chunks

½ c Beets, cooked sliced

½ c Tomato, chopped

1 c Spinach, frozen chopped

¼ c Beet Juice

¼ c Orange Juice

1 T Whey Protein Powder, vanilla flavor

½ c Oats, finely ground

1 T Flax Seed, finely ground

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(44 g Protein, 7 g Fat, 13 g Fiber, 60% DV Iron)

CocoChocoNana

Today's smoothie is for those with a sweet tooth.  It is packed full of protein, but with banana, coconut and chocolate-y goodness, it's more like a milk shake than a health food.

CocoChocoNana

6 oz Greek Yogurt, Coconut flavor

2 T Cocoa Powder

2 T Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla flavor

1 Banana, frozen

¼ c Skim Milk

Handful of Ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(56 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 5 g Fiber)

Make a Meal of Oatmeal

Today, I made the best oatmeal.  It was delicious, full of protein and fiber... real "stick to your ribs" food.

1/2 c. Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
1 T. Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavor
1 T. Flax Seeds
1/2 c. Blueberries
1/2 Banana, sliced
1 c. Silk Cashew Milk

I don't really follow the instructions... simply put all ingredients except the Cashew Milk in a bowl. Heat the milk to boiling and pour over other ingredients in bowl.  Stir gently for about a minute to allow oats and flax seeds to soften.
Enjoy!

Super Green Smoothie

I tried using avocado in my smoothie for the first time.  What a wonderful addition!  It adds a smooth creamy texture, while imparting just a hint of flavor.  It does add quite a bit of fat to the total nutrition, but it's the "good" fat... almost 2/3 of the fats avocados contain are the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil. 

This smoothie also has flax seeds, which add a nice nutty flavor, a bit of fiber, and lots of those wonderful antioxidants including a high concentration of Omega 3.  I bought natural whole flax seeds from my local health flood store and ground them in a coffee grinder. 

There are also oats added for fiber and extra protein.  The oats were also ground fine in the coffee grinder along with the flax seeds.

Recently, I discovered cashew milk.  If you know me very well, you know that I am a skim milk girl. I love my milk!  I have tried soy milk, but really didn't like it.  But, if you know me, you also know how much I love nuts!


So, I had to try cashew milk, and it is so delicious.  As a smoothie ingredient, it provides a great nutty flavor and is actually lower in calories than skim milk.


Add in some spinach, tropical fruits and protein powder, and voila you have a Super Green Smoothie, beautiful in color, tasty and very filling.

Super Green Smoothie

½ Avocado

1 Banana

1 c. Pineapple (chunks, frozen)

1 c. Spinach (chopped, frozen)

1 T. Flax Seeds (ground fine)

½ c. Oats (ground fine)

2 T. Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla flavor

1 c. Cashew Milk

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

(45 g Protein, 16 g Fat, 15 g Fiber)

Summer Garden Smoothie

This one is chock full of summer veggies and fruit.  For something a little different, cottage cheese replaces the usual yogurt or milk.  You might notice that this is really a yellow smoothie, but that little bit of spinach definitely overpowers any other colors.  Either way, yellow or green, it was delicious and energizing, and very filling.

Summer Garden Smoothie

½ c. yellow summer squash, sliced

½ c. cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 c. carrots, shredded

½ c. yellow bell pepper, chunks

½ c. spinach, chopped (frozen)

½ c. mango, chunks (frozen)

½ c. peaches, sliced (frozen)

½ c. cottage cheese

¼ c. orange juice

1 ½ T. Whey protein powder, vanilla flavor

1 t. honey

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(42 g Protein, 4 g Fat, 4 g Fiber)

Good Morning Sunshine!

Since much of the country is dealing with the color white today, I thought I would try and brighten things up with a bright and sunny smoothie.  The color of the day today is sunshine.  Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are chock full of antioxidants like carotenoids and bioflavonoids. Along with antioxidants, sunny-colored foods also have an abundance of vitamin C. These bountiful nutrients can help your heart, vision, digestion and immune system. Other benefits of naturally yellow and orange foods include maintenance of healthy skin, wound healing, and stronger bones and teeth.  And they are delicious!

Good Morning Sunshine

½ c. cucumber, peeled and chunks

1 c. carrots, shredded

1 banana, chunks (frozen)

1 c. peaches, slices (frozen)

¼ c. orange juice

¼ c. skim milk

2 T. Whey protein powder, vanilla flavor

1 T. honey

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth.

(38 g Protein, 1 g Fat, 6 g Fiber)

Have A Cup o' Salad!

Today's smoothie is like a salad in a cup.  It was beautiful before and after, and the taste was wonderful...a bit like a V8, but creamy and thick.  The mango and peach added a nice sweet note to the flavor of the vegetables.  I must admit, I was proud of this one.  So, go drink some salad!

Cup o’ Salad Smoothie

1 c. shredded kale

1 c. shredded carrots

1 celery stalk, cut into chunks

1 tomato, cut into chunks

1 peach, peeled and cut into chunks

1 c. frozen mango chunks

1 c. apple juice

1 ½ T. whey protein powder, vanilla flavor

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
(30 g Protein, 0 g Fat, 8 g Fiber)

Show Me The Green

Just recently, I discovered the joy of green smoothies.  I had a big bag of kale left over from New Year's Day and decided to throw a handful into my banana/berry smoothie one morning, and the results were amazing.  I am now hooked on green smoothies!

Kale-Banana-Berry Smoothie

1 c. Blueberry Yogurt

1 frozen Banana

1 c. Frozen Berries

2 c. shredded Kale

¼ c. Orange Juice

1 T. Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavor

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
My first attempt at green smoothies, and I was making due with what I found in the 'fridge...Not the prettiest, but surprisingly yummy.

(32 g Protein, 0 g Fat, 12 g Fiber)

Green Goddess Smoothie

2 c. shredded kale

½ c. chopped peeled and seeded cucumber

1 c. honeydew melon chunks

½ c. honeydew melon juice

½ c. frozen mango chunks

6 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
This one was beautiful and delish!
(21 g Protein, 0 Fat, 7 g Fiber)

For The Love Of Smoothies

I love smoothies.  They are a delicious way to get vitamins and anti-oxidants from fruits and vegetables and a great source of easily digestible protein.  I especially like smoothies immediately following a workout.  I'm a big believer in consuming protein as soon after working out as possible. Muscles are hungry and when they are stressed, they want to consume. Whey protein especially promotes muscle growth and aids in muscle recovery.

Normally, I use whatever I can find in the fridge, freezer and cabinet to concoct different and interesting smoothie flavors.  I do prefer to use frozen fruit and avoid ice that will water down the flavor.  Store bought frozen fruit works fine, but fresh fruit like bananas, grapes, etc., can also be frozen for later use.

 I often use powdered whey protein for added protein and a yummy vanilla flavor.  It can be purchased at most health supply stores.

I've gotten it from wholesale retailers, but my favorite comes from my local health foods store, Remedy's in Key Largo.  It's all natural and quite delicious.                                                                                                                                  

Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and flavor, as is peanut butter.


Sometimes, I also like to add oats for fiber, and they add a nice creamy texture.
                                             

Bottom line, is there is no exact recipe.  Experiment, have fun.

Here are a few of my favorite concoctions:

PB&J Smoothie

1 c. Skim Milk

1 c. Quaker Oats, finely ground

¼ c. Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavor

1 T. Peanut Butter

6 Frozen Strawberries

½ c. Frozen Blueberries

¼ c. Apple Juice

¼ c. Pomegranate Juice

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

(55 g Protein, 11 g Fat, 15 g Fiber)

Tangy Peach-Berry Smoothie

6 oz. Plain Lowfat Greek Yogurt

1 c. Quaker Oats, finely ground

2 c. (approx.) Frozen Mixed Fruit – Peach, Strawberry, Pineapple, Grapes

¼ c. Frozen Blueberries

½ Banana

½ c. Orange Juice

¼ c. Pomegranate Juice

Splash skim milk if too thick

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

(25 g Protein, 5 g Fat, 18 g Fiber)