Looking for an easy and nutritious breakfast option during these warm summer months? Smoothies, like the ones Thistle’s menu features twice weekly, are the answer! Whipped up in minutes, power smoothies are a tasty way to include all the nutrients you need to start your day off right. With an unlimited number of ingredients, you are bound to find a power smoothie recipe that has you excited for the first meal of the day. 

Power Smoothie Basics

In the later half of the 20th century, America experienced something of a nutrition revolution, where a focus on health foods emerged and the popularity of “health drinks” skyrocketed. As an easy way to consume more fruits and vegetables in a single meal, smoothies became a breakfast staple for many. Fast forward to today where popular franchises like Jamba Juice and Smoothie King are just around the corner!

Not all smoothies are created equally, though. To make a power smoothie, it’s important to include ingredients that give the body stable energy instead of a blood sugar spike and energy crash. Crafting smoothies with certain ingredients (and in certain ratios) will help support the mental clarity and energy you need to tackle the day. 

The top three nutrients that promote long lasting energy are fiber, fat, and protein.

Power Smoothies Include Fruits and Vegetables

When you make a power smoothie, load up half the blender with fruits and vegetables. Kale and spinach are virtually tasteless once blended, along with mixed berries and banana to add additional micronutrients and a sweet flavor. 

Fruit generally provides more quick energy and contains more sugar than vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables contain fiber, a type of carbohydrate that promotes stable energy levels and satiety by slowing down the digestion process. 

With a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, a power smoothie is guaranteed to have an assortment of antioxidants. vitamins, and minerals. Try out different combinations of fruits and vegetables to find one that you enjoy. Here is a Thistle fan favorite power smoothie you can try at home!

Power Smoothies Include Protein

Next up in a power smoothie is protein. Excellent protein sources for a power smoothie include protein powder, silken tofu, chickpeas (find them in this smoothie recipe), nuts and nut butters, seeds, soy milk, yogurt, and leafy greens. Like fiber, protein helps us feel full and satisfied, and should be included in each meal. 

The building blocks of protein, called amino acids, are essential for helping our bodies repair and rebuild, and are part of the structure of our hair, skin and nails. Aiming for about 20 grams of protein per meal is a great goal! 

Power Smoothies Include Healthy Fat

For a power smoothie or any other meal, it’s recommended to stick largely with unsaturated fats, which are associated with cardiovascular disease prevention. Outside of nuts and seeds, avocado is an excellent source of unsaturated fats to try in smoothies or other meals. 

A little healthy fat goes a long way. With just one typical serving – 1-2 tablespoons – fat packs a lot of energy and calories for our bodies to use alongside carbohydrates to fuel us throughout the day. Fat also helps with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, with hormone production, and with body temperature regulation. A power smoothie wouldn’t be complete without this important macronutrient. 

Choose Your Own Power Smoothie Adventure

Grab your blender. Time to make a tasty, energizing power smoothie! Pick one ingredient from each category below and blend with enough liquid of choice until the desired consistency is met. This makes one serving, but feel free to double the portions to make two power smoothies. If you’re into meal planning and meal prep, you can pre-chop fruits and vegetables, portion them out, and store them in baggies in the freezer. 

Fruit (½-1 cup)

Blueberries

Strawberries

Banana

Mango

Papaya

Applesauce

Pineapple

Raspberries

Vegetables (1-2 large handfuls)

Kale

Carrot

Cauliflower, riced

Spinach

Beets

Squash

Pumpkin

Parsnip

Fat (1-2T)

Chia seeds

Sesame seeds

Peanut butter

Cashews

Avocado

Ground flax seed

Tahini

Almond butter

Protein (20-25 grams)

Pea protein

Silken tofu

Soy milk

Hemp protein

Greek yogurt

Rice protein

Casein protein

Whey protein

Power Smoothie Recipes

Here are some of our favorite quick and easy power smoothie recipes:

Peanut Butter and Whey: ½ C strawberries + ½ banana + handful of spinach + 1T peanut butter + 1 scoop chocolate whey protein

Tropi-cauli Paradise: ¼ C mango + ¼ C papaya + ½ C frozen riced cauliflower + ½ avocado + ½ C greek yogurt

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice: 1 banana + ½ C pumpkin + 1T chia seeds + 1 scoop vanilla rice protein + cinnamon

Find other power smoothie recipes, like Chunky Monkey and Golden Mellow, on our Recipes + Meal Hacks page. 

Power smoothies are a quick and nutritious way to start the morning (or end the day – breakfast for dinner, anyone?). When packed with satisfying ingredients and the right ratio of protein, fat, and fiber, power smoothies help us maintain stable energy and fill our bodies with everything we need to power through the day.

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