Whip it!

When we’re in a rush, we tend to grab at the same old foods – cereal or toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch or even coffee and a bagel at a fast food joint. But often those choices aren’t the healthiest options. Why not consider a delicious, nutritious smoothie instead?

All you need is a blender and some fresh ingredients to make yourself a full, healthy meal or snack. Smoothies are great, portable meals you can take with you on the run. Pop the ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth and you’re ready to go.

What can you add to a smoothie to make it a healthy alternative? Try:

Fruits: Bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen mixed berries, fresh berries, kiwi, avocado, mango, papaya, pomegranate, peach, cantaloupe, watermelon or 100 per cent pure fruit juices like apple, orange, grapefruit, cranberry or black cherry.

Vegetables: spinach, kale, collard greens, arugula, parsley or 100 per cent vegetable juices like carrot, celery, beet or cucumber.

Protein: whey protein powder, hemp protein powder, hemp seed, nut butters, soy protein powder, yogurt or silken tofu.

Liquid: Water, fruit and vegetable juices, milk, soy milk, almond beverage.

Want to try one and see for yourself? Below are three quick, easy and delicious smoothie recipes you’re sure to love.

Smashing smoothie recipes

Banana-berry Power Smoothie

The addition of red kale to this smoothie provides calcium and vitamins A, C and K. Hemp protein powder is a great vegan source of protein you can find in the health food section of your local grocery store. Unsweetened almond beverage is a great milk substitute and has only 40 calories per cup.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium banana
• ½ cup frozen mixed berries
• ½ cup red kale
• 2 tbsp. hemp protein powder
• 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
• ¼ cup pure black cherry juice
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup unsweetened almond beverage

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Vanilla-Blueberry Blast-Off

Be sure to blend this smoothie well to grind up all the uncooked oatmeal. The oatmeal will help you stay full longer, and the addition of thick, creamy Greek yogurt is enough to satisfy the heartiest appetites. You can find hemp seed in the health food section of your local grocery store. It has a smooth, nutty flavour and is a great source of protein.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• ½ cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup uncooked, quick-cooking oatmeal
• 2 tsp. hemp seed
• 1 cup vanilla almond beverage

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Greens, greens, greens!

This smoothie is loaded with antioxidants and is a great way to get your greens if you’re not a salad lover. The avocado also provides heart-healthy fats to help you stay fuller, longer.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup spinach
• ½ cup kale or collard greens
• 1 kiwi
• ¼ avocado
• 1 scoop whey protein powder
• ½ cup 100% pure apple juice
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup soy milk

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.