Berry Banana Blast Smoothie

Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of fruits, vegetables and protein into your system quickly. Especially when you’re rushing to work or need a quick snack after a workout, it’s the perfect thing to drink on the go.

I prefer the NutriBullet blender to make smoothies, because of the high powered motor, and the ease of cleaning compared to a regular blender. I can throw in apples with the peels, nuts and seeds, and it all blends together smoothly, making it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients.

My husband was skeptical when I first make him a smoothie, due to the green (or in this case, purple) color. But once he tasted it, he was hooked! He said that he definitely felt more energetic during his workout after drinking it. To this day, he still calls it “green slop.”

When I make smoothies, I always add either spinach or kale (organic), a bit of fruit, as well as flaxseed and nuts, and some kind of protein powder. In this case, I’m using egg white protein.

This time I had some fresh bananas on hand, but I also like to use frozen berries to make the smoothie cold, thick and creamy, like a shake.

I find that blending the spinach, fruit, nuts and water first works best, then I add the protein powder last. I have had some protein powders expand once I added them to the liquid, which would loosen the lid of my container during blending and start leaking. Not good!

So just add the first bunch of ingredients, blend thoroughly, open the lid and throw in the protein powder, and blend once again for a few seconds.

You can even prepare it the night before if you find that you are too busy in the mornings.

Berry Banana Blast Smoothie

Servings:  1

• 1 cup (packed) raw organic spinach (or kale)
• 1 cup mixed fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries), preferably frozen
• 1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon raw walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 scoop (3 tablespoons) vanilla egg white protein powder, (naturally sweetened with stevia)

Directions:

Add the first 5 ingredients to a high speed blender cup, such as the Nutribullet.  Add 1 cup of water and blend until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Add protein powder and blend for a few more seconds.  Serve.

The smoothie can be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator for breakfast.  Just stir and enjoy.

Variations:  You can substitute any fruits that you prefer, such as blackberries, raspberries, apple or pineapple.  Use whey or pea protein powder, as long as it doesn’t contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead of walnuts, use almonds, pecans or cashews.