Hop on the bandwagon and develop your obsession to healthy smoothies. Forget the expensive ones you can buy in a store. Making them yourself saves you a lot of money and puts you entirely in control of the ingredients.
And speaking of the ingredients, that’s the most important part. Not only can you tailor your smoothie to your individual tastes, but you can also customize it to give you the most nutrient-rich impact possible.
Healthy and Quick Smoothie Recipes
A quick note on making your smoothie: Most smoothies can be made in a conventional blender, but these recipes are one-serving recipes, meaning a smaller smoothie blender might be more convenient.
1. Banana Ginger Smoothie
The inclusion of ginger in this smoothie can help soothe discomfort from occasional indigestion. It also gives it a tasty zip.
Ingredients:
1 banana
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
2. Rejuvenating Green Smoothie With Chia
Chia seeds are big news. These powerful little seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber, antioxidants, and iron.
But that’s not all — one 1 ounce serving of chia seeds has 18% of your daily calcium, 27% of your phosphorus, 30% of manganese, some copper, and potassium. With all of that, it’s no wonder chia seeds are a superfood.
In addition to all the wonderful benefits you get from chia seeds in this smoothie, there are also healthy doses of potassium from the banana, vitamin C from the pineapple, and multiple beneficial nutrients from spinach.
To make your smoothie, blend the following ingredients together until smooth.
Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 banana
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3. Apple Crisp Smoothie
This is the perfect way to savor the fresh flavor of fall without pumpkin spice. The thick Greek yogurt in this recipe provides a creaminess and a hunger-satiating, nutrient-rich treat.
Incorporating rolled oats adds soluble fiber to support healthy digestion and beta-glucan, which helps support your immune system.
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
½ cup 2% vanilla Greek yogurt
¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons pecans
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup ice cubes
Directions:
Pulse ice cubes and apple cider first to break up the cubes a bit. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. “Caramel” Apple Overnight Oatmeal Smoothie
Don’t let the name fool you. This recipe doesn’t actually have any caramel in it; instead, it uses dates to add sweetness.
But it’s not just sweetness that you get from the dates. They’re high in polyphenols, which help reduce occasional oxidative stress. Dates are also loaded with fiber, which helps promote digestive function and helps you feel full longer. Dates also provide potassium, an electrolyte important for proper heart function.
Ingredients:
¼ cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium apple, peeled and cored
2 Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into your blender cup and stir to make sure they’re well mixed. Then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (3 hours at least).
In the morning, blend your smoothie until desired consistency. This is a thicker smoothie, so it can be enjoyed as a drink, or you can eat it as a cold soup and sprinkle toppings on for an added kick.
5. Vanilla Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
If you’re looking for a smoothie that the entire family will love and one that’s packed with healthy vitamin C, look no further. This simple smoothie recipe tastes fantastic and loads you and your family up with healthy citrus to help promote immune system health.
Ingredients:
1 navel orange, peeled
¼ cup fat-free half and half or fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ice cubes
Directions:
Drop the ice cubes and orange juice concentrate into the blender and pulse until you break up the ice cubes a little bit. Then add the other ingredients and blend until smooth.
6. Green Tea, Blueberry, and Banana Smoothie
The fresh fruit taste of this smoothie makes it a hit with the entire family. The addition of green tea is what makes it a healthy delight.
Green tea is not processed, which means it contains a high level of polyphenols, specifically flavonoids, which act as powerful antioxidants that help reduce occasional oxidative stress.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons water
1 green tea bag
2 teaspoons honey
1 ½ cups frozen blueberries
½ medium banana
¾ cup calcium-fortified light vanilla soy milk
Directions:
Microwave the water on high until steaming hot, and then add the teabag. Let the tea steep for three minutes and then remove the tea bag and add the honey to the tea. Stir until it dissolves.
Combine berries, banana, and milk in a blender and blend lightly. Then add the tea and blend until smooth. If you need more liquid to get the right consistency, try using water rather than additional milk.
The Bottom Line
The recipes for the smoothies above not only give you a quick meal on the go or a deliciously tasty treat, but they can also load you up with healthy nutrients to keep you healthy and feeling your best.
One of the best things about smoothie recipes is the variety. You can stick to these recipes, swap out ingredients, or even create your own. Try each of these smoothies, and then get creative to come up with new recipes that have the taste and health benefits that you desire.
