Most of you have probably heard or read a lot about green juices and smoothies. The truth is that these beverages can be super healthy or unhealthy—it all depends on the ingredients you use to prepare them.
If you follow my blog on social media, you probably already know that I’m a big fan of smoothies. I believe that they can be a very efficient way to pack a lot of nutrition in one meal or snack, and that’s why I want to share with you a simple recipe that you can make at home.
In order to not turn your healthy drink into a calorie-packed sugar bomb, follow these simple rules:
1. Use filtered water or plain coconut water as the base. Try to avoid sugary yogurts, pre-packaged juices, and milk. Sometimes I do use unsweetened nut milk though if I’m craving a thicker texture or I’m making a smoothie bowl.
2. For every fruit, add three vegetables. This will help you avoid sugar spikes.
3. Add some source of plant-based protein. This will also help regulate your blood sugar levels and will add even more nutrition to your drink! You can use a scoop of vegan protein powder or a tablespoon of hemp seeds.
This recipe I’m sharing today makes a great breakfast or lunch on the go or also a mid-morning snack. If you work out early in the morning, you can drink half before your sweat session and the other half after.
Ingredients
– 1 cup frozen pineapple
– 2 cups spinach
– ½ cucumber (with or without the skin)
– 1 tbsp. mint leaves
– 1 cup filtered water or coconut water
– 1 tbsp. hemp seeds or 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder
– Handful of Ice (optional)
Directions
– Add all the ingredients in a blender and mix until well combined.
Frozen fruits have the same nutritional value than fresh fruit, they last longer and they’re cheaper, which makes them a great addition to your smoothies! Every time my fruits or veggies are turning bad I chop them, put them in individual bags and freeze them so I can blend them later. Get creative in the kitchen and start making your own combinations!
Enjoy!
Claudia Deen is a Certified Health Coach based in Savannah, GA, and the founder of The Trendy Smoothie. Claudia is a brown belt in karate, thirteen-time half-marathon finisher, seven-time marathon finisher, and two-time Ironman 70.3 finisher. After a career in advertising, her passion for fitness and fresh eating led to a career centered on helping others achieve a healthier lifestyle. In 2013, Claudia married Paula’s son, Bobby. You can follow Claudia on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
