despite the single-digit temperatures in utah right now, i have still been blending up and consuming protein shakes almost daily. they are such a great option for a quick, nutritious meal! plus they help tame that wild sweet tooth of mine.
i don’t usually post recipes for protein shakes because they are so simple, but this combo is one of my absolute favorites, so i thought i would share!
banana blueberry protein shake with spinach
makes one serving
ingredients:
- 1 serving of your favorite vanilla protein powder (mine is plant fusion vanilla bean)
- 50g frozen blueberries (roughly 1/2 cup)
- 50g FROZEN banana (roughly half of a medium banana)
- 2 cups spinach
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) milk of choice (i use unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) water
- 15 ice cubes
- optional: 1/2 tsp guar gum (this is a thickening agent)
note: it is VERY important that you use a frozen banana–that helps the consistency turn out super smooth and creamy. i always peel a bunch of bananas, cut them in half, place them in a freezer bag, and pop them in the freezer so i have them on hand at all times. make sure you peel the bananas before freezing them, though! it’s pretty difficult to peel a frozen banana.
this shake is approximately 250 calories, 30g protein, 30g carbs, and 4g fat. this will vary depending on the protein powder you use.
mmm.. green goodness.
don’t be intimidated by adding spinach to your protein shakes. believe it or not, you can’t even taste it in there! spinach contains many vitamins and antioxidants. it is high in vitamins including A, C, K, and the B vitamins. it is also rich in iron, calcium, omega-3, protein, folic acid, folate, and magnesium. i have only listed a handful of the nutrients it contains. because of the many nutrients spinach is packed with, it ends up being very beneficial to our health for so many reasons. here are just a few!
i guess popeye was onto something, aye?
we blend up a lot of spinach in our house. i put it in my protein shakes, like this one, but marshall also puts it in our morning juice each day. and, yes, i know i owe you guys a post about his juice recipe! i have not forgotten.
so next time you blend up something to drink, throw a handful or two of spinach in there for good measure and enjoy!
Q~
what is your favorite protein shake recipe? sharing is caring!
xo. janetha g.
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t really use “recipes” when I make shakes, but I love adding raspberries. Those things taste so stinking good.
I actually drink this at minimum five times a week for breakfast. It’s my fave! I use rice milk but don’t add ice because I keep my spinach, bananna, and blueberries frozen. If I don’t have protein powder, I make it without it. It’s also pretty decent with chocolate protein powder in there.
Mine is never green colored though. Perhaps I need more spinach and less blueberries.
i love this smoothie! in fact, i had one this morning except i’m out of blueberries so mine had strawberries and a few mango chunks instead. i use 8 oz of light soy milk, any reason you do 4 oz milk and 4 oz water?
I drink them a lot so it’s just more cost effective to use half milk and half water ;)
ME too! shakes have felt good on my sore throat lately too! I always throw spinach in all my shakes! LOVE!
Had this one yesterday and today! http://www.bodyofamother.com/2013/01/art-with-heart-thf-ohc.html
I agree.. when I use a banana it HAS to be frozen!
xoxo
Just started this week with my green smoothies again, got out of the swing for a while .. but because of fighting a darn cold for 3 damn weeks paired with the holiday indulging, I decided it was time for some concentrated goodness in a glass!!! Here’s my daily beverage (I make it the night before so as to not wake the fiancé with the roar of the vitamix!!) Measurements are approximate (I just kinda throw stuff in)
1-2 c spinach
1 c lacinato kale or frozen kale (if none fresh)
1/2 c – 1 cup green cabbage
Big chunk of cucumber
1/2 cup mixed frozen berries (or blueberries, or strawberries)
1/2 clementine
small chunk of frozen banana (for some sweetness)
scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder (i do whey after workouts though)
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup coconut water (flavored or natural) or vanilla unsweetened almond milk
cinnamon and ginger sprinkled in as well..
That’s it!!! That’s this week’s recipe because that’s what i’ve had on hand…it’s likely to change.
I love shakes and smoothies!!! LOVE them! I love making a pina colada one with pineapple and banana, some almond and coconut extract. And the always yum chocolate and peanut butter. Janetha, I was just drooling over the chocolate mint shake of yours today…must. make. soon!!!
I have something similar as my post-workout shake after most of my workouts. Nothing wrong with sneaking it a bit of extra greens!
What a gorgeous shade of green!
My favorite= 1 frozen banana, 7 ice cubes, 3 T peanut flour, 1 T Sunwarrior Vanilla powder, 1 packet stevia, 1 tsp vanilla, about 1/4 c frozen spinach, guar + xanthan gum and enough unsweetened almond milk to make a creamy consistency. I like it to be thick and eaten with a spoon, so I don’t add much and just plunge the hell out of it in my Vitamix until I see that beautiful pattern in the middle. :)
I’m a fan of MRM veggie protein. I mix chocolate with chocolate almond milk, water, some almond extract, some extra sweetener, and a bit of xanthum gum.
My favorite protein shake is probably my Pumpkin Chocolate Banana Protein Shake, but in the summer, I’m all about the berries in my smoothies.
I just got a juicer that I haven’t used yet so I’m excited for your juice post!
I love blueberries! Any berries really, go great with spinach. I hate bananas though. Ick.
I too have been drinking spinach protein smoothies (thanks to my new blendtec!!) almost daily even though it’s butt-cold these past few weeks.
Yes you do owe us a post on his juice recipe!! This Vitamix of mine needs one! :) Have you made applesauce in yours? Wowzaaa!
NO! Great idea!!
it’s sooo good. I put two apples (cut them in fours and took out the seeds), some honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the vitamix and blended! It was way better than any applesauce I’ve ever had! So fresh!
Raw apples or cooked?
I used raw, but I bet cooked would be really good too.
frozen avocado is also a great addition in smoothies! MMM
I use almost the same recipe as you only I also add a cup or so of kale. I am also really loving chocolate whey protein shakes with one tablespoon of coconut oil added in. Tastes just like an almond joy….yummy!
Go Packers….it’s going to be a tough game but I think they can do it….fingers crossed!
We might be spontaneous and go to the game! eeeep
All the cool kids made green smoothies today.
I just got a vitamix for Christmas… Care to share the settings you use for your smoothies?! I’m a newbie!
Yum! I love green smoothies! I’m actually posting a few this coming Wednesday for Fitmixer and including two of my favorites, Coconut Cream and Oatmeal Cookie in a Bowl :-)
This sounds really good! I go through spurts where I loooooooove shakes, and other times I just don’t care for them. I’m thinking this may be breakfast tomorrow though ;)
Strawberry banana w/vanilla protein powder or choc p.p. with peanut butter and banana.
I hated spinach when I was a kid but I loved Popeye so my mom told me if I ate my spinach I’d get strong muscles like Popeye.. I’ve liked it ever since :)
love spinach!! love green smoothies, although taking a break from the right now. mainly because I will be traveling so no blender ;)
I love green smoothies–I used to make them all the time and stopped for some reason. This post has inspired me to start up again! Thank you!
I’ve been LOVING smoothies lately despite the freezing temps too!!! My cacao-cherry power protein smoothie is always a fav of mine: http://itzlinz.com/2012/08/30/cacao-cherry-power-protein-smoothie/
This is embarrassing, but for years (as in till just a few months ago) I’d throw my bananas, peel and all, into the freezer and then when I wanted a frozen banana I’d have to use knife acrobatics to slice that peel off…. It NEVER dawned on me to take the peel off and THEN put the banana in the freezer.
ohgesh.
I just did a post on Thursday about green smoothies! :) Love ‘em!
http://eatmovebalance.com/green-smoothies/
It’s so vibrantly GREEN. I love it…but I only want to drink it when things warm up a bit. Make it for me in April…mmkay?
so this might be common sense but i’ve just been doing this lately. buy organic frozen spinach in the bag at TJs and use in lieu of fresh. it helps keep that creamy texture since it’s frozen already–like the banana! then you don’t have to dilute your shake as much with the ice! genius right? :)
my fave shake is:
-1 serving manitoba harvest vanilla hemp protein
-half frozen banana +1c frozen spinach
-1/2c frozen strawberries
-3tbsp raw cacao
-1c almond milk
blend and serve!
Great tip!
Please keep posting your protein smoothie recipes. I love to get ideas on the different flavors.
I usually roll with chocolate protein powder, almond milk, ice, chocolate PB2, and a frozen banana. A healthy chocolate peanut butter milkshake!
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=oN8zmF6gCxI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoN8zmF6gCxI
Pretty cool idea for spinach smoothie loving peeps.
That’s an awesome idea! Thanks for the link!
I was scared to try this at first, but it wasn’t bad at all! :D I don’t use the guar gum or protein powder, but it’s still good! Thanks for sharing and persuading me to try new things!