January Smoothie School: 7 Days of Smoothies

January Smoothie School:      7 Days of Smoothies

Do you love smoothies?  Welcome!

Do you dislike smoothies?  Welcome!

I am both of you.  

It’s hard to believe that I didn’t care for smoothies for most of my life, actually up until about a year ago.  There were two main reasons for this:

  1. I found most of them to be too sweet, not very healthy, and figured I would rather eat four cookies if I was going to consume a lot of sugar.  
  2. I found myself getting hungry about an hour after I drank one
  3. Whey protein powder never made me feel great, and that seemed to be the best tasting kind.

All of that changed last year when I started reducing dairy from my diet, working out 5-6 times a week, and made a commitment a few daily changes including a morning post-workout smoothie.  I will honestly say my morning smoothie is one of the most significant changes I’ve made to lose 12 pounds, and I haven’t felt this good since before I was married.

smoothies

I was turned onto the vegan, naturally sweetened protein powder made by Orgain and I was floored.  This is not an ad, I am just truly in love with this stuff.  It is the best tasting protein I’ve ever had and is dairy free, so no bloating or sluggishness afterward. 

I have rounded up my “Smoothie Essentials”, including Orgain Protein for you in my Amazon Store, which can be found right here.  

I swear by this blender, which is pricey admittedly, but it lasts forever and it is a total workhorse.  I’ve had mine for 10 years and there are no signs it’s slowing down any time soon.  If you want a great new blender, but don’t quite want to spend that, this is another model I recommend that everyone raves about, especially for smoothies and smoothie bowls.

The key to a smoothie that keeps you full for hours is the right combination of fiber, protein, and fat.  You will see that I call for a healthy fat in each smoothie, that is by design, so while it may be tempting to skip it it makes a big difference in how satisfying that smoothie will be.  

“What can I use instead?”

  • I call for unsweetened almond milk in most of my smoothies but you can easily swap in water, oat milk, coconut milk or cow’s milk if that’s your preference.
  • Swap in raspberries or strawberries for the blueberries in the 
    Blueberry Superfood Smoothie, or swap in peaches or pineapple for the mango in the The BEST Green Smoothie
  • If you don’t have avocado, you can use 1 Tablespoon of nut butter in its place, or even 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil or flax seed to get those healthy fats in.

I hope you find something that inspires you in this collection of recipes, and that you come to love smoothies (almost) as much as me!  As always, let me know what you think and be sure to keep sharing your photos with me on Instagram, I love to see your creations!

green smoothie
green smoothie

The BEST Green Smoothie

The only healthy green smoothie recipe you'll ever need.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drink
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup avocado
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango can sub peaches or pineapple
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup spinach, fresh or frozen
  • 1 serving vanilla protein powder such as Orgain

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Serve with diced cucumber and diced mango.
Keyword green smoothie, smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
vanillachaismoothie
vanillachaismoothie

Vanilla Chai Smoothie

The perfect winter smoothie, creamy and filled with warm and cozy spices.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 10 oz. unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1/2 banana
  • 2 ice cubes
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 inch fresh ginger can substitute 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 serving vanilla protein such as Orgain

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Serve with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.
Keyword chai, smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
peppermintmochasmoothie
peppermintmochasmoothie

Peppermint Mocha Smoothie

Chocolate and peppermint are a classic combination, and when blended with coffee they are a delicious way to start the day.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces cold coffee
  • 2 ice cubes
  • 1/4 cup avocado
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 5 drops peppermint extract
  • 1 serving chocolate protein such as Orgain

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Serve with coconut whipped cream and cacao nibs, if desired.
Keyword peppermint, smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Blueberry Superfood Smoothie
Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

Loaded with fiber, protein, and healthy fats this smoothie checks all the boxes for a satisfying and nutrient dense breakfast.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 cup avocado
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch ground nutmeg optional
  • 1 serving vanilla protein powder

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Serve with extra berries and chia seeds.
Keyword blueberry, smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
pbcupsmoothie
pbcupsmoothie

Salted Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

Chocolate and nut butter go together beautifully to make the base for a smoothie that tastes like a decadent milkshake.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter can sub any nut butter
  • 2 ice cubes
  • 1 serving chocolate protein powder such as Orgain
  • pinch fine sea salt, for topping, optional I like pink HImalayan

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Top with extra nut butter, dark chocolate chips and a pinch of flaky salt if desired.
Keyword smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
greensmoothiebowl
greensmoothiebowl

Green Coconut Collagen Smoothie Bowl

This delicious smoothie bowl is a nutrient dense, satisfying way to kick start your morning.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powered blender, preferably with a tamper

Ingredients
  

  • 5-8 ounces full fat coconut milk can substitute water or almond milk
  • 1/2 cup pinneapple, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup spinach, fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 cup avocado
  • 2 ice cubes
  • 1-2 scoops collagen powder such as Vital Proteins
  • 1 serving vanilla protein powder such as Orgain

Instructions
 

  • Start with 5 ounces of liquid, then add ingredients to blender and blend.
  • Move ingredients around with the tamper, or large utensil, and blend in stages adding more liquid as needed to keep things moving.
  • When smooth, tranfer to a shallow bowl.
  • Serve with hemp hearts, chia seeds, and unsweetened coconut if desired.
Keyword green smoothie, smoothie bowl
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
pumpkinspicesmoothie
pumpkinspicesmoothie

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Pumpkin is a healthy, creamy addition to this smoothie proving you can and should have pumpkin any time of year.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • High powdered blender

Ingredients
  

  • 10 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice optional
  • 1 serving vanilla protein powder such as Orgain

Instructions
 

  • Blend.
  • Serve topped with pumpkin seeds and bee pollen, if desired.
Keyword pumpkin, smoothie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


2 thoughts on “January Smoothie School: 7 Days of Smoothies”

  • I would like to make this as a smoothie bowl. What changes do I need to make it thick enough to be a bowl instead of a drink?

    • Simply reduce the liquid by about 1/3 to 1/2. Be sure to move everything around with the tamper and just add more liquid as you need it!

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