Ever since I graduated college I have been addicted to creating and drinking smoothies. For whatever reason when I left college, I noticed that my appetite changed causing me to crave a breakfast meal that would satisfy my nutrient needs, but not overfill me. I needed a breakfast meal that I could take on the go to school and that would keep me feeling energized until my mid-morning snack...this is where my addiction and love for smoothies began!
I am one of those people who throws whatever they have in the blender to see if it creates a tasty and delicious smoothie. There have been many times that I have created smoothies that have had too many flavors or didn’t contain enough fruit or greens to provide me with the energy I needed through out the day. I like trying new fruits, vegetables and greens and discovering what combinations can be made to make a delicious blend.
I consume a “raspberry-almond butter-banana smoothie” on a weekly basis. I absolutely love it!
Almond butter is a great alternative to peanut butter and provides a ton of great health and nutrient benefits. One of the most well known benefits of almond butter is its connection to decreasing the risk of heart disease due to the fact that it contains monounsaturated fats (aka it contains good fat and the type we want to include in our diet!). Almond butter also contains a ton of great vitamins and minerals that we need in our diet on a daily basis, such as: vitamin E, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Along with this, it also contains a decent amount of protein and fiber. There is obviously a ton of benefits to almond butter and in a future post I will cover them, but for now here is a sneak peak as to why you should add some to your daily smoothie or diet.
Lastly, focus on organic brands and always look at the ingredients. Many times you will see brands add salt and sugar…try to avoid those. All natural is better and honestly does taste better! (Raspberries are really sweet so use strawberries instead if desired!)
(This is a large smoothie so I tend to use this as an alternative to a breakfast meal).
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 full banana
1/2 cup of raspberries
2-3 teaspoons of almond butter
1/2 cup of soy milk or almond milk
-1/2 cup of water
-1 teaspoon of chia seeds (provides a boost of energy!)
-handful of spinach
-ice
-1/4 cup of organic Greek yogurt (if desired as an alternative to the soy milk)
-(I will occasionally throw in 1-2 scoops of organic protein powder if I am drinking it post-workout)