One of the best parts of being home is that my mom has a Vitamix. I don’t really know what differentiates Vitamixes from regular blenders, but based on people’s general reaction to them I think they’re like the Cadillac of blenders? Any who, I love smoothies. I mean there are just so many reasons to:
1. They taste delicious.
2. You can hide super healthy stuff in them.
3. It’s a great way to stay hydrated pre/post exercise.
4. Summer heat makes me not very hungry, so smoothies give me an alternative way to
get nutrients.
My mom is an expert at making green drinks, but when using the Vitamix myself, I prefer to make protein/potassium packed smoothies, partially because those are important nutrients for running, but mostly because the green drinks my mom makes are full of really weird things that I’m totally down to drink, just as long as I don’t have to see them in the making.
Recently I’ve started making what I call the Chocolate Peanut Butter Power Smoothie. It’s super filling, delicious, and works great as a breakfast. Blend all of the below ingredients together, makes about a glass and a half. It it pretty sweet and thick, much like a milkshake, to adjust this, add more ice or an unflavored milk like coconut milk.
Ingredients:
1 “juice box” container of chocolate almond milk
1 small banana (6-7 inches)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup raw spinach
2 handfuls ice
*Feel free to add any powdered vitamins/minerals; I often add Vitamin C, and Healthy Tummy Fiber.
Nutrition Info:
Silk Pure Almond Dark Chocolate Milk
120 calories
120mg potassium
23g carbs
1g protein
45% daily calcium (based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet)
Banana (small 6-7inches)
90 calories
362mg potassium
23g carbs
1g protein
Wild Harvest Organic Peanut Butter (2tbsp) (I use this brand because it is one of the only brands that doesn’t use soy oil which I’m allergic to.)
210 calories
6g carbs
8g protein
Raw Spinach (1 cup)
7 calories
1g carbs
1g protein
*Banana and Raw Spinach nutritional info from www.nutrition.self.com