I can tell you the exact moment in time we became smoothie-obsessed here in this house – it was when my parents gave us a Vitamix blender for Christmas four and a half years ago. I never imagined one could make a smoothie so creamy and wonderful at home until this high-powered beauty came into my life. It spendy, but it’s also one of my top five most-used appliances in the kitchen so I think that justifies a little extra on the front end. I’ve heard the Ninja and Nutribullet high-speed blenders are also great, but I don’t have personal experience using them. You absolutely do not need any of these blenders to make the protein smoothie recipes I’m sharing today, but having used a regular blender and then a high-speed blender, I can tell you the high-speed blenders really do make a big difference in the consistency of the final product. And the Vitamix is hella easier to clean than traditional blenders too. Just sayin…
One of the reasons I’m so smoothie-crazy is I can make a vitamin-packed, super healthy, cool and refreshing snack for myself or my daughters in less than five minutes. I can’t tell you how often in the summer I hear, “Can I have a popsicle??” and nine times out of ten if I say, “How about a smoothie instead they say, “Yes!!!” And a homemade smoothie is pretty much always going to be healthier than any popsicle on the market. Unless you froze the smoothies into popsicles…….I think I just blew my own mind…
Regardless, my smoothie game went up a notch or two when I came across Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters and added them into some of my favorite smoothie recipes, thereby turning my old standbys into extra-amazing protein smoothie recipes. Other than vitamins and minerals the thing I’m always on the lookout to add a little more of to both my girls’ diet and mine is protein, because it helps you stay feeling full longer (no more “I’m hungry” cries every twenty minutes) and it helps build muscle. Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters have 20g of plant-based protein per serving, which is more than you’d get from eating three whole eggs. Plus it has probiotics and pre-biotic fiber. And like all of Bob’s Red Mill products, there’s nothing artificial in these powders (the ingredient list is very easy to read and understand, unlike a lot of protein powders), and they’re vegan and gluten-free.
I used the flavored Nutritional Boosters in the recipes here today but there’s also an unflavored version which you could try. I’d recommend adding a few pitted dates into the protein smoothie recipes if you omit the monkfruit-sweetened varieties though. You can find a $3 off coupon to try any of the Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters HERE – you can print two coupons per month. And a note about the ingredients – I always keep all of the fruits listed here in my freezer so I have them on hand without needing to use fresh fruit. Plus they make for an extra cold and refreshing smoothie!
Now without further ado, here are my top three favorite protein smoothie recipes – perfect for breakfast, post-workout, or a snack anytime of the day!
Mango, Pineapple, and Spinach Smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 c. water
2 scoops Bob’s Red Mill Chai or Vanilla Protein Powder
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal
1 c. plain yogurt
1 peeled banana
1/2 c. pineapple
1/2 c. mango
1/4 c. frozen spinach
Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Cherry Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 c. water
2 scoops Bob’s Red Mill Vanilla Protein Powder
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal
1/4 c. pitted cherries
1/4 c. raspberries
1/4 c. blueberries
1/4. hulled strawberries
1 peeled banana
1/2 c. plain yogurt
Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 c. milk (I like almond or coconut-almond best)
2 scoops Bob’s Red Mill Chocolate Protein Powder
1 c. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 pitted dates
1 c. hulled strawberries
Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.