In a fast-paced world, we’re always looking for value in terms of combinations. This applies to whether we get free dessert at restaurants or value-packs which give us both sunscreen and bug-spray.
It’s no surprise we extend this to our eating habits as well.
Think of how popular the sandwich has gotten in all its forms—there are restaurants that exist for the purpose of making our own sandwich the way we want it.
The same thing has applied to food and fitness. With the wonders of modern technology, it’s now possible to blend different food and food-extracts—making for something truly unique.
Although there are thousands of different possible smoothie combinations, I’ve crafted three special ones that will get healthy juices flowing but without the pain—or time—of actually eating them separately.
These three great smoothies are packed with protein, fruits, nuts, and fat-free-yogurt. They act as a perfect addition to any post-workout-meal or as a supplement for breakfast in the morning. If you’re young and just learning how to meal-prep, making smoothies like these will help give you a step in the right direction.
(Note on choice of protein supplement:) The reason I recommend the protein blends listed below is that I think they give you the biggest bang for the buck in terms of the quality you get out of the price you pay. I’ve tried fancier ones and haven’t been impressed.
Before Starting Out, You Will Need:
1 Refrigerator/Freezer
1 Blender
1 Banana
1-3 Mason Jars (for freezer storage)
1 lb (0.45 kg) Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder Vanilla Ice Cream Flavor
1 lb (0.45 kg) Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder Chocolate Flavor
1 Quart (or 1 liter) of skim-milk or almond milk
1 Container or package of dry oats.
½ Quart (or 0.5 liter) of vanilla, non-fat Greek yogurt
1 Jar of peanut butter
1 Bag of frozen strawberries/blackberries/blueberries blend (some blends you find at the store come with raspberries)
1 Frozen peach/mango/pineapple/blend
The Peanut-Butter-Banana-Beatdown:
Unique Requirements:
1 Banana
1 tablespoon (or scoop) of peanut butter
½ cup (or 120ml) of chopped oats
½ cup or (half a scoop) of vanilla, non-fat, Greek yogurt. (The thickness and consistency of yogurt for a smoothie is difficult to measure and gauge. I recommend starting with this and then blending more if the desired consistency is not thick enough).
1 ½ Cups (or 0.40 liters) of almond milk
½ Cup (or 0.13 liters of Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Protein
Directions:
Break the banana in half and put it in the blender. Combine the peanut butter, whey protein, almond milk, and chopped oats in a blender and mix for 30-45 seconds. After blending, pour into mason jars and cover with lids. If not ready to eat right away, put them in the freezer for storage.
This smoothie gives you a healthy balance of protein and potassium; the peanut butter and the protein will give it a slightly airy, sticky sweetness that’s not overpowering. Enjoy!
The Strawberry-Blackberry-Chocolate-Revenge:
Unique Requirements:
7 Strawberries (from the frozen blend)
7 Blackberries (from the frozen blend; if your blend comes with raspberries, you can substitute for them if you’re feeling ambitious)
10 blueberries
½ cup (or 120ml) of chopped oats
½ cup or(half a scoop) of vanilla, non-fat, Greek yogurt. (The thickness and consistency of yogurt for a smoothie is difficult to measure and gauge. I recommend starting with this and then blending more if the desired consistency is not thick enough).
1 ½ Cups (or 0.40 liters) of almond milk
½ Cup of Gold Standard 100% Whey Chocolate Protein
Directions:
Put the berries in the blender and then add the oats, protein, yogurt, and almond milk. Blend for about 30-45 seconds. Maintain blending until desired consistency is achieved.
The chocolate protein will offset the sour-sweetness of the berries. The oats will also provide a bit of a buffer to both flavors and allow for a balanced-tasting-experience. Enjoy!
The Mango-Peach-Pineapple-Predator:
Unique Requirements:
2 cups of fruit from the frozen mango/peach/pineapple blend (quantity of the fruit doesn’t matter in this case because the flavors are going to be similar. Scale according to how much you want to make).
½ cup (or 120ml) of chopped oats.
½ cup (or 0.13 liters) of Gold Standard Whey Chocolate Protein
½ cup or(half a scoop) of vanilla, non-fat, Greek yogurt. (The thickness and consistency of yogurt for a smoothie is difficult to measure and gauge. I recommend starting with this and then blending more if the desired consistency is not thick enough).
1 ½ Cups (or 0.40 liters) of almond milk.
Pick out the pieces of fruit from the bag and put in a blender. Add chopped oats, Protein, yogurt, and almond milk. Blend for 30-45 seconds or until desired consistency is achieved.
This smoothie is primarily sweet but the almond milk and yogurt will balance it out to make it less tart. This is probably the most crowd-pleasing smoothie of the lot so if you plan on making them for others, this is the one I would go with. Enjoy!
After making—or partaking—your desired smoothie, you can pour what you have left in the mason jars. Again, this is dependent on how much you end up making as you can increase the volume of ingredients to serve more. These directions I gave you are good for about 1-2 servings in 8oz glasses.
Once the leftover smoothie is poured in the mason jars, you can then put them in the freezer to for storage and to help them keep longer. If you know you are going to eat one tomorrow morning, then put it in the fridge to have it thaw overnight.
If you’ve made any personal adjustments—or enjoyed how they turned out—let me know in the comments below!
