Smoothie Power
Guest Blogger Alisyn Gularte
Awww the smoothie in all its fruit glory. If I could only feed myself one thing for the rest of my life it would be the smoothie…As long as I was able to mix it up of course…No pun intended. As a runner, I like to drink smoothies for hydration purposes two days before a race, or as recovery food after a race.
There were times when every day I would go to the smoothie shop. I would stand there, the minutes unfolding, trying to decide which smoothie I was going to drink for that day. As the dent in my wallet got bigger, not to mention the curve of my waistline, I decided to take matters into my own hands. There had to be a way I could make them at home. I am not too terribly creative in the kitchen. Sure, I have a few signature dishes I make and bake deliciously, but as a Silicon Valley girl hustling and bustling through the day, I try to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen.
I did some research and discovered the perfect blender for me. Not only is it very affordable, smaller than the average blender, but after the blending is done, you can take it with you on the go as it has a nice spill free lid. My new blender has become my best friend. And when it comes to making smoothies, the possibilities are endless. With trial and error, I think I might have perfected the smoothie. It’s quick and easy, but don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself. Here are a few tips that might help you get started:
- With Spring upon us, and Summer right around the corner, I just love all the fresh fruit options that are available. While I prefer to use fresh fruit, frozen fruit actually blends better, and you don’t need to add ice.
- Even if I use frozen fruit, I still add a fresh banana to any smoothie that I make regardless of whether it is a fruit or veggie smoothie. Bananas help balance the smoothie. For example, if you were using oranges and raspberries which can be pretty acidic, a banana will smooth the flavor out. I can’t explain it, just try it.
- Avoid store bought smoothie mixes which contain a lot of sugars and additives that you can do without.
- Order matters. Don’t just throw all your ingredients into the blender at the same time. The smoothie needs to be an ideal texture so everything will blend just right. Crush and add the ice, then the whole fruits, followed by the frozen fruits, dairy, and then any other ingredients you want to throw in the mix.
- Adding Flaxseed to your smoothie adds fiber and other health benefits. I also like to add Chia. I grind the flaxseed first before adding it. I let the Chia sit in a tablespoon of water overnight and then add it to the blender. This helps soften the Chia. As a runner, I practically live off of these little guys. But that is another blog post.
And now you are on your way to the perfect smoothie
Here are a couple of my favorite recipes –
Banana Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Ice
1 banana
2 oz of Muscle Milk powder or chocolate protein powder
2 tbsps of peanut butter
Add a dash Chia and/or flaxseed
1 cup of greek plain yogurt
½ cup of soy milk, or almond milk
And start blending!
Fruit Smoothie with or without Dairy
Non Dairy – 1 cup of frozen mixed berries or whatever fruits you choose
1 banana
Ice of course
Juice of choice – I like to use a green juice blend
Add any additional boosts
Shake, shake, shake, and drink!
Dairy – 1 cup of frozen mixed berries or whatever fruits you choose
1 banana
1 cup Greek plain or vanilla yogurt
½ cup soy or almond Milk.
Add any additional boosts
Mix and enjoy!
I think one of the reasons why I like making smoothies so much is that I am able to be creative in the kitchen in just under five minutes. Do you make smoothies at home? What are some of your favorite smoothie recipes?
Happy running…and blending!