Blue Algae smoothie bowl from Great White in Venice, Los Angeles. I finally tried this with a co-worker the other day, and it was delish! And, no, the blue algae doesn't really have a flavor. This tastes like a banana-berry type smoothie- not an overpowering flavor, but definitely tasty! I will admit, we ordered it partly because of the hype we had seen on social media, and partly because my co-worker recently had oral work done and can only eat soft foods. Either way, the smoothie bowl was yummy and it inspired me to share some of my favorite smoothie recipes.
It's summer!!! And if you're like me, (aka you live in an apartment with no A/C), then you know what that means: smoothies. all. the. damn. time. Like seriously, meal replacement smoothies have become a *thing* for me, and not because I'm trying to be healthy, but because it is SO hot in my apartment that all I really want to do is lay down, fan on high, sipping a smoothie and watching the latest episode of Vanderpump rules. Sue me.
One thing I've learned since purchasing my Nutribullet, is that 1) smoothies are the quickest way to make a meal 2) there is SUCH a variety you can mix up with minimal ingredients.
Seriously - whether you're craving chocolatey, fruity, wholesome, healthy, fatty, or nutty flavor, there is PROBABLY a smoothie recipe out there that you can make. Oh, and in UNDER 5 MINUTES.
Here are some of my favorite go-to smoothie recipes. I always keep a few things in my pantry for smoothies such as unflavored and vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, coconut oil, peanut butter and maca powder. These are kind of smoothie staples for me, because they add a lot of substance to the smoothie to make it feel more like a meal. Plus, each has it's own unique benefits depending on what I feel like I'm in need of.
PB BANANA MUSCLE BUILDER
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 scoop unflavored protein powder
1 teaspoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Ice
Almond Milk
LEAN ACAI ENERGIZER
1 frozen açaí packet (unsweetened, from TJ)
1 handful spinach
1/4 cup berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon maca powder
Ice
Coconut water
CLEAN GREEN MANGO MACHINE
1 handful spinach
1 handful kale
1/4 cup frozen mango
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tsp coconut oil
Coconut water
Ice
CINNAMON OATMEAL COOKIE
1/2 banana
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp flax seeds
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Ice
Almond milk