I have a smoothie for lunch practically every day. You may wonder, how does a smoothie actually fill me up as a meal? The key is to add in all the well-balanced goods such as: healthy fats, good protein, low-glycemic carbs (fruit), veggies, and fiber (found in fruit and veggies).
Here are 4 ingredients for the perfect smoothie:
- Frozen Berries or Frozen Banana
- Avocado
- Baby Spinach
- Protein Powder
I also like to add in coconut or almond milk, but with the avocado, I find my smoothies to be creamy enough as is so I usually just use water instead to blend it. Since the fruit you will add is frozen, there is no need to add in any ice to your blender.
I would use the above order when adding the ingredients to your blender and then add the water or milk last and blend. I usually only use about a cup of water as I like my smoothies thick so that I can add toppings to it and eat it with a spoon.
Here is the perfect base for a well-balanced smoothie:
- 2/3 cup of frozen berries or 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 large ripened avocado
- 1 cup of organic baby spinach
- 2 scoops of protein powder
- 1 cup of milk or water
Blend together in a high speed blender and serve in a bowl with your favorite toppings.
You can add in any other types of superfood powders that you fancy. I like to dabble with cacao powder, beet root powder, or turmeric powder. Cinnamon is always a great addition as well as vanilla extract.
If you really want to get creative and cut down on the sugar, you can swap the frozen berries for frozen zucchini or cauliflower, or even sweet potatoes! I would suggest adding in some cinnamon, vanilla extract or stevia to add a little sweetness to it. And if protein powders aren’t your thing, try adding in nut butter instead.
My lunch time smoothies usually hold me over for a few hours. With the avocado in there, I am not even that hungry until about 4 or 5pm, I just like an excuse to snack and having just a smoothie for lunch makes it easier to grab that 3pm snack :).
What are you favorite smoothie ingredients that keep you full longer?
