A Real Morning Pick Me Up

I love coffee.  I really do.

BUT... after that little pick me up, I am drained.  Tired.  Yawning.  Low-energy.

So, instead of that reliance on the morning cup of joe, I decided to try another route...  The morning cup of smoothie!  I have been drinking smoothies for breakfast for at least 3 months now.  Not only do I have the same spurt of morning energy, but it lasts well beyond those early hours of the day.  I also find that I am not snacking as much as I used to when I paired my coffee with a bowl of cereal or - gasp! - a toaster pastry.  I am sated until lunch, which is a huge deal for someone trying to watch their calories.

We were gifted a Cuisinart Compact Blender -- basically, Cuisinart's answer to the Magic Bullet.  I am more than pleased with this kitchen gadget.  It makes creating delicious smoothies quick, easy, and most of all -- to someone without a dishwasher -- simple to clean up.  The blender comes with 2 different cup sizes and 2 different blades, as well as a normal looking blender pitcher.  The blades screw right onto the cups, which become the vessels for blending.  When the blending is done, you can screw the blade of an twist on one of the provided drinking lids and you are on your way!

So, what do I put in my smoothies?  I'm am non-discriminatory when it comes to making a delicious smoothie.  My basic smoothie recipe can be added upon to create your personal favorite morning meal-beverage.

I start with 1 whole banana.  I break the banana into pieces and toss it into the blender. Bananas will make your smoothie creamy and filling.

Next, I add 1 small apple.  Personally, I choose honey crisp apples because they are fabulously delicious, but you can choose whichever type you like.  I use my apple slicer gadget so I can quickly and easily ready the apple for the blender.  This removes the core and makes the pieces a little more manageable for the blender.

Apples do several things for your smoothie.  They definitely add sweetness and they bring a little fiber to the meal.  The main reason I use an apple is because of its ability to make the smoothie thinner.  The juice in the apple helps makes the smoothie drinkable without having to add extra fruit juices or milk, and therefore add extra unnecessary calories and sugars.  Yes, the apple does add both calories and sugar to the drink, but in my opinion, putting a whole apple into the smoothie is a ton better than adding an item that has been processed.  -- Okay... where was I?

Next main ingredient... PLAIN yogurt.  Yes, vanilla or other flavored yogurt might taste better straight up.  BUT YOU ARE NOT EATING THE YOGURT STRAIGHT UP! -- Sorry for shouting, but I just wanted to make sure my point came across. --  The plain yogurt contains more calcium and protein per ounce and is therefore, better for you.  The sweetness provided by the banana and apple have already sweetened your smoothie enough.  I add between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt to the blender.  I really don't ever measure... just whatever looks "good".  I measured for a few days so I could provide some sort of guideline here!

 

Now, for the add-ins... I typically choose some sort of frozen berry -- aka, whatever is a good deal at the time that I am grocery shopping.  This week, its wild blueberries.

 

Once all of your ingredients are in your blender, hit puree and wait a few moments!  It really liquifies quickly in our personal sized model. 

 



 

I just love watching everything mix together and turn into a delicious liquified breakfast!

 

And Voila!  Looking at these pictures makes me want to whip up another smoothie right now!  Yumm!

 

 

I tried making green smoothies and adding some spinach.  I love spinach in my salads, but the bitterness it brought to my smoothie was not appealing to me.  The spinach was more of an after-taste, but nevertheless, it wasn't for me.  I get plenty of greens in my Weekday Lunch Salads, so I don't believe the addition of the spinach in the smoothie is really necessary.

Something else that I don't add to my smoothies...  any sort of protein powder or diet powder.  Have you read those ingredient lists?  I need a dictionary -- or google -- next to me to translate those things.  I look at them as added calories.  I use a calorie tracking tool on my phone that also helps me track my vitamin an mineral intake.  I find that with my smoothie alone, I meet my daily recomendation of Vitamin A and C.  I also found that with my regular diet, I have more than enough protein.  If you want to fill in the gaps of a lacking diet, the best way is through food.  Daily vitamins can also help, without calories, unlike those icky powders.  If you can't tell, I'm not fond of most supplements.

Some other options that I enjoy -- cuties --you know, those little tiny easy to peel oranges? --, frozen strawberries, pears, and peaches.  If I weren't allergic to pineapple -- I know, this is a travesty -- they would definitely be a regular addition to my smoothie.

What ingredients do you like to add to your smoothie?  I'd love to hear some of your ideas!