My Go-To Smoothie Recipe

I love smoothies. They are such a great, easy, and refreshing thing to make for meals, snacks, or to have pre- or post-workout. Most often, I will make a smoothie for breakfast after I workout, or for lunch if I’m not super hungry but still want something nutritious.

I think the majority of us know how to make a bomb smoothie. I’m not making this post to say I’ve cracked the code to the ultimate smoothie recipe, but this is how I will make my everyday smoothies. The formula for my smoothies is pretty basic: bananas, frozen fruit, greens, liquid, sweetener, supplements. Smoothies are great because they are so adaptable and versatile; you can really make them however you want to fit your preferences and your lifestyle. So let’s talk ingredients.

Bananas

I think bananas are the key base to any smoothie. They add a hint of natural sweetness and are obviously full of vitamins and nutrients. They also just help bulk up a smoothie as well. I switch back and forth between freezing my bananas for smoothies. This is a great hack especially if you have some bananas that are about to go bad. Just peel them and break them up into chunks before storing them in a freezer safe bag. Frozen bananas add an extra level of creaminess to smoothies, and are especially good for thicker blends like smoothie bowls. If I don’t use frozen bananas, I’ll usually add some frozen fruit or ice.

Frozen Fruit

This is the most fluctuating ingredient in my smoothies. In the summers, I love using tropical fruit mixes that contain fruits like pineapples, mango, etc. But really, any fruit or berry mix works great for smoothies. You could also use a single type of frozen fruit. If you don’t have frozen fruit on hand, but still want a cold, icy drink, you can always substitute frozen fruit for ice.

Greens

If I have spinach or kale in my fridge, I’ll definitely add a handful to my smoothies. You can’t taste it at all and it’s a great, sneaky way to add more greens into your diet (I know we all need it). Another way to integrate greens into your smoothies is to buy a protein powder that also has greens in it. The one I’m currently using has the added greens, but I will say it does not taste the best. Another type of green you can add is avocado. These are great added frozen as well, as the avocado really just adds a smoother, creamier texture to the smoothie and you can hardly taste it.

Liquid

Liquid is essential to making any smoothie blend. Add more if you prefer a runnier, thinner smoothie, or less if you like thicker, milkshake-like textures or are wanting to create a smoothie bowl. On a normal basis, I add oat milk and usually fill my blender about 1/3 of the way. Other liquids you can use are water and fruit juices.

Sweetener

If you prefer not to add extra sweeteners to your smoothies then go for it! Fruit smoothies are honestly pretty sweet on their own. I like to add honey to my smoothies, especially the ones that I’ve added greens or spirulina to since it helps to mask the taste. Other sweeteners you could use are stevia or liquid stevia drops, monk fruit powder, agave nectar, or coconut sugar . The fruit you add can also up the sweetness of your smoothies. Like I said, I find that bananas add a good amount of natural sweetness. Dates are great to add sweetness as well.

Supplements

Since I usually drink my smoothies after a workout, I will normally add protein powder to mine. My all-time favorite plant-based protein is this vanilla pea protein from Trader Joe’s. **Please don’t buy this off Amazon…it is 3 time cheaper to get it at TJ’s. This Vega protein powder is okay, but it definitely has an odd aftertaste. Other supplements I add include chia seeds, spirulina powder, maca powder, and ginger. Make sure to do your research on supplements, where to buy them, and whether they are right for you. I like to buy a lot of my supplement powders from Tropeaka.

My Go-To Smoothie

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* prep time: 3 minutes
* cook time: 1 minute
* total time: 4 minutes
* servings: 1

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Ingredients:

– 1 banana
– 1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice
– 1 handful leafy greens such as kale or spinach
– 1/2 - 1 cup oat milk
– Drizzle of honey (about 1/2 tbsp)
– 1 scoop protein powder
– 1 tsp chia seeds
– 1/2 tsp spirulina powder
– 1 tsp maca powder
– 1/4 tsp ginger paste or fresh grated

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Instructions:

1. Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
   
   
2. Enjoy!
   
   

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Notes:
– If you're using a bullet-style blender, add your liquids before any powders to prevent them from sticking to the sides.