Smoothie Recipes
Flatulence giving you sleepless nights? Would you rather ditch the waffles and have a tasty, fruity mix for breakfast? If you answered yes, then listen up. There is no better way to get a head start in the day than with a super healthy smoothie. Smoothies are the rave among the health-conscious, and their beauty lies in the various fruits that can be blended together to achieve tasty results. And if you have yet another set of ‘lose weight and live healthy’ new year’s resolutions planned, a nutrient-rich smoothie is the perfect way to shed those love handles and muffin tops once and for all. So rest assured that if you are struggling with eating those tasteless vegetables (which you know are good for you but just can’t work up the motivation to eat them) blending them with your favorite fruits is the way to go.
Whichever situation speaks to you, we have got the perfect smoothie solution. Check out the ten healthy smoothie recipes below to get you started on your fruity, oh so yummy journey.
1. Spicy Banana Smoothie
Feeling nauseous or suffering from a cold? Ginger to the rescue! With this sweet number, you will never have to worry about heartburn, indigestion or general stomach issues again. Ginger root has a centuries-old reputation in alternative medicine for curing a multitude of illnesses and for a good reason too. Blood sugar has also been known to reduce drastically when eating ginger. Great news for diabetes sufferers.
Ingredients:
- 1 small bunch of golden bananas
- 1 ounce of plain vanilla yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 small sized ginger root
Peel and wash the ginger root first before throwing it into the blender with the remaining ingredients. To achieve a sweeter blend, opt for very ripe bananas and voila! The natural sweetness of the banana coupled with some fresh ginger roots thrown in for a little kick will soothe that rumbling tummy. We would choose this smoothie over cold medicine any day.
2. Nuts about Apples
Fitness buffs are really going to love this one! This delicious smoothie is loaded with fiber and protein that really comes in handy in endurance sports. It is certainly a tasty way to not only get rid of that unsightly belly fat but also to get some fiber in your system to keep those digestive tracts working.
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce of vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
- 1 cup of apple cider
- ½ cup of rolled oats
- ¼ tablespoon of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of pecans
- ¼ tablespoon of nutmeg
First throw in the rolled oats and nuts into a juicer, followed by the remaining ingredients. The creamy, nutty taste of this smoothie straight out of the blender is simply heavenly, and the dash of nutmeg makes the cake like aroma all the more enticing. Also, as both apple cider and cinnamon are world renowned fat burners, we’ve added them into the recipe too.
When whipped together with some Greek yogurt and pecan nuts, the aroma of the nutmeg makes the sharp, acrid taste of apple cider, (the belly fat trimmer) a lot more tolerable.
3. AvoBlue Smoothie
No need to go chasing after the children to eat the buttery textured, heart-friendly yet inexplicably dreaded avocado. If you put this ingredient to good use, you will have them (and yourself) guzzling it down and even wanting seconds…and thirds.
Avocados may not get as much rep as oranges for being a great source of Vitamin C, but the truth is; this green vegetable is not only loaded with Vitamin C but also magnesium, potassium and omega 3 fatty acids. And if you are struggling with osteoporosis, the vitamin K in this great fruit works very well for bone health, as well as being a great eye saver with the antioxidant protection they provide against ultraviolet rays.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 1 ounce of plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large slightly soft avocado
- ½ cup of almond milk
Pit the avocado and process with all other ingredients in the blender until smooth. The fruity taste and attractive blue color of the blueberries will overshadow the greenness of avocado bringing about a pleasant looking smoothie.
4. Veggie Dream
The veggie dream smoothie contains all the veggie nutrition and goodness you’ve ever dreamed of all in one mason jar. You can even switch up the vegetables as your cravings demand. Loaded with high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, K, folic acid, calcium and iron, spinach is a treasure trove of nutrients that should be a regular part of one’s diet.
Reduce spending on fancy face creams and lotions and eat spinach instead, your skin will be forever grateful to you. High blood pressure sufferers should keep this veggie close at hand
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1 cup of almond milk
- 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter
- 1 cups of kale
- 2 small bananas
Simply blend all the ingredients until smooth. However, don’t let the green color turn you off; this smoothie is much tastier than it looks with that sweet banana and peanut butter all up in the mix. Major energy booster too.
5. Cran-Orange Smoothie
This next smoothie contains a mix of cranberries and orange, making it a tantalizing drink with a vibrant dark red color, that will have you guzzling down in seconds. Cranberries with its urinary tract infection curing properties, make it many a man (and woman’s) best friend. Don’t get too excited and go wolfing down every cranberry in sight; as they also contain fructose which can cause problems if in large amounts.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium-sized oranges (juiced)
- 1 cup of frozen cranberries
- 1 small banana
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract.
Puree all ingredients in the blender. The slightly tangy taste of cranberries mixed with the citrusy taste of orange delights the taste buds and looks good in a glass too. And if you have time in your hands, you can even decorate the drink by sprinkling some orange peels for an eye-catching effect.
6. Apple Date Smoothie
This is one smoothie celiac disease sufferers can enjoy worry-free. Entirely gluten-free and vegan-friendly, this drink can easily pass for breakfast to keep you sustained for the better part of the day. Those in particular who are more prone to anemia due to frequent blood loss should also treasure this smoothie; apples prevent anemia, constipation, gallstones and may even reduce the risk of various forms of cancer. While the dates in the mix contribute to clear skin and enhance libido.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of apple chunks (pits removed)
- A handful of dates (pits removed)
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
- ½ cup of oats
- 1 cup of almond milk
This creamy blend could come off very thick depending on how much oats you choose to mix in. You can lighten things up by adding more almond milk and for some added sweetness, the addition of dates adds a tasty caramel flavor to the mix. Yummy!
7. Oat Berry Smoothie
This next smoothie is so rich and filling (thanks to the oats) making it a great choice for breakfast on the go. With one sip of this, your days of early morning starvation are over. The significant amounts of fiber in oats can be very relieving of constipation as it helps to free up the bowels. With oats, the likelihood of you grunting like a wounded pig on the ceramic throne trying to force out hard stools is greatly reduced.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of oats
- 1 cup of soymilk
- 1 small banana
- 1 cup of frozen strawberries
- 2 tablespoons of honey
Whip all ingredients up into a pink, frothy smoothie. The soymilk used is a great option for those allergic to dairy milk, while the addition of oats allows for more thickness than the average smoothie.
8. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
With large pumpkins making a pronounced orange entrance this Thanksgiving, it’s time for pumpkin pie to take a back seat to make way for the pumpkin smoothie. Imagine savoring all that pumpkin pie goodness in a cup on the move?
If you weren’t sure what season we are in, a sip of this smoothie would give you a taste of fall like no other. Drinking up the pumpkin is a great way to show your eyes a little kindness. They are chock full of beta-carotene which accounts for that lovely shade of bright orange.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of pumpkin (pureed)
- 1 small banana
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tablespoon of maple syrup
Puree the pumpkin with the pumpkin spice already added. Then chuck it into the blender with the remaining ingredients. You can even add on some nutmeg for a cakier celebratory scent to go with the season. When consumed, all that beta-carotene gets converted to vitamin A; which is excellent for eye health. So before you carve up that jack-o-lantern, remember to save your eyes first.
9. Pineapple Delight
Want to build your immunity against the cold weather with a somewhat tarty blend? Then this next smoothie is perfect for you. The combination of a fairly ripe pineapple and orange juice for some sweetness will ensure you make it through the winter season with a little less sniffing.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of vanilla yogurt
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of orange juice
- 1 cup of pineapple chunks
Blend all ingredients to get a smooth consistency. The banana in the recipe would give a little thickness to the drink. Though not as colourful as some of the other smoothies, this would give them a run for their money taste wise.
10. Peanut Butter Heaven
If a peanut butter sandwich is your favorite morning snack, then this peanut butter and banana smoothie offers you breakfast all in a single bottle. Super creamy, yummy and thick, this nutty-tasting drink is the ultimate energy booster. Seeing how loaded with protein this smoothie is, rest assured, it can also sustain you when used as a morning run drink. With this performance drink swirling around in your tummy, you just might actually complete your number of steps for the entire day.
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 cups of milk
- ½ cup of peanut butter
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
Once again, throw all the ingredients into the blender. Don’t forget to add the peanut butter; you might be quick to dismiss it as a childish sandwich staple, however, this small but mighty nut is packed a considerable amount of monounsaturated fats which is good for the heart and belly as it curbs the urge to load up on food. And with a reduced appetite, you and belly fat can finally part ways for good.
Conclusion
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to smoothie making. You could simply throw all your favorite or seasonal fruits and vegetables in the blender or juicer using either milk or yogurt as a base. And with just a couple of whirls later, voila! You have got yourself a smoothie. You could also play around with the kind of milk to use. For example, if you are lactose intolerant, substitute dairy milk with the plant-based variety such as tiger nut, almond or soy milk. But if you would prefer a thicker blend, add in some oats or banana.
Also, if you have gone days on end without a bowel movement, handle that situation asap with one of the oat recipes to loosen up that tummy. With bananas giving you a quick energy boost, it is a win-win for relieving any form of diarrhea. No wonder most recipes have at least one banana in the mix.
Unlike other drinks that require a time or occasion to imbibe, a smoothie can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. It works just as well for dinner as it does for breakfast. In fact, if you can no longer be bothered to chew actual food, a smoothie is your best bet. So drink up to your health!
