If I left my house right now, I could hit about 11 different smoothie and/or juice bars. I know this because I just Googled it.

I have never actually been to a juice bar, but they have exploded over the last few years. Even the grocery store I go to has a juice bar. I’ve never really been a fan of smoothies because I like to chew my food but, in the last couple of years, I’ve made the switch.

I was tired of the yogurt, fruit thing and I was done with cereal and, really, I don’t want to spend a lot of time making a big breakfast unless it’s a brunchy kinda thing. With Mimosas.

Hold the orange juice.

Enter Smoothies.

Let’s start with some basics.

 How to Make a Smoothie

 1. Pick a liquid (4-8 ounces)

Water
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Soy Milk
Hemp Milk
Iced Green Tea
–you can also use Greek yogurt, in which case you don’t need any protein powder

2. Pick a Protein Powder (25-50 grams or 1-2 scoops)

Collagen
Casein Protein
Rice Protein
Pea Protein
Hemp Protein

3. Pick a Veggie (1-2 Handfuls)

Dark leafy greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale)
Pumpkin or sweet potato
Beets/beet greens
Cucumber/Celery
Powdered green supplement
Frozen Cauliflower (you can’t taste it, y’all)

Veggie Tips:

You can’t taste spinach at all, so this is good for picky eaters.
Pair canned or roasted pumpkin with vanilla
Pair peeled roasted beets with chocolate
When you use celery or cucumber, you’ll need less liquid

4. Pick a Fruit (1-2 handfuls fresh or frozen)

Apples
Bananas
Berries
Cherries
Dates (these are very sweet – buy the pitted version)
Pineapple/Mango

5. Pick a Healthy Fat (1-2 thumb-sized portions)

Walnuts
Flax, hemp, or chia seeds (chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid – never eat them dry because of this crazy story)
Cashews
Almonds
Peanut & nut butters

6. Pick a Topper

Coconut
Dark Chocolate
Yogurt (if you want a smoother texture – a little goes a long way)
Oats/granola
Cinnamon
Ice (if you’re using fresh fruit)

Okay, so you can totally mix and match now that you have some options, right? And making your own smoothies at home with this smoothie guide means you’re drinking something healthy – no added sugars or whatever additives might be in store-bought smoothies.

The Benefits of Smoothies

• They’re really simple to make
• They help you get more servings of fruits and veggies
• You can add superfoods like hemp or chia seeds without even noticing
• All of these nutrients can reduce inflammation and improve digestion
• It may increase your fiber consumption
• Can help with weight loss if you don’t overdo it

Smoothie Hacks to Save You Time

1.  Put your greens (I prefer spinach) in a blender with some coconut water and blend it up. Pour it into ice cube trays and freeze. Put 2-3 cubes in your smoothie. This saves time and you can do this when your spinach goes bad, which it probably will.
2. Cut bananas into slices and lay them flat in a freezer bag. Freeze and then you can grab a handful when you’re ready for your smoothie.
3. Prep your smoothies by doing this: Take out 5 freezer bags and put in all your frozen ingredients: Spinach, banana, and a cup of frozen fruit. Seal ’em up and stick them in the freezer.
4. When you’re ready to make it, pour in your liquid, add your protein and then dump your frozen ingredients right into the blender.

It will take you less than 3 minutes, y’all. You can have them for breakfast, as a meal replacement (make sure you get enough protein) or as a snack. Enjoy!

Bonus: 3 Really Good Smoothie Recipes 

Tell me your #smoothiesecrets