Smoothies 101
It’s easy to make homemade smoothies. If you buy smoothies out, you may get a fruit mixture which is high in added sugar plus the yogurt used may also be high in sugar. You can make smoothies for breakfast, as a snack, or as a recovery drink after a long run, a century bike ride or a triathlon.
The Basics of Smoothie Making
2 cups of fruit like mango, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or combination, etc. (can use frozen unsweetened fruit, if using frozen fruit, you can use less ice)
½ cup of low fat or nonfat vanilla or plain yogurt*
½ cup skim milk, almond milk
2 cups ice or less
Put all ingredients in a blender.
*You can use a cup of yogurt, a cup of milk instead of ½ cup of each. You can add vanilla flavoring if you wish rather than using a vanilla flavored yogurt.
You can also use skim milk and plain yogurt with vanilla to taste. My husband doesn’t like blueberries or raspberries but when I add them in a smoothie, he loves the taste and I never have told him what fruits I added.
How to Add Protein to Smoothies Without Using a Prepared Protein Powder
Chia seeds 2 tbsp 4.7 grams protein
Sesame seeds 2 tbsp 3.2 grams protein
Hemp hearts 2 tbsp 6.2 grams protein
Ground flaxseed 2 tbsp 2.6 grams protein
Rolled oats 2 tbsp 4.1 grams protein
Raw walnuts 2 tbsp 4.3 grams protein
Raw pistachios 2 tbsp 6 grams protein
Raw almonds 2 tbsp 6 grams protein
Raw cashews 2 tbsp 5 grams protein
SMOOTHIE RECIPES
Banana Strawberry Smoothie
Per Serving: 211 calories, 7 grams protein, 2 grams of fat,46 grams of CHO, 8 grams of fiber, 121 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 medium banana
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt
½ cup skim milk*
1 cup of ice
Instructions
Add all the ingredients in a blend. Blend until smooth.
Note: You can add your favorite fruit. Use either fresh or frozen. If you use frozen fruit, you may not need as much ice. You can also use plain fat free yogurt and add vanilla flavoring. You can boost the nutrients by adding wheat germ or ground flaxseed. See the nutritional information below.
*You can substitute almond milk.
Black & Blue Power Smoothie
Per Serving: 203 calories, 8 grams protein, <1 gram of fat, 43 grams of CHO, 5 grams of fiber, 96 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
1 8-ounce carton of vanilla fat-free yogurt
½ cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup ice
Instructions
Put all the ingredients in a blender. Enjoy!
Sunshine Strawberry Flax Smoothie
Per Serving: 246 calories, 7 grams protein, 2 grams of fat, 54 grams of CHO, 6 grams of fiber, 43 mg sodium.
Preparation Time:
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 cup frozen strawberries
¼ cup vanilla low fat yogurt
½ cup of fresh or unsweetened orange juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Instructions
Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth & frothy.
Healthy Very Berry Carrot Smoothie
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 256 calories, 6 grams protein, 5 grams of fat, 51 grams of CHO, 4 grams dietary fiber, 83 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 ½ cup frozen berries
1 medium peeled carrot or 5 miniCarrots
1 cup vanilla low fat yogurt
Dash of cinnamon
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a blender.
Blueberry Chocolate Smoothie
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 272 calories, 16 grams protein, 3 grams of fat, 46 grams of CHO, 2 grams of fiber, 221 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 cup skim milk
½ cup vanilla fat free or low fat yogurt
½ cup frozen blueberries or other berries of choice
1 dark chocolate Dove Promise
1 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
¼ whey protein (optional)
Instructions
Put all ingredients into blender and mix until smooth. Enjoy!
Blueberry Oatmeal Smoothie
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 278 calories, 7 grams protein, 6 grams of fat, 58 grams of CHO, 6 grams dietary fiber, 58 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 cup milk or almond milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries*
1 banana
¼ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
*If you use fresh blueberries you can add 1 cup of ice to make it frozen
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a blender.
Green Berry Smoothie
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 201 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams of fat, 46 grams of CHO, 7 grams dietary fiber, 8 mg sodium.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 cup milk or almond milk
½ banana
½ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries
1 cup pineapple
1 cup of kale or spinach
1 tbsp chia seeds or ground flaxseeds
*If you use fresh berries you can add 1 cup of ice to make it frozen
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a blender.
By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian with a Master’s Degree in clinical nutrition. She is the Chief Blog Organizer for www.DayByDayLiving.net
Barbara worked as a research nutritionist with the military’s tri-service medical school & working as a performance nutrition consultant to Navy SEALS’ BUD/S Training Program and West Coast active Navy SEAL Teams. Barbara is the former nutrition performance consultant to the University of Louisville Athletic Department. She is the author of Fast Facts on Fast Food For Fast People and High Energy Eating Sports Nutrition Workbook for Active People used by the University of Louisville, University of Tennessee Lady Vols and the Tennessee football program, the LSU basketball program, the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns and by the United States Navy SEALs.
The former publisher of Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine, Kentuckiana Healthy Woman magazine and radio show host of Health News You Can Use, Barbara has over 30 years of experience in promoting healthy lifestyles to consumers. Barbara is a former runner who walks, a spinner, hiker a mother and grandmother to 13 grandchildren.
