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If you’re not the type to eat a lot of fruit by itself — or even if you are — a smoothie is a refreshing fruity treat that’s surprisingly easy to make. My delicious Triple Berry Smoothie packs a lot of nutrition and extra vitamins and protein in as well, with the inclusion of a whey protein powder.
The issue with many smoothies, especially the kind you get at a restaurant, is that they typically include quite a bit of added sugar. There can even be a lot of sugar in many protein powders, so if you are watching your sugar intake as I am, be sure to read the label and choose a lower sugar product.
I found Designer Protein’s Designer Whey Natural 100% Whey Protein Powder in French Vanilla (available on Amazon) and I like it a lot. Per scoop it has 20g protein (from whey, not soy), and just 2g of sugar and 110 calories. It also includes B vitamins, amino acids, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, probiotics, electrolytes and digestive enzymes.
You can use a regular blender. Or you can use what I do, and love — Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Blender. I received one several years ago at a fitness blogging conference and it’s still going strong. My family and I use it all the time. It’s convenient, blends super quick, and the blade and cups can go right in the dishwasher for easy clean-up.
For the berries, I found a bag of frozen triple berry blend at Wal-Mart that works great. I partially thaw the berries before blending. Or, you can use fresh berries. If you’re using fresh, you’ll need to add some ice cubes to the blender in order to thicken up your smoothie.
This is my favorite smoothie recipe I’ve made so far. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen triple berry blend (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), partially thawed; or your favorite fresh berries
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or regular milk)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1-2 cups of ice cubes, if using fresh berries
Directions:
- Place berries, whey powder, almond milk and honey in the blender.
- Blend until smooth and thick.
- If not thick enough, add a few ice cubes at a time and continue to blend. If too thick, add more almond milk.
- Pour into glasses, and garnish if desired with berries and a mint leaf.
- Serve immediately.
Makes 3 servings: 180 calories, 12g protein, 31g carb, 2g fat, 4g fiber
