We have scoured the web for our favorite smoothie recipes and made a list of our top picks for you to choose from. Smoothies make great meal replacements, snacks, or pre and post-workout energy boosters. There are tons of different ways to enjoy smoothies – with or without yogurt, vegan, raw, fruit, green, paleo – the list goes on and on. Smoothie recipes can be tweaked to meet any dietary requirements. We love to start the day with a nutritious breakfast smoothie, or have one mid-afternoon on a hot summer day to cool down with a quick metabolism-boosting snack. See below for some yummy ideas to add smoothies to your diet:
1. Banana Ginger Smoothie
We love this tasty and tummy-soothing recipe from Prevention.com. For an extra frosty treat, use a frozen banana!
1 banana, sliced
¾ c (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp freshly grated ginger
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serves 2.
2. Superfruit Smoothie
This sweet treat from Delish.com packs a punch with delicious superfruits. Sub the frozen cherries for fresh if they are in season!
1 cup frozen cherries
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped (reserve 2 slices for garnish)
1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
Blend on high until smooth. Serves 2.
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie
This nod to a favorite childhood snack from our friends at Eatingwell.com is a protein rich recipe for any adult on the go. It even helps you get a serving of vegetables in!
½ cup low-fat milk
⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup frozen banana slices (about 1 medium banana)
½ cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey (optional)
Add milk and yogurt to a blender, then add spinach, banana, strawberries, peanut butter and sweetener (if using); blend until smooth. Serves 1.
4. Pumpkin Pie Fall Smoothie
You can enjoy the flavors of fall all year long with this delicious smoothie from RodalesOrganicLife.com. Bonus – pumpkin and apple both deliver healthy servings of fiber to your diet!
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 apple, cored
Dried cranberries
Combine all ingredients except cranberries in blender and blend until smooth. Top with cranberries. Serves 2.
5. Cookie Dough Protein Smoothie
Our list wouldn’t be complete without a dessert smoothie! This recipe from EdibleSoundBites.com has it all – protein, chocolate, delicious oats – and it’s vegan-friendly! It takes a bit more prep, but the end result is so worth it!
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 medium frozen banana
1 tbsp cashew butter (or other nut butter)
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 ice cubes
Chocolate shavings (optional)
In a small bowl, mix the oats and almond milk. Place in fridge and let it soak for at least 2 hours to soften and thicken. This prevents the oats from giving the smoothie a gritty texture. Place thickened oat mixture into your blender along with the rest of the ingredients (except for the chocolate shavings). Blend on high until smooth. Pour into a tall glass, top with chocolate shavings if desired. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.
If you are not already blending away, these 5 smoothie recipes can get you started. Next time you visit the market, pick up some of the smoothie staples: your preferred milk (low-fat, almond, soy, coconut, etc), some plain low or non-fat greek yogurt, some bananas (peel and freeze), baby spinach, and some frozen or fresh berries or fruit of your choice. Any smoothie can be boosted with even more nutrition by adding a scoop of protein powder, and a Tbsp of either flax, chia, or hemp seeds. Try out these recipes and leave a comment to let us know how you enjoyed them. Happy blending!