Ahh, the smoothie… What could be more satisfying then a big frosty glass of a thick and creamy drink that tastes almost as sinful as ice cream. On a hot summer day, there is nothing more refreshing than a smoothie for lunch. If you Google the term “smoothie” you’ll receive about 9,000,000 results, but what’s the perfect smoothie? Here is the basic criteria: it must be cold, and it must contain peanut butter. From that wonderful starting point, I’ve created a great smoothie base that is very adaptable to suit your fancy. All without using ice. Don’t be afraid to experiment, you can throw almost anything into that blender without drastically affecting the taste (see “Could” Additions).
Base:
1 frozen banana (freeze in plastic wrap without peel)
1 frozen peach or 5 frozen strawberries
1/2 cup no salt cottage cheese or plain yogurt
almond milk or other liquid, as needed
“Must” Additions:
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 handful frozen wild blueberries, cherries, etc..
“Should” Additions:
2-3 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1-2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
“Could” Additions:
1/4 cup frozen spinach
1/4 cup frozen carrots
2 Tbsp flax seed, wheat germ, wheat bran, etc…
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
Few drops of mint, almond or vanilla extract
Toppings:
cocoa nibs
peanut butter (drizzled on top)
high-fiber cereal
almonds
broken-up Peanut Butter Cookies
Instructions:
1. Break banana into chunks and place all ingredients into blender except for milk/liquid. Pulse until the motley of goodness begins to chop up. Slowly add milk/liquid as needed.
2. When your mixture reaches the consistency of frozen yogurt, you’re done! Pour into a large mug, sprinkle with toppings and eat with a spoon.
3. Sprinkle, eat, repeat.
Additional Info:
Strawberries are a better base than mixed berries because they are naturally sweeter. The cocoa powder gives a wonderful chocolate flavor and adds tons of antioxidants as well as some fiber and protein. Surprisingly, adding the cottage cheese and pumpkin had no discernible effect on the flavor. Experiment and leave a comment with your results!