Supplement Your Smoothies (Recipe Ideas Included!)

Extras and Add-Ons

Many people enjoy smoothies as part of a post workout meal, meal replacement, or as a healthy breakfast. If you plan to use smoothies this way you may want to consider some add-ons including protein powder.

·         Protein Powder – Protein powders turn smoothies and juices into a meal. They help your blood sugar maintain a healthy balance and protein helps you feel more satisfied and full. There are different protein powders to consider. They include but aren’t limited to:

Egg – Made from egg whites

Whey – Made from cow’s milk. (Whey is one of two proteins found in dairy. The other is Casein.)

Soy – Soy is a common protein powder. Look for organic soy if you’re avoiding GMO’s.

Hemp – Made from the hemp seed. Has a slightly nutty taste.

·    Ginger – Ginger is used to aid digestion and detoxify. It’s also a great flavor to add to many juices. Just peel and pop a bit into your juicer.

·      Nut butters – Nut butters like almond butter, peanut butter, or even hazelnut butter, add a creamy texture to your smoothies. They also add a bit of protein.

·      Cacao powder – If you like chocolate then cacao powder can be an excellent way to get a fix during your day. It’s tasty with bananas too.

·     Honey, Agave, and Maple Syrup – While adding sugar to your healthy juices and smoothies generally isn’t recommended sometimes you just want a little sweetness. Honey actually has some antibacterial properties and is perhaps the best option when adding a sweetener. Maple syrup and agave are also options.

Starter Recipes

There are literally hundreds of juice and smoothie recipes to be found online and in books. Some of them are wonderful. 

As you begin to collect and follow recipes, be sure to experiment and track your changes. 

You may find that your favorite smoothie recipe is one that you created yourself.

Green Juice

·         2 cups spinach

·         2 cups peeled cucumber

·         3 stalks of celery

·         1/2 inch peeled ginger root

·         1 handful of parsley

·         2 apples

Add to your juicer and enjoy!

Papaya Orange Juice

• ½ papaya, peeled and seeded
• 4 oranges, peeled

Add to your juicer and enjoy

Classic Strawberry Banana Smoothie

• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 cup strawberries (frozen overnight)
• 1 cup milk

Blend and enjoy

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

·         1 very ripe banana

·         1 cup milk  (or ½ cup Greek yogurt & 1/3 cup milk)

·         1-2 tablespoons of cacao powder

·         1 scoop protein powder of your choice.

Blend and enjoy.

You can modify these to fit your tastes and needs. For example, you might want to add carrots to the green juice or swap kale for spinach and the chocolate banana smoothie is excellent with a tablespoon or two of nut butter. 

Have fun with it and experiment to find flavors that make you smile!