My Favorite Smoothies!

I’ll admit it; I love cereal.  I used to have cereal every single day for breakfast.  “Healthy cereal” of course, like Special K, Fiber One, etc.  But one day in February of this year my husband and I bought a blender, a single kitchen appliance that has changed our lives.   After living in Singapore and telling ourselves we can no longer buy juices and smoothies from cafes which set us back $10 a smoothie, we decided to make our own with this new blender.  I will note, when out and about, my favorite smoothie comes from Baker & Cook on Robertston Quay.  You have to be VERY careful when ordering smoothies from cafes. I have often caught them putting ice cream in them.  Yes, ice cream.  So much for your healthy choices!

Since then, I have not had a single bowl of cereal.  Instead, we have fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries, kiwis, pears, celery, spinach and mango.  Not all at once, but after experimenting I think I have created some of my all time favorite smoothies.  It’s insane how much better you feel for the entire day when you start it off right.

My favorite breakfast smoothies always consist of berries and bananas.  Whether just your typical strawberry banana or blueberry banana, they always leave me filling full and satisfied for hours until lunch.  The key to a good smoothie is the banana.  It gives the smoothie its creamy texture, as opposed to an icy texture.  I typically freeze my fruit, except for the bananas, unless of course they are turning brown and I am not able to eat them all before going bad!

Strawberry Banana

2 cups of frozen strawberries (buy fresh strawberries and simply freeze them)

1 large banana (yellow, with a few tiny brown spots are best)

1/4 cup of Greek no fat yogurt

Blueberry Banana

1 cup of frozen blueberries

2 bananas

1/4 cup of Greek no fat yogurt

Strawberry Kiwi Banana

1 cup of frozen strawberries

1 cup of frozen kiwis

1 banana

1/4 cup of Greek no fat yogurt

Pear Banana

2 cups of frozen pears

1 banana

1/4 cup of Greek no fat yogurt

I often substitute a salad or sandwich for lunch for a green smoothie.  You get a significant amount of leafy greens along with some fruit, veggie and protein.  One of my favorite protein supplements is from Herbalife.  If I have a workout, I make sure to get my protein smoothie within 30 minutes of finishing my workout, which is essential for muscle recovery!

Power Green Protein

1 cup of frozen pears

1 banana

2 cups of spinach

1/2 cups of celery, chopped

1/4 cup of Greek yogurt

1 Spoonful of Herbalife Personalized Protein Powder

Don’t get frustrated when you first begin making smoothies.  It took me several tries to master the art of blending.  I often, especially when dealing with a lot of frozen ingredients or leafy greens, have to stop the blender and stick a spoon in to mix it and try to blend again.  It may take a while to get the smoothie nice and creamy, but I promise it will get there!

Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe? I would love to hear and try it!  Happy Blending!