Smoothies are such a delicious treat, full of flavour and colour. And preparing them is as easy as ABC. Particularly, protein smoothies are suitable for breakfast, before a workout, or as a refreshing snack anytime during the day. Knowing how to make a smoothie without fruit or vegetables is impossible as this does not really guarantee a healthy drink.

Creating a fruit and veggie protein smoothie is an exciting way to add more nutrients to your diet. The combination is a whole lot better than either pure protein smoothie or fruit-and-veggie smoothie. If you often get hungry soon after having a fruit smoothie, adding protein to it will make you feel full longer. Simply put, you can turn your smoothie into a whole meal.

Studies reveal that daily intake of fruits and vegetables helps your body fight chronic diseases. However, many people struggle to eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. If you’re among them, smoothies make it easier for you to sneak fruit and veggies into your diet. You can always play around with different combos of fruits, vegetables, and proteins to add variety to your diet.

Having said that, here are five fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes to try:

  1. Strawberry banana protein smoothie

Protein smoothies are an excellent body-building food. They can give you the required 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per day to build muscles. Start by trying out a mixture of strawberry, banana, plus a protein, which can be milk, yogurt, or cheese. Strawberry adds flavour while the banana gives a naturally sweet taste. You may even want to add spinach or kale to this combination to pack all the essential nutrients into your drink. Here are the steps to follow to prepare this fruit and veggie protein smoothie:

  • You’ll need 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, a banana, and half a cup of yogurt plus a veggie, such as spinach
  • Put them all in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • If you go with yogurt or cheese, add them at this point and blend further until everything is well mixed.
  • If you love your smoothie runny, you can add 2 ice cubes or water.
  • Serve with toppings such as chia seeds to add more nutrients.
  1. Spinach-avocado smoothie

You can never go wrong with a green smoothie. This combination has healthy nutrients and can blend well with most proteins. Note that you still need to add a fruit in green smoothies since vegetables alone may have a nasty taste. Fruits naturally add sugar to your smoothies, making them more palatable. Such sugars are also healthy and make up for a balanced smoothie when protein is added.

Here’s how to go about with the spinach-avocado protein smoothie:

  • In your veggie smoothies nutribullet, add the spinach, and blend until no leaves can be seen.
  • Add your avocado chunks and half a cup of almond milk, yogurt, or natural milk.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Serve with blue raspberries as a topping.
  1. Mango almond smoothie

This fibre-rich smoothie is one of the most sought-after rich fruit and veg smoothie recipes UK. This is a good choice as it is rich in fibre and helps prevent constipation.

Mango adds flavour to your smoothie while almonds are good substitutes for protein. Moreover, you can add other nuts to this smoothie to enhance the protein content.  Either way, your mango almond smoothie can also be topped with mint or any green leafy vegetable. Do it this way:

  • Place your frozen mango dices in the blender
  • Add mint leaves and almonds and switch on the blender
  • Add either Greek yogurt, almond milk, or groundnuts.
  • Use almonds as a topping
  1. Kale, peanut butter, banana smoothie

For your smoothies, it’s also great to have a healthy intake of fat. Peanut butter is a great source of healthy fats. You can substitute this with nut butter or Greek yogurt. Remember, a completely healthy smoothie is one that has as many nutrients as possible. Adding vegetables such as kale, zucchini, cucumber, pumpkin, and celery to your smoothie provides more vitamins and fibre. Go for fruits such as avocados for healthy fats, and grapes to add sweetness to your drink.

Here is the recipe for your kale peanut butter banana smoothie:

  • Put your kale, peanut, and banana chunks in a blender.
  • Blend until everything is thoroughly mixed up.
  • Serve with a topping of your choice.
  1. Banana cocoa soy smoothie

If you want a tropical-inspired protein smoothie, then you’ll love Philippines healthy fruit and veg smoothie recipes. A great one is this banana cocoa soy smoothie. Here is the recipe:

  • You need two frozen bananas.
  • Blend your cocoa and soy. Then, add the bananas and puree until smooth.
  • Since cocoa can taste too strong, you can add honey to sweeten the mixture.

Conclusion

Combining fruits, veggies, and proteins in a smoothie sets you up for a healthy treat with plenty of nutrients. Whichever smoothie recipe you settle on, ensure you play it safe with your additions to ensure it’s still healthy and balanced. Avoid too many fats and pick vegetables and fruits that go well together. You can also opt for natural sweeteners instead of processed ones. After all, natural is the way to go for a healthier lifestyle.

References

  1. “Smoothies: Are They Good for You?”, Source: https://www.webmd.com/diet/smoothies-good-for-you
  2. “Green Smoothies: Are They Good for You?”, Source: https://www.webmd.com/diet/green-smoothies-are-they-good-for-you
  3. “Constipation”, Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/symptoms-causes/syc-20354253