I am an avid drinker of healthy smoothies and this summer, I became pretty good at making them. I love these smoothies for multiple reasons: the first being that they are easy to make, the second is that they are extremely filling, and the third being that they are so healthy for you. When making a smoothie it is important to ensure that it is made up of about 40% fruits, 40% veggies, and 20% protein. Some of my favorite veggies to use include kale, spinach, celery, mint and basil. For fruits I love to use whole grapefruits and whole green apples, maybe throw in some frozen peaches (no sugar or water added) for a nice texture. Protein allows you to get creative. You can use nuts such as almonds or pistachios to add flavor and fill you up, or you can add a yogurt. Using Greek is my favorite because it has so much protein and doesn’t have as much sugar as regular yogurt. You also need a liquid and a base to ensure that your smoothie is of the best quality. For a liquid you can stay simple with water, or you can get more creative and use soy or almond milk, which double as a protein. For a base, ice or frozen fruit is necessary, and as mentioned before, yogurt provides additional base that results in a smoother consistency.
These smoothies are great for a snack or replacing breakfast or lunch because they are so filling. They also provide GREAT health benefits. For example, kale is high in calcium, Vitamin C and Vitamin A , and is also a great anti-inflammatory (2). Grapefruit curbs hunger, boosts your metabolism, and firms up skin (1). These are just a few of the benefits of fruit smoothies; there are countless more. So how does one make a smoothie? Well first you have to gather your ingredients (slide showing what I used). Next, put them in your blender. I use a NutriBullet blender which works extremely well. Blend your smoothie until it is at the most desirable texture and before you pour, make sure you taste it to ensure you don’t need to add any more of an ingredient. Once blended, pour into your favorite cup and enjoy!