Smoothiepalooza

When it comes to fueling your body quickly and easily, the smoothie is the answer! They are fast, easy to eat on the go, and can provide a lot of essential protein and nutrients to the body.  Smoothies are not only convenient, they can be a great tool for weight management. There are many great reasons to drink a smoothie each day.

For several years now, I’ve been doing my best to have one liquid meal per day. Usually this means drinking a smoothie for either breakfast or lunch.  Now, I’m someone who loves to eat,  and you know that I love to cook. However, one liquid meal a day is a great way to nourish your body, fuel your recovery after a hard workout,  and help your metabolism all at the same time. Liquid meals help your metabolism rest and can promote detoxification of the body especially when coupled with a 12 hour fast between dinner and breakfast.  In his popular book, “Clean”, Dr. Alejandro Junger discusses the virtues of giving the digestive tract a rest through consuming a liquid meal each day and by giving your body at least a 12 hour break from eating each night (i.e. waiting to eat breakfast until 8 am if you ate dinner at 8 pm the night before). Dr. Junger says,  “When the digestive tract isn’t constantly needing to work to process food, the body can direct energy toward detox and repair. ” He also says, “By allowing your digestive system to rest overnight [it will] move its energy and attention to other areas of the body, like your immune system or rebuilding the gut.”  Personally, I have seen improved digestive health and a more stable weight since incorporating one liquid meal a day and a 12 hour fast at night into my daily routine.

When creating your liquid meal, it is important to use whole fruits and veggies and only the highest quality ingredients and protein in your smoothie. Thus, I suggest that a properly constructed smoothie is a great way to offer a high level of nutrients, healthy fats and protein to the body, while prompting the body to burn fat and release toxins stored in those fat cells. Dr. Junger also says. “making sure your meals are full of [healthy] fat and protein keeps you from constantly needing to graze and keeps blood sugar levels stable. It also allows the body to go into fat-burning mode, which releases more stubborn toxins stored in fat cells.”  So, I think it is fair to say that protein is key to helping trigger this fat burning action in the body. I alternate between shakes that are full of healthy fats and ones that are more lean, however all of the smoothies I make have protein in them.  Protein feeds your body’s cells while also helping to build and replace them.

The protein in a smoothie can come from several sources. Some of my favorite ways to add protein to a smoothie are to use unsweetened greek yogurt, nut butter, or protein powder.  Not all protein powder is created equal, however.  When choosing the protein powder that is right for you there are many things to consider.  What is the source of the protein? How is this protein processed? What else is added to the protein powder? I look for protein powder that is minimally processed and which is not full of a bunch of extra added ingredients, especially sugar and fillers. I like to use grass-fed whey protein powder that is hormone free, gluten free, soy free and non-gmo.  It is a bit pricey.  However, when you think about how important it is to know that your protein powder is derived using the highest standards and least processing, it is easy to understand that the highest quality protein powder will cost more. If you are vegan, there are many great sources of high quality vegan protein powder on the market now. Just read the labels and look for one that is organic and is derived from a protein source that is easily digestible for you, without added extras and you are good to go.

If I make a smoothie with fruit or a vegetable in it, I always use the whole fruit or veggie, never juice. Whole fruits and veggies contain fiber that helps balance blood sugar and aids digestion too. Keeping blood sugar stable with fibre and protein in a smoothie may help your energy level as well. When your blood sugar spikes due to too much sugar and a lack of fibre and protein, you may experience a temporary boost in energy; however, shortly afterwards your energy level plummets, leading to fatigue. In order to promote sustained levels of energy, using whole fruits and veggies in your smoothie is important.  Whole fruit will also provide sweetness in the smoothie without the need to add sugar or other sweeteners.

One other thing thing that every smoothie needs is some type of liquid. Some suggestions are plain water, almond or coconut milk, coconut water, or coffee. I try to consider whether I want a fat smoothie or a lean one.  If I’m using a lot of fruit in my smoothie then, I will use water or coconut water as the liquid.  It provides the necessary moisture so the smoothie blends well without adding a lot of fat. The natural sugars in the fruit, when combined with the fiber and the protein, will not negatively affect my blood sugar.  If I’m using fat in my smoothie such as coconut milk or MCT oil, I tend to stick with flavors such as coco or coffee and avoid adding fruits. The fat and protein without the sugar from the fruit will also help keep my blood sugar in check.

Now for the fun part — I’ve rounded up a bunch of my favorite smoothies and have consolidated the recipes here;  so, when you are looking for your next smoothie, you have many options to consider. All of these recipes are made with only a few simple ingredients and are sure to delight your taste buds while fueling you up as well. A few of these babies are warm smoothies which are fabulous any time, but especially during the cold winter months;  they do the trick to nourish and warm you at the same time.

If you are looking for a warm drink, try my protein hot chocolate or my protein packed spiced coffee which is a wonderful blend of coconut milk, coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and protein powder. It can be enjoyed hot, or just blend it with ice for a cold drink.

A few of my favorite cold smoothies are watermelon lime, kiwi mint matcha, pineapple lychee, and red dragon fruit smoothies.  All of these smoothies take advantage of the abundance of local tropical fruit that Thailand has to offer.  The watermelon and pineapple here are the best I’ve ever had.  Red dragon fruit is one of my new favorites because it has such a beautiful color and is full of antioxidants. If you want the antioxidant boost of red dragon fruit, but is not available in your local area, you can use steamed or roasted beets instead. The flavor is similar and the antioxidant composition is very similar too.  If you love the classic combination of orange and vanilla, you will love my orange creamsicle smoothie; it tastes just like the frozen treat, but is much healthier for you.

No Smoothiepalooza could be complete without a traditional green smoothie;  my recipe is super simple using just kale, Pink Lady apple, protein powder, coconut water, and ice. It is a great way to start your day or can fill you up at lunch quite nicely.

There are a variety of great additional ingredients you can put in your smoothie to not only boost the nutritional value of your liquid meal, but some of these ingredients contain extra protein, can stimulate metabolism and improve brain function too. Some of my favorite extras that pair well with almost any smoothie are local bee pollen, matcha green tea powder, and MCT oil. Bee pollen is a natural source of protein and vital nutrients. You can find a great description of its nutritional benefits on Marceola.com  Matcha green tea powder is the highest quality of Japanese green tea. The young leaves are used for matcha and in its powdered form, it blends quite nicely into any smoothie. Matcha contains high levels of antioxidants and is linked to increasing metabolism rates and heightened levels of alertness. It does contain caffeine so probably is best saved for adults and those without caffeine sensitivity. One other ingredient I like to use in smoothies is MCT oil — middle chain triglycerides.  Pure MCT oil is not simply repackaged coconut oil. MCTs are found in coconut oil; however, if you are looking to capitalize on some of the reported cognitive and metabolic benefits of MCT oil, you want to find one that is purely MCT oil and not full of other ingredients.  Thus, I suggest that you read labels carefully and purchase MCT oil at a reliable retailer, such as your local co-op.

I hope that Smoothiepalooza helps inspire you to try some of my favorite protein packed drinks and to create some of your own. One of my favorite culinary sayings is, “If it grows together, it goes together.” So let that be your guide as to which flavors go well together and get creative using classic flavor combinations such as chocolate and strawberry or apple and cinnamon. When it comes to culinary inspiration, let the  fruits and veggie that grow best in your local area be your guide. Locally grown, seasonally available organic fruits and veggies will contain the highest level  of nutrients and cause the least amount of impact on the environment. Buying locally grown fruits and veggies will enable you to support local farmers as well.

I love coming up with new flavor combinations for smoothies. Follow me on Facebook at Eating Enchanted with Marla Groves and on Instagram @eating_enchanted. I post smoothie recipes there all the time. My current inspiration is coming from the exotic local fruits of South East Asia, but no matter where you live, it is easy to create delicious protein packed smoothies right in your own kitchen.

Smoothies are such a simple way to do something good for your body, consider adding one in as a meal replacement each day along with a 12 hour overnight fast.  It is a great way to energize, manage your weight and detoxify your body.

My kids love smoothies too.  They are a great way to get protein into your kids in the morning without having to cook anything.  Start your whole family off with a delicious and satisfying smoothie or a protein hot chocolate. They will think they are getting a real treat to start the day. Give the gift of healthy eating to you and your family each day. You will be amazed how great you can feel from nourishing your self and your family properly. Happy Blending!