A smoothie can be just blended fruit, but we like to call it a POWER SMOOTHIE when it’s packed with whole foods that contain high-quality protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants and more! A Power Smoothie truly can be one of the best meals or snacks of your day. In fact, you’ll find it’s often“what’s for dinner” at our house when we’re on-the-go!
Here are some quick tips to making a Power Smoothie at home:
Tip #1: Get a good blender.
If your blender is having a hard time breaking down ice or if you’re “chewing” lovely chunks of leafy greens or other pieces, investing in a new powerhouse blender is recommended. If you want a frothy, smooth smoothie, shoot for a Ninja Pro, a Blendtec, or (our favorite) a VitaMix. They are pricey, but worth saving for – the power, longevity, and quality of smoothie (or soup and so many other recipes) made from these machines is unmatched – and will make your job easier and your smoothie so more enjoyable.
Tip #2: Watch the sugar.
It’s common to load up smoothies with lots of fruit, yogurt, etc. However, just leaving it at this will likely be a sugar overload to your system! Eliminate excess sugar choices (ex – if you have a banana, skip the sugar-loaded yogurt, or if lots of other fruit, skip the banana) Round out your smoothie by including some veggies (greens are great!), healthy fats and lean proteins. The goal here isn’t to give yourself “dessert in a cup” – it’s to provide a balanced meal or snack that will keep you fueled and your body nourished.
Tip #3: Balance.
So, what DO you put into a Power Smoothie? We recommend building blocks of:
LIQUID: Options: Water, Almond Milk (unsweetened), Coconut Milk or Cream (unsweetened), Hemp Milk, Iced Green Tea…4-8 oz is a good starting point per serving.
PROTEIN: Options: We like plant-based proteins from whole food sources like JP+ Complete (a kid-favorite at our house). Other favorites include Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth, Ancient Nutrition Collagen or Great Lakes Collagen. Any high-quality plant mix (rice, pea, hemp, etc) or high-quality whey works. Aim for non-GMO, hormone-free, etc. if possible. 25-ish grams via one or two scoops is great.
VEGGIES: Options: Dark leafy greens: Spinach/Kale/Swiss Chard/Mint/Parsley, Pumpkin/Sweet Potato, Beets/Beet Greens, Cucumber/Celery. Spinach is usually your best bet, as it is virtually flavorless in Power Shakes. Canned pumpkin is great, too – it goes well with vanilla. When using beets, try roasting them and removing the skin first. Beetspair well with chocolate. Summer Squash is great for adding creaminess! If you add celery or cucumber, you’ll need to use less liquid in your shake. Add 1-2 handfuls of veggies. Pro Tip: chop veggies that are about to go bad and throw them in the freezer for a quick smoothie addition.
FRUIT: Options: Apples, Bananas, Berries, Cherries, Mango, Dates, Pineapple – all add some natural sweetness and the colors provide cell-protecting antioxidants.
For those of you who take Juice Plus+ in capsules, throw a Fruit, Veg, and Berry capsule into your shake to add 30 raw fruits and veggies to your drink!
HEALTHY FATS: Options: Walnuts, Flax/Hemp/Chia Seeds, Almonds, Nut and Seed Butters and Coconut Oil will pack you with Omega-3s and other healthy fats, making you feel more full and satisfied. 1-2 thumb-size portions is usually enough.
ICE: Use frozen fruit or veggies and/or pile on about 5 ice cubes to make your smoothie refreshingly cool.
SWEETENER, if needed: Honey, Dates, 100% pure Maple Syrup and calorie-free liquid Stevia (our choice) are great a providing a little sweetness if you think your smoothie needs it.
HERBS & SPICES: try a non-traditional twist on smoothies by adding herbs. Mint and Parsley are our favorites! Cinnamon is always a winner in our house, too – we pour it in!
Tip #4: Make it portable (and fun!).
Travel with your smoothie in an easy-to-sip from Shaker Bottle (we just happen to have some super cool Valeo shaker bottles at the gym – snag one for $8) and pour any leftovers into popsicle molds for a frozen treat later on (great for kiddos, but really – everyone loves popsicles!)
Tip #5: Timing.
Pre-workout: a properly-balanced smoothie will provide you with the carbohydrates to keep your energy high and feed your cells the necessary nutrients to handle your workout.
Post-workout: Aim for within a half hour of ending your session when eating a solid-food meal doesn’t sound as appealing. The nutrients will enter your system quickly and replace what’s been used during your session. This is the BEST time to eat! Your body will use the carbs for replenished energy, the healthy fats to nourish your brain (watch portions, as you don’t want high fat levels to slow the absorption of recovery nutrients), the protein will help muscle to repair, and the antioxidants will neutralize the toxins naturally caused by exercise.
Or, simply use as a meal or snack to get you through your day..we love making a thick shake and putting it into a bowl to eat with a spoon – healthy ice cream!
Now THAT is a healthy complement to your good work in the gym!!
Jess + Team Valeo
| SOME FAVORITE SMOOTHIE RECIPES |
Purple Power Smoothie
- 1 Scoop Protein of choice (vanilla-flavored or use vanilla extract or vanilla stevia)
- 1 cup Blueberries
- Small handful Almonds
- Handful Spinach or Kale
- 1/3 cup Oatmeal (optional)
- 1 Banana (optional)
- Sprinkle Small Handful of Chia Seeds
- 6-10 Ice Cubes
- Water or Plant Milk until just covers ingredients – more or less based on desired consistency
- Blend on high until smooth
Oatmeal Cookie Power Smoothie
- 1 Scoop Protein of choice (vanilla-flavored or use vanilla extract or vanilla stevia)
- 2 TBS Oats
- 1 TBS Chia Seeds
- 1 TBS Sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) or other nut/seed butte
- Splash of Vanilla
- Three shakes of Cinnamon…or more!
- 1 pitted Date (soak in hot water if too hard) or sweetener of choice
- 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ cup Ice
- Blend on high until smooth
Chocolate Milkshake Power Smoothie
- 1 Scoop Protein of choice (chocolate-flavored or add cacao powder)
- 1 Banana
- 1 TBS Nut/Seed Butter (Almond, Peanut, Cashew, Sunbutter)
- Handful Spinach or Kale
- Sprinkle Small Handful of Chia Seeds
- 6-10 Ice Cubes
- Water or Plant Milk until just covers ingredients – more or less based on desired consistency
- Blend on high until smooth
Cherry Coconut Power Smoothie
- 1 Scoop Protein of choice (vanilla-flavored or use vanilla extract or vanilla stevia)
- 1/2 cup frozen Cherries
- 1 Tbs Coconut Oil
- 3 Tbs Oatmeal
- 4 Ice Cubes
- 1 cup Water
- Blend on high until smooth
Minty Mango Green Power Smoothie (adapted from recipe by Jill Tanis, HHC)
- 1 Scoop Protein of choice (vanilla-flavored or use vanilla extract or vanilla stevia)
- 1 ripe Banana
- 6 oz frozen unsweetened Mango
- 1 generous handful Parsley
- 4-5 Mint Leaves, stems removed
- 1 cup Water
- Ice Cubes, if needed
- Blend on high until smooth