Smoothies and I go way back. When I was a kid my dad would make Orange Julius (which may be a recipe I share in the future), an orangey-banana smoothie that we would have for dessert with popcorn. Then, as I go older, and became a card carrying member of diet culture and I would get my “smoothie” in a styrofoam cup. These concoctions were more powder than fruit, but I “knew” I was “healthy” back then. As I dove deeper into the world of wellness culture, I wanted to eat only whole, “real” foods so began to make smoothies that were all about nutrition; not so much a dessert–the word that comes to mind is punishment. I learned a lot in those years about what is palatable and what isn’t, both literally and figuratively. Luckily, I managed to find some middle ground when designing smoothies for the public and was able to learn some balance between nutritious and delicious.
These days, while a smoothie is still an opportunity to get a whole lot of nutrition, what really matters to me is flavor, texture, and satisfaction. I have built this smoothie recipe based off of a lifetime of smoothie drinking, a need for a specific, cold, creamy texture, and hundreds of trials and errors. I am including a recipe template so that you can create your own favorite smoothie too.
My Favorite Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach fresh
- 1/2 banana frozen
- 1 cup strawberries frozen
- 2 tbsp PB2
- 1 tbsp hydrolyzed collagen optional
- 1 tbsp ground flax meal optional
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Add to your blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.
Notes
- 1 cup of greens- spinach is the mildest, but kale, green leaf lettuce, arugula, and baby mixed greens could work
- ½ cup of texture base- frozen banana, avocado, yogurt, ice, etc.
- 1 cup texture friendly flavor- frozen berries, frozen mango, frozen pineapple, etc.
- 1-4 tbsp value/flavor/texture- protein powder, almond butter, chia seeds, cacao powder
- 1 cup liquid- nut or dairy milk, kefir, juice, water, etc.
- Optional sweetener- 1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, plain old sugar, etc.