A lot of us put effort into eating fresh fruit and produce. With the scarcity at the supermarkets these days, it is becoming difficult to stay on track and still provide our bodies what we need to stay energized.
For me, I love a good smoothie – the more kale, the better. Like many of us out there, I have struggled to stay on top of my smoothie game. Thanks to my wonderful pantry of items I regularly forget about, I have developed some simple recipes that will leave your stomach satisfied without fresh produce. Each of these recipes will yield roughly 16 oz of pure bliss.
The Perfect Pie Smoothie
This one will sound weird, but I promise, it is totally worth trying!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of oatmeal
- 1 can of fruit – 4-6 oz with no added sugar (LOVE this with peaches or canned pumpkin)
- Protein of choice (vanilla protein powder or a half cup of canned coconut milk)
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- Ice
Directions:
- Start by blending the oatmeal into a fine powder in your blender – the finer the better!
- Add in your fruit. Now, if you are using a protein powder and not coconut milk, I recommend including the juices from the can. If you are using coconut milk, or some other type of liquid protein option, then drain the can and save the juice for something else.
- If you are not using a liquid protein, then go ahead and start blending. If you are using coconut milk or another option, like almond milk, wait until you add that in.
- Add in your protein option.
- Add in a few drops of vanilla.
- Add Ice – now for this, it is really as much or as little as you want. I recommend starting out with about 4 cubes. I prefer my smoothies thick, but not super cold. You can add in more if desired.
- Blend and enjoy! If it comes out too thick, add a little water to help it get to the consistency you desire.
Also try adding a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove if you are doing this with canned pumpkin puree. Cinnamon helps reduce blood sugar, and it helps make it taste like pie! If you are missing any sweetness, try adding a teaspoon of honey or using a sugar replacement.
Immune Boost Can Infuser
Ingredients:
- ½ 6 oz can of spinach (no salt / seasoning added)
- ½ 6 oz can of cooked carrots – (no salt / seasoning added)
- 1 6-8 oz can of pineapple with juice or water (no sugar added)
- ½ cup of orange juice or another canned citrus
- Ground or fresh ginger
- Ice
Directions:
- Drain the spinach and the carrots, only adding half of each to the blender.
- Add the full can of pineapple, including the juice or water.
- Add the ½ cup of orange juice or another canned citrus.
- Add a dash of ginger to start (go by taste).
- Add at least a cup of ice.
- Blend together and enjoy!
Ginger is a great immune system booster. It can also help combat chronic diseases!
The Chick-Pea-Nut-Butter
This is hands down one of my favorites, but it is also probably one of the weirdest ones I have developed. No need for breaking your diet over a sweet tooth when you have this HIGH protein option!
Ingredients:
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 3 Tbs of your favorite nut butter
- 2 Tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 can of coconut milk
- Ice
Directions:
- Drain the can of chickpeas, separating the liquid from the beans.
- Put the liquid directly into the blender, and turn on. This will begin to whip almost like whip cream.
- Add in the chickpeas, nut butter, cocoa powder, and coconut milk.
- Blend together.
- Add ice to chill (I recommend starting with 4 cubes at a time).
You may want to consider adding a slight bit of sweetness in with a sugar alternative, or using a fresh or frozen banana.
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