So.. SUMMER IS HERE….Which means that it is the perfect time to share a recipe that involves absolutely NO cooking.
I remember the first time I tried making a green smoothie… it seemed so weird to be drinking something the color of veggies, but that tasted sweet and delicious. Even years later, I find that a green smoothie is such a great way to get in a few servings of fruit and veggies, and adding in a protein powder is an easy way to add protein to your day and help the smoothie keep you full for longer.
The ‘original’ green smoothie recipes usually used just spinach to get that green color and add some nutrients, but you all know that Bite Size Pieces Nutrition loves to add any veggie she can… so for this smoothie I went with both spinach AND zucchini! For fruit, I like to use a frozen banana if I can, so I can skip the ice and keep my smoothie super cold and creamy, but you could easily use a fresh banana and just add ice, or try frozen spinach instead of fresh! Try mixing up the flavors if you aren’t a big banana fan- this would be amazing with pineapple or mango as well.
I love this as an option for someone that isn’t a huge fan of the taste of greens- you can easily take this with you to work for a quick, healthy breakfast, or enjoy as a simple snack or meal- just one smoothie gives you a whole serving of fruit and a serving of vegetables. It Depending on how much oat milk you choose to add, you can easily make this a drinkable smoothie or a smoothie bowl. I added about ½ cup oat milk, and this was perfect to top off with a Natural Athlete beet and pistachio bar and some cacao nibs for something crunchy! Don’t have any Natural Athlete protein? Don’t worry! Use whatever protein powder you like- I just love the slight vanilla flavor that this protein adds to my smoothie. Here’s the recipe.. Let me know how you like it!
Green Summer Smoothie
INGREDIENTS:
1 frozen banana
1 handful spinach (fresh or frozen)
⅓ of a small zucchini (about 50g)
1 scoop (about 25g) protein powder (I used Natural Athlete Vanilla Vegan Protein)
½-1 cup milk of choice (I used oat milk)
*optional: toppings! I used cacao nibs, a chopped up Natural Athlete natural bar and rolled oats.
PROCESS:
Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth- you should not be able to see bits of spinach! Pour into a glass or bowl, and add toppings if you like.
Try playing around with different fruit and veggies as you like- this is a recipe I know I will enjoy all summer- super easy, fills me up and covers the Bite Size Pieces Nutrition ‘meal checklist’… carbohydrates and micronutrients from the fruit and veggies, protein from the protein powder, and fats from the toppings.
Want to try something from Natural Athlete? Use code GILLIAN5 on your order.
