Friday, March 6, 2015

Friday Favorites: Smoothies.

One of my favorite things to make is a healthy smoothie. You can get creative and throw just about anything you have in the blender, which helps clean out your fridge and freezer AND keeps you healthy on the go! They are great for a quick make-and-go breakfast in the morning (especially if you're the type of person who always runs late), afternoon snack, or my favorite…a pre or post workout snack.

My secret is that I keep a variety of frozen fruits and veggies in my freezer at all times. That way when the urge for a smoothie hits, I'm always prepared! I always have frozen bananas in a big zip lock bag. This is a big help to me when I'm in a hurry and wanting to make a protein shake or smoothie. Bananas are great for texture and help add a natural sweetness to the smoothie. I buy a big bunch of bananas, let them get rip, peel them, and then cut them in half before freezing. I also have frozen blueberries, strawberries, mango, and pineapple at all times.

Another tip? I freeze my greens! Back in the baseball days, when I would leave for weeks at a time, I would hate for the greens left in the refrigerator to go to waste. I would end up throwing them in the freezer to use later, and they always kept so well! I wouldn't cook with them again, but using them frozen was perfect for smoothies. So now, I always keep a bag of spinach, kale, and romaine in the freezer. That way I know I always have fresh greens ready to go! This is always a great thing to do if you notice any of your produce starting to go bad and know you won't use it in time… just stick it in the freezer!

Here are some of my favorite recipes:


Decadent Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Smoothie
*Good for breakfast, dessert, or post workout*
- 1 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
- 2 c kale or spinach (fresh or frozen)
- half a banana (you can use the whole banana if you want more sweetness)
- 4 dates, pitted 
- 2 tbs chia seeds
- 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Dark Chocolate)
- 1 c Ice
-Optional: 1 packet of Truvia 
-Optional: Chocolate Protein Powder (I like added this post workout)


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Berry Mint Kiss 
From Goop:
-1 c coconut water
-1 c almond milk
-1 c frozen pineapple 
-1 c frozen blueberries 
-1/2 c fresh mint leaves 
-1/2 lemon, juiced
-1 tbs coconut oil 
-4-6 drops of stevia (optional)

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Chocolate PB Smoothie 
-1 c unsweetened almond milk
-2 c spinach
-half frozen banana (can use a whole one here, too)
-1/2 Bartlett pear
-2 tbs natural peanut butter
-2 tbs unsweetened cocoa 
-1 c ice
Optional: Add chocolate protein powder
Blend everything until smooth. 

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Pineapple Mojito Smoothie
Serves 2 
-2 c kale 
-2 c coconut water 
-3 c pineapple 
-1/4 c fresh mint leaves 
-Juice of 1 lime 

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Green Protein Smoothie
-2 cups baby spinach
-1 cup water
-1.5 cups pineapple, frozen
-1/2 small banana, frozen
-1/2 cup Greek yogurt
-2 tsp honey
-Blend spinach and water first then add everything else. 

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Here are some other ones I love:


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