The Perfect Smoothie Recipe

The weather’s warming up and you know what that means…. smoothie season! Smoothies are such a convenient and delicious way to pack a ton of good-for-you nutrients into one cup (or bowl) for an easy grab-and-go meal. Plus, you can make your smoothie any flavor depending on what you’re craving… fruity, chocolatey, peanut buttery, extra green… you name it!

One thing to keep in mind, especially if you’re ordering a smoothie at a cafe, is the sugar content. Smoothies can be loaded with sugar if you’re not careful. It’s easy to get carried away with lots of fruit and goodies without considering whether your smoothie is actually balanced to keep you full and satisfied and keep your blood sugar balanced.

To make sure you’re getting a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats (plus a ton of vitamins and minerals!), I’ve put together a formula for a yummy, filling smoothie every time.  

Step 1 | Choose Your Liquid

You’ll start with your liquid base. I like ½ -1 cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk, coconut water, or even plain filtered water. Avoid fruit juice since you’re adding fresh fruit later and we want to keep the sugar content down for a more balanced, satisfying smoothie. For a bowl (which can seem more satisfying and filling than drinking a smoothie from a cup) or a thicker smoothie, use less liquid and for a smoothie you’re planning on drinking from a straw or cup, use more liquid.

Step 2 | Power Up With Greens

Next, add your greens (or other veggies). Smoothies are a great way to sneak in your veggies! I love adding spinach, riced cauliflower, zucchini or other greens like kale or even Romaine lettuce – you won’t even taste them!

Step 3 | Flavor With Fruit

Now you’ll add your fruit (not as much as you’d think!). I keep frozen banana slices in the freezer and try to keep my freezer stocked with berries, frozen mango, and frozen pineapple. Try to balance higher-sugar fruit with berries or other lower-sugar fruit when possible. For example, mixing berries with banana or mango instead of banana with mango. It’s not the end of the world if you have a mix of higher sugar fruits, though, since you’re balancing it out with protein and fat, too!

Here’s a tip - when your fresh fruit starts to get a little riper than you’d prefer, throw it in a bag and keep it in the freezer for smoothies! I do this with spinach too when it starts to get a little wilty.

Step 4 | Add Healthy Fat

Let’s start to balance it out with some healthy fats - think chia seeds, avocado, and nut butters. I like to add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds, hemp seeds, or even pumpkin seeds. If you’re using avocado, about 1/4 to 1/2 avocado is good, depending on the size. You can also add peanut butter, almond butter, or mixed nut butter to your smoothie or drizzle on top of your smoothie bowl.

Here’s another tip - I pretty much always add avocado and/or banana to my smoothie to make it creamy. If you’re not using banana, adding half an avocado is a great way to keep the consistency smooth and creamy!  

Step 5 | Pump It Up

Now it’s time to think about protein. Along with the healthy fats, protein will help keep you satisfied and keep your blood sugar balanced. Nuts and seeds have some protein, but if you’re using your smoothie as a meal replacement I recommend aiming for 15-20g of protein in your smoothie. To help you get there, you may want to add a scoop of protein powder. Hemp or another plant-based protein, collagen peptides, and grass-fed whey are good options.

Hint - download my Perfect Smoothie cheat sheet where I list some of my recommendations for protein powders!

Step 6 | Give It a Boost

Finally, smoothies are a great way to add what I like to call “booster foods.” I learned this term when I was in school for nutrition - these are the foods or ingredients that add a major boost to your health! Think: herbs, superfoods, and other beneficial ingredients that aren’t necessarily essential for basic health but are super nutrient-dense and have powerful therapeutic effects.

My favorite booster foods to add to smoothies are maca, mint, cacao, spirulina, and chlorella. 

Step 7 | Blend + Enjoy!

Now, all that’s left is to blend your ingredients together and enjoy!!

Wish you could keep all of this somewhere handy for easy reference as you make your smoothies? I got you! Click the button below to download your Perfect Smoothie cheat sheet :)