Easy and Delicious (Vegan) Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

After a long and exhausting week I slept in a bit and headed out for my run a bit later than usual Saturday morning. Matt was still out of town on a work trip so I had the morning to myself. I decided to run Cheesman and Washington Parks and thought it would be about 6.5 miles, but I ended up with another eight. It was also a warm morning - hitting the low 60's - so all that was on my mind the last 2 miles was how delicious a cold smoothie would be when I got home.

When we switched to a vegan diet I was worried that my smoothies would suffer because I had always used Greek yogurt and was convinced that without it, they'd just be icey slush. Thankfully, I was wrong. All they need - in my opinion - is frozen banana and almond milk. (tip: cut the banana into pieces, and freeze in an air tight glass container lined with parchment or wax paper so the banana doesn't freeze to the glass)

Low on supplies I was still able to put together one perfectly delicious and satisfying smoothie in a quick minute. Often my smoothies include a long, but healthy, list of ingredients; this has just six:

• 1 small banana (frozen)
• A handful of frozen mango chunks
• 1 tbs all natural smooth peanut butter
• 1 scoop Vega chocolate protein & greens powder
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup cold water or coconut water (add more as needed for desired consistency)

Packed with nutrients and protein to help muscles recover after a tough workout, it tasted just like a big, cold peanut butter cup. What's not to love about that?

What do you crave during a long run on a hot day? * Have you had a great workout success lately? Share it with us!

Summer Smoothies

Saturday morning was an early wake up call - earlier than most Saturday mornings - and it didn't even involve a race! Instead I headed to our local CBS affiliate here in Denver to accompany my co-worker and friend, Andrea, along with an incredibly impressive college junior, Nadeen, who is a Greenhouse Scholar, to talk about the organization and Venus de Miles, which is happening next Saturday in Longmont (there's still time to register - or volunteer!)!

After some early morning fun with these lovely ladies in the studio, Andrea and I took a foot tour of Downtown Denver to burn off some nervous energy and work up a little sweat! 

I'm usually a solo runner but these past two weekends I've switched it up a bit. Its been a nice change to have someone there to push me as I'm coming back from my latest injury. It's mostly a mental wall I'm dealing with right now but I can't give in as easily when I'm running with someone else! 

As soon as I got home I was in front of our fridge pulling out ingredients for an ice cold smoothie. As often as possible this summer I've been enjoying green smoothies. My mornings are rushed, my commute is long, and I tend to fall out of the habit once the weather turns cooler, so every chance I get I'm blending up some goodness.

There's just something about a smoothie that is ultra satisfying on a hot day after a tough workout. I sometimes pair it with a handful of nuts if I need a little crunch, but other than that, it can be the perfect post-workout meal.

Of course, I'm a huge fan of the green smoothie and have found that Trader Joe's Power Blend works wonders. For some reason it seems to blend more easily than spinach alone, so it's been my go-to this summer.

If you're still on the summer smoothie kick, or are looking for a few new ideas, I'd love to help you out. These are two of the "recipes" I've been going to often this summer. 

The fine print: I don't really have any hard & true recipes, aside from the initial amount of liquid - I just eyeball it and see where it takes me. That said, most of the time I seem to end up with about 12 ounces. Also, I only use frozen fruit. This way I don't have to worry about adding ice, which makes it cold but doesn't really help the consistency.

Tropical Greens

• Banana
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Pear
• Avocado
• Power Greens (ripped/chopped into smaller pieces)
• Almond Milk
• Coconut Water
• Plant Protein Powder (I used Whole Food's Plant-Based Fit Protein, Vanilla-Cinnamon)
• Ground Flax Seed

Sometimes I have to add a little bit of water to get the consistency right, but only a tiny bit at a time because you can't go back!

Chocolate Covered Summer Green Smoothie

• Banana
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Power Greens
• Almond Milk
• Coconut Water
• Chocolate Pant Protein Powder (I use Chocolate Vega Protein & Greens)
• Ground Flax Seed

Greek yogurt used to be a staple ingredient in all of my smoothies, and when we moved to a mostly vegan diet I was worried that they wouldn't have the same creaminess as they used to. Thankfully I've found that as long as I keep banana in the recipe and don't use too much liquid, then it works out perfectly! 

What are some of your go-to smoothie ingredients? * Do you eat differently in warm months compared to cold months? * How do you make sure to get a healthy breakfast during the week?

You can find a few of my other smoothie recipes here, here, and here!

*Update: In the original version I accidentally listed coconut milk as an ingredient when it should have been coconut water. Sorry about that!*

Try a Protein Smoothie After Your Next Run

Well, it's that time of year again. The days are getting warmer, the sun stronger, and my craving for cold, satisfying smoothies is back full force.

I have two go-to protein smoothies right now that hit the spot depending on how I'm feeling - a tropical smoothie for when I'm craving a light, refreshing drink, and a chocolate peanut butter recipe perfect for when I want something a bit more indulgent and substantial. Both are jam packed with good-for-me ingredients, and vegan. (But they're just as creamy as any with yogurt)

I like to add protein to ensure I'm getting enough as low levels can mean fatigue, decreased muscle mass, and an increased risk of injury. 

Note that with my smoothie recipes, all measurements are approximate - use as much liquid as you need to create the consistency you want. Thankfully making these are pretty easy - all it takes is combining the ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. 

Tropical Sunrise Protein Smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/4 cup frozen mango
• 1 thin slice avocado
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp. ground flax seed
• 2 pinches of shredded coconut (1 pinch to blend, 1 for garnish)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup coconut water
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/3 cup frozen mango
• 3 - 4 frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 2 tsp. peanut butter
• 1 tsp. ground flax seed

Both recipes make a smoothie that's about 10oz. So if you've just finished a long run or tough workout, you may want to have a piece of toast or handful of almonds as well. 

If you're wondering, I used Vanilla Spiru-tein shake and Vega Protein & Greens (Chocolate). 

Daily Burn is working with bloggers and others this month to spread the word about great protein shake recipes, so look for more at #ShowUsYourShake

You can find links to my other smoothie recipes here.

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients? * What do you crave after a run or tough workout on a warm day?