The White Hat Journal

Trips to the outlet mall in Galveston, TX on the way to Fort Worth are fondly remembered not because of the shopping, but because Mom would give me the four dollars it cost to buy a smoothie for a snack. This was memorable for a couple reasons. The first being that we rarely ate out, so an Orange Julius when I got my ears pierced, or going to McDonald’s after church was special. Second, these trips were taken when smoothies were not the popular fad they are now, plus six whole dollars for something to drink? That just didn’t happen. My love for all things fruit and veggie meant these were like little cups of heaven.

As part of my newfound journey of healthy eating and being on the go, I’ve found that protein smoothies have a way of making sure I get lots of fruits and veggies without all the fuss of a million dishes and the time it takes to prepare a fully cooked meal. Plus a flavored protein powder helps make sure I’m getting the nutrients my body needs. Here are a few of my favorite combos:

*Green Peanut Butter*

• 1 cup milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 large dollop creamy peanut butter
• 1 TBS ground flaxseed
• 1 banana
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• ¼ cup crushed ice

*Chocolate Raspberry*

• 1 cup chocolate almond milk (unsweetened)
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 TBS chia seeds
• 1 small carton raspberries (about 1 cup)
• ¼ chopped almonds
• ¼ cup crushed ice

*Creamy Blueberry*

• 1 cup milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 TBS ground flaxseed
• 1 small carton blueberries (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup whole oats
• ¼ cup crushed ice.

*Ginger Banana*

• 1 cup milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• ¼ cup whole oats
• 1 TBS chia seeds
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup crushed ice

As a side note, when I’m out in the sun I typically have on so much sunscreen I’ve got to get that vitamin D somewhere else, so I tend to use whole milk since it’s a good source. Also, the peanut butter or Greek yogurt helps hide any chalky texture from your protein powder, but be sure to experiment with small sample packets to find the one that’s right for you before investing in a huge container.