Peanut Butter-Banana Green Smoothie

This smoothie is so incredibly easy and so delicious. The peanut butter flavor over powers all of the veggie flavor, and it's super creamy and sweet from the bananas and dates. I love to have this smoothie for breakfast, or even as a post-workout meal. It holds you over for hours.



I use an organic, non-GMO powered peanut butter because it's lower in fat and calories spoonful for spoonful than regular peanut butter, but you can use any type of nut butter you like. The great thing about this smoothie is that it's super versatile, you can throw in pretty much any veggies you like, given that the flavor is not too over-powering. Some great add-in's are kale, spinach, avocado, zucchini, or any mild tasting vegetable or fruit. However, using banana is key in this recipe as it allows for the smoothie to be creamy.




Ingredients: 1 serving

1 chopped frozen banana
1 date (optional)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 tablespoon peanut butter powder (or regular peanut butter)
sweetener to taste (stevia, honey, maple syrup, agave, etc)

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

Glowing Skin Green Smoothie

I call this smoothie the 'glowing skin green smoothie' because I'd like to think it makes my skin glow. It's packed with all sorts of good-for-you nutrients, and lemon, which helps detox the body and cleanses the digestive system. You digestive system is linked to you skin, believe it or not. When I eat too much dairy or sugar, you can tell. Within 24 hours I usually end up with a pimple. I find that drinking lemon water daily helps to keep my skin and body healthy, which is why I added it to this smoothie. I used blueberries in this one (which is why it's more of a dark green color), though sometimes I use chopped apples instead. I cut up a bunch of pineapple and banana ahead of time and stick it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Using all organic ingredients is always a plus.



This smoothie is tangy, and a bit sweet from the honey, and definitely refreshing. If you're used to fruity smoothies, this one might not be for you. You can definitely tell there's a hint of greens, but it doesn't taste like you're drinking pure grass. Since this smoothie is pretty low in calories, I wouldn't use it as a meal replacement, but more as a snack between meals or a drink to go with breakfast. Maybe it's just me, but drinking this smoothie makes me feel like my skin is actually brighter. It's probably not, but it's the thought that counts, right?

 Ingredients: (makes two smoothies)

 1 cup chopped frozen pineapple
1/2 banana, chopped and frozen
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup raw spinach
1 cup raw kale
juice of one lemon
1 cup water 1 tbsp honey

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more water, depending on how thick/thin you enjoy your smoothies.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

In between meals I like to have a healthy snack that will keep me full. This is one of my favorite smoothies because blueberries and bananas are two of my favorite foods. I sweeten it with vanilla agave nectar and add chia seeds to keep me feeling full.


Ingredients
1/3 cup blueberries
1/2 a banana
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/2 cup lowfat milk or soy milk
cup of ice
tablespoon of chia seeds

Add all ingredients to a blender until well blended.

Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

I've recently dove into obsession with almond butter, so naturally I decide to try it in a smoothie for breakfast. I like to top it off with granola for texture and flavor. So good!

Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 banana, chopped up and frozen

3/4 cup soy milk (or regular)

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup ice

1 tsp of agave (if you're a sugar head like me and need smoothies extra sweet)

Blend until creamy and top with gluten free granola or fresh fruit!