The Smoothie I’ve Had For Breakfast Everyday For Almost a Decade

Plus a step-by-step formula that will have you out the door, smoothie in hand !

Smoothies are such a thing, aren’t they? It seems as if every fitness guru or whole foods cookbook author has several pages devoted to different flavors and styles.

I look at them often – I really do.

But the thing is, most smoothie recipes look more like adult juice boxes. They have three or four fruits in them and call it a day.

I never could see that as a fill-me-up breakfast. UNTIL I discovered a few must-have ingredients that have to be a part of the “nutritious smoothie formula.”

With these few ingredients in place, you’ll have a delicious, nutritious smoothie every single day. Trust me, when you discover how much energy these pack, you’ll never want anything else.

I’m so obsessed with them being a part of my day, I bought a portable blender to take with me on vacation! I’ll never travel without it again!

What do my smoothies look like?

Let me break it down.

But first, let me dive into a comment I frequently get when I talk about my smoothies.

Isn’t that a bit boring?

Can you imagine eating the SAME THING every day for a meal? Over and over and over …

It sounds monotonous, doesn’t it? Yet let’s look at most people’s reality.

Before I started my smoothie routine a decade ago, I lived on cereal for breakfast. I had a very specific granola I’d buy from the cereal aisle. I bought it week after week, month after month, year after year.

Routine? You bet.

And that’s my point.

I see sooo many posts stating you need different menu items every day of the week. Yet how often is that reality?

Don’t you tend to live by routine too?

Then why not make it a delicious, nutritious smoothie!

What to buy and how to prep

I know mornings are crazy. I remember trying to get me ready, my daughter ready, and heading out the door that worked for everyone.

I’m a bit more flexible now in that I work from home and can spend as much time as I choose making breakfast. But it still is a time of day when I have goals on my to-do list, and I like sticking to a pretty strict morning schedule. (I also have a husband who’s an expert smoothie maker too – that helps!) 😉

I believe you can put almost anything into a smoothie. We don’t create specific smoothies, although I admit they look good. Instead, we start with a base and fill in with what we have in the fridge. It’s a way to use up all of your produce and other nutritious foods without throwing them away.

I rarely throw food away anymore.

Here’s how we build.

First step, you need a high-powered blender. I can’t live without my Vitamix anymore. And the best part of being in love with Vitamix is that Costco offers incredible deals on them a couple of times per year. (I just noticed they’re on sale again at my local Costco. These really are good deals.)

You need a high-powered blender to blend through whatever you put into them. Fibrous veggies, frozen fruits, nuts and seeds – high-powered can blend it all.

Then you’ll start filling it up with nutritious foods that offer protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Here’s the thing – I don’t use measuring spoons or cups anymore. You get a feel for this the more you make.

You’ll need liquid as a base to keep the blades running. I play around with this. You can stay basic with water. Add juice if you can find organic, unsweetened, good-for-you juice. Almond milk or oat milk can work too.

Then add frozen fruits and veggies. This is where Costco can be your friend again, as they have organic bags in the frozen department that do nicely. We buy frozen blueberries, strawberries, mangoes, and cherries. They’ll sometimes rotate in other fruits based on the season – as long as it’s organic, why not? We also add frozen peas – they’re a good source of vitamins A, B, C, zinc, and coumestrol, which help reduce inflammation and strengthen your immune system.

Then it’s time to add protein powder. This is where you’ll need to do your research. I switch around and sometimes mix and match what I put in each morning. Truvani has a variety of clean, organic protein powders you can add. Four Sigmatic adds mushrooms into their protein powder. I found Birdman protein powder on a recent trip to Mexico. The point is – you have options. I pay attention to ingredients.

Now it’s time to clean out the fridge. 🙂 In goes things like:

Avocados
Kale
Spinach
Apples
Oranges
Bananas
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Berries
Cucumbers
Sweet potatoes
Celery
Carrots

A lot of veggies work. Our garden is filled with zucchini at the moment. And they can grow BIIGGG! I used one for dinner, whipped up a zucchini bread, and still had some left over. Into the blender it went the following morning.

I had extra pumpkin puree – it’s a great addition to the blender.

Why not put in a little of your favorite nut butter?

I’ve used canned coconut milk for a recipe … and thrown the extra from the can into the smoothie!

Just experiment yourself. While I don’t like highly flavorful items – beets are too much – you might be amazed at how certain things sway the flavor profile. A little extra ginger can add a powerful punch.

Nuts and seeds can also give you a boost in nutrition. I personally love cacao nibs, and add them after blending. Chia seeds, flax seeds, and more can make wonderful additions.

Time-saving tips

Does this all sound like a lot? It does at the beginning.

But over time, you discover lots of ways you can simplify and make it easier.

I love stacking storage containers in small sizes so you can mix and match and dump things in as a sum. Protein powders, nuts, seeds, really anything that is dry and won’t seep moisture into the protein powder can be divvied up. Make this a Sunday project.

We keep a handful of freezer bags for dumping fruits and veggies in. We buy spinach and kale each week, and if we don’t use it, we’ll clean it and put it into the freezer. We also have bags or bowls in the fridge for the same purpose.

The night before, you can get your blender ready. Place smoothie containers close by, and prepare your room-temperature fruits and veggies.

It’s the easiest way to get up, get breakfast going quickly, and get on with your morning routine!

And trust me when I say it keeps you going. All morning long. 🙂