As the weather is warming up in Los Angeles, I am finally ditching my morning bowl of hot oats for cold and refreshing smoothies. Below I have listed the smoothies I currently have on repeat, but before we get into it, I want to talk about my essential ingredients in any smoothie. Firstly, if I have no other source of protein, I love adding collagen peptides into my smoothies. Collagen peptides, especially from my favorite brand, Vital Proteins, are a great source of protein and have so many other added benefits, like improved skin health, heart health, muscle mass and digestion. Besides collagen peptides, my go-to protein is anything from Ancient Nutrition. Many proteins have an extraordinary amount of additives and sweeteners that may actually harm your body more than help it, but Ancient Nutrition uses minimal ingredients and nonharmful sweeteners in their proteins, and the flavors taste amazing! Lastly, I always add a tablespoon of flax seeds into my smoothie. Flax seeds are an incredible source of dietary fiber, omega-3 fats, lignans (anti-cancer agent) and high-quality protein. I encourage everyone to add flax to any smoothie!
- Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie
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Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
A few spoon fulls of cocoa nibs
2 tbsp of PB Fit (or peanut butter)
1 scoop of chocolate protein
A splash of vanilla extract
Almond milk to your liking
I love a super thick consistency so I add a very small amount of almond milk, but play around and see what you prefer!
- Cherry Vanilla Smoothie
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Ingredients:
¾ cup pitted frozen cherries
½ frozen banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
¼ cup vanilla yogurt (I use a dairy-free version)
¼ cup almond milk
¼ cup water
2 tbsp flax seeds (optional)
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
While chia seeds are optional, they are another great source of dietary fiber and omega-3s.
- Chocolate Berry Smoothie
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Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 scoops Collagen Peptides
⅓ cup frozen blueberries
1 cup spinach
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp cocoa nibs
¼ tbsp cinnamon
¼ tbsp coconut oil
A few ice cubes
I promise you will not taste the spinach at all, but it adds a great source of iron, antioxidants and so many other nutrients.
- Banana Bread Smoothie
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Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
¼ cup dairy-free yogurt (or greek yogurt if not dairy-free)
2 tbsp gluten-free oats
¼ cup almond milk (or any plant-based milk)
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cashew butter (can sub for another nut butter)
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 scoop vanilla protein
Top it off with sliced bananas, walnuts and more cinnamon!
Healthy food does not have to be boring or unfulfilling. All the smoothies listed above have a great source of protein, fiber, and dozens of other nutrients to help you get through the day with energy. I hope you love these smoothies this spring as much as I do!