I love smoothies.  They are an easy way to mix in greens, proteins and vegetables into your day without even having to use a fork.  They are great for on-the-go and great for picky family members who have a hard time eating their veggies.  

I prefer and recommend smoothies over juicing because you maintain the fiber from the fruits and vegetables with a smoothie.  With juicing fruits and vegetables, it requires more produce to make a full glass and you lose the benefit of the fiber.  With a smoothie, you can use less produce and still consume the healthy fiber packed in fruits and vegetables. 

Adding greens to smoothies helps boost the nutritional content and balance out the sugar from the fruits that make it sweet.  You can use any type of greens that you have on hand. Spinach will be the mildest in a smoothie but you can branch out to kale, bok-choy and swiss chard. 

Supplementing your diet with smoothies is not only a way to get in lots of great fruits and vegetables but it’s a way to replenish nutrients lost in a workout through sweating.  Smoothies contain vitamins and minerals essential to athletic performance like magnesium.  Smoothies contain phytonutrients, nutrients contained in plants, that are great antioxidants and immunity-boosters.  Adding an avocado or nuts to your smoothie can help you get your daily value of healthy fats.  

There are lots of ways to boost your overall nutrition with smoothie.  Below are three of my favorite smoothies.  I use a Vitamix blender and I have been really pleased with the results. Links to my favorite protein powders are at the bottom of this post.  

The best tool I have in my kitchen is probably my Vitamix.  It makes a smooth and creamy smoothie with no lumps.  It has a self-cleaning feature and endless culinary possibilities:

Vitamix

Blueberry Bliss Smoothie

Serves 2
 
1 cup coconut water (or water)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 frozen banana
1.5 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 scoops vanilla protein powder

Blend.

Mint Mojito Smoothie

Serves 2
 
1 cup water or coconut water
zest of lime
2 limes peeled, quartered
2 cups spinach or baby kale leaves
½ cup mint
2 cups frozen pineapple
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (optional)
stevia (optional)
 
Blend.

Carrot Cake Smoothie

Serves 2
 
1 Banana (frozen)
1 cup carrots *
1 pinch ground ginger
2/3 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup ice
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (optional)
 
Blend. 

*If you are using a conventional blender, you will need to cook/soften the carrots in advance. 

Protein: 

MRM Vanilla Whey Protein 

MRM Veggie Elite Protein – Chocolate

This is a great option for those who have a sensitivity to dairy or those who practice a vegan lifestyle.

MRM Egg White Protein – Vanilla

This is another great option if you want to switch from whey protein to change things up a bit. 

MRM All Natural Whey Protein – Chocolate

This is a great option to have on hand if you love chocolate.