I love smoothies. Smoothies are totally my thing. I received a Blendtec a couple of years ago and have been obsessed with making thick and icy sweet treats that are totally good for me ever since. Spinach mixed with my berries? Yes ma'am! PB Choco? Absolutely! Almond milk and cinnamon? I'm game! There isn't a healthy smoothie I would really turn down. They're all amazing in my book.
You know what I would turn down though? Getting a bajillion jars, bags, and potions down from the pantry every time I want to make a smoothie. Ok, so there aren't really any potions in my smoothies. But there are seriously so many things that I seem to have to get out every time. And before I know it, my kitchen counter has been taken over.
Over time, I did start to notice a pattern with all of my smoothies. All of my meal-replacement smoothies were starting with the same base regardless of the flavor. Oatmeal, protein powder, chia seeds, and flax seeds. That was four containers I was having to get down from the cabinet every time. That's two trips from the cabinet to the counter. And two trips back from the counter to the cabinet to put them away. So to eliminate the hassle, extra time, and effort, how can we reduce this?
By spending an extra five minutes, one day a week, on your smoothie prep.
Take plastic baggies or small glass jars, measure out your dry ingredients that go into every smoothie, and place them in each container.
And there you have it!
These are the measurements I use for each 2-serving smoothie.
* ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
* 1 teaspoon chia seeds
* 1 teaspoon flax seeds
* 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
And if you want to go one step farther, measure out your add-ins (fruits, veggies, berries, etc) and freeze them in individual baggies or containers. That way, all you have to do is pour your base ingredients, then your add-ins, and then any Greek yogurt or milk/juice/water you may want.
That's it! Smoothies don't have to be this big hurrah. They can be simple with just a few extra minutes of prep. One thing I love about my Blendtec is that I really don't even have to prep my fruits and veggies a whole lot. Obviously wash them, but after that, I don't have to hull my strawberries. I don't have to cut the stems off my spinach. The Blendtec just makes it all happen for me. Again, another time-saver for me.
Stay tuned for a couple of my favorite smoothie recipes later this week!
What is your favorite fruit/veggie combo for smoothies?
Marci says
I'm new to juicing and need the knowledge from those who are doing this. I find your pinboards very educational. Keep up the great work in keeping people like me on a positive path to health.
Holly Waterfall says
I'm so glad I was able to help! Smoothies are my major staples in getting enough fruits and veggies. They're SO tasty and easy!