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| One of my Kansas apple trees. I had to leave them behind when we moved :( |
- I mean, I don't want to jinx anything -
- but Spring may actually be upon us!
(Ignore that snow. It's spring snow - gone as quickly as it comes.)
And Spring means it's SMOOTHIE TIME!
I'm sure you all have your own favorite smoothies, but since I've become a Trim Healthy Mama, I've made smoothies a regular part of my day.
This one has berries in it, and what can be more springy than that?
Here are the ingredients I used:
1 scoop Swanson's Whey Protein Powder (I buy mine from Amazon)
1/4 cup 0% fat plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup water
1 cup frozen berries (any kind - mine are a blend of berries from Walmart's freezer section)
12 ice cubes
Put all the ingredients except the ice cubes in a blender, and blend until smooth. Add the ice cubes and blend until it's all smooth again.
Easy-peasy, and so delicious!
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| I like to serve my smoothies in these one quart canning jars. :) |
The protein powder makes this snack extra filling, so fills in that gap between lunch and supper.
Another smoothie I LOVE is chocolate. Of course.
And here are those ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons (or packets) Truvia
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
1 scoop Swanson's Whey Protein Powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional - my protein powder has vanilla in it already)
15-20 ice cubes
Blend it up the same way as the first one! (By the way, the more ice cubes you add, the thicker the smoothies get.)
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| July flowers along the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming |
This last smoothie is so decadent, you'll never be able to convince yourself it's low-fat and low-carb!
One of my weaknesses is cake batter. I love licking the beaters, smelling that delicious vanilla flavor...please tell me I'm not the only one!
This cake batter smoothie satisfies my cravings. Oh, it's so good!
Here are the ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1% or 2% fat (you won't taste or feel the cottage cheese in the smoothie)
1 scoop Swanson's Whey Protein Powder
1 pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (or packet) Truvia
Blend all of these ingredients, and then taste. Adjust if necessary, and then add and blend in 15-20 ice cubes.
The great thing about these smoothies is that they are all low-fat, low-carb, and delicious.
They make losing weight child's play!
So, on this beautiful spring Saturday, what do you have planned?
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| My youngest son. Being himself. |
Oh, this is neat because I just bought a couple of bags of frozen fruit. My kids were asking me to make smoothies and I really didn't know where to start... Now I do! and that purple one looks AH-MAZING.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Can I just skip the whey protein powder? Isn't that for body builders? I think I get enough protein for my usual sedentary self...
ReplyDeleteYou can skip the whey protein powder. It isn't just for body builders - it can be used for weight loss, too (there are different kinds).
DeleteBut the smoothie will be delicious without it. You might want to add more yogurt to give it some extra creaminess :)
Enjoy your smoothies!
I had to stop at a health store for a big jar of Vitamin D (sigh) and I saw whey protein powder... so I grabbed it! Of course, Ruthy says it tastes bad and now I'm scared to try it. :D
DeleteTry it! But start with 1/2 scoop at first. I like the taste, but not too much at a time.
DeleteOK, I'll keep that in mind!
DeleteGreat pic of your son, Jan!! Made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteThat's his favorite "senior picture". Not the official one, though :)
DeleteLOL -- tell your son's almost as cute as Thatcher...almost being the key word. :-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't made smoothies with yoghurt...will have to try that. I'm pretty boring -- milk and berries -- kind of smoothie maker. I'll have to explore these options.
How long will almond milk keep in the fridge once it's been opened?
Smoothies without yogurt? I've always made them WITH yogurt. :)
DeleteAnd the almond milk stays fresh for a long time. We were out of town for a week, and I left an opened container in the fridge - still fresh when we came home. I'd say at least two weeks - three might be pushing it.
I have a friend who can only have almond milk, and a carton will keep for several weeks in our fridge. Enough for a few cups of coffee a week when she drops by. :)
Deleteis that protein powder sweet? if not I think I"ll need truvia in all of these! need to find smoothie recipes since I don't do Weight watchers now - used to buy their smoothie mixes and add milk and fruit. a friend uses this other powder stuff - it's pretty good- she's made me a couple of smoothies when I've been over- visalis or something like that- sounds like a hair product is all I remember LOL!
ReplyDeleteSusanna
The protein powder is sweet. You'll have to start without the Truvia, taste the smoothie before adding the ice, and then add sweetener if you want to.
DeleteOne great thing about these smoothies is that they're so versatile. I forgot to add that I often add raw spinach to my berry smoothies. It makes the color a little darker, but you can't taste it (I add about a handful). I try to get greens in my diet whenever I can.
Very interesting. Thank you for the recipes. Does your Whey Powder have carbs btw. And how much protein is in it? Where do you purchase the product. I bought a carb-less, 25gm Whey Protein product at GNC just yesterday. Looks like I am ready to SMOOTHIE.
ReplyDeleteSwanson's is available on-line only, at least around here. I order mine from Amazon (link in the post).
DeleteYou're ready to smoothie up a storm!
FYI. My product is naturally sweet too, so I don't see the need for a lactose product. I use lactose free milk, but must try the almond milk. Calorie and carb count on almond milk? Hmm..must check this out.
ReplyDeleteI checked. Very similar products. Mine has 25 g protein and yours has 20. Mine is 106 calories and yours is 90.
ReplyDeleteVirginia, at our age (not yours you child you) we need the protein. Lack of estrogen means we are losing muscle mass and bone density. I don't do much dairy so this is a great option.
Ah, those days when we could eat what we wanted, walk around the block, and keep our girlish figures!
DeleteIt wasn't that long ago, was it???
I will not discuss the girlish figure thing, or what sitting on your derriere writing does to the hip-spread.... but Jan I'm so delighted with these ideas because I can't juice like Tina does.... I like substance. So I eat a lot of broccoli slaw in salads and omelets, but these sound delicious as long as I can keep the carb count down.
DeleteNow here's my question. I have never been able to enjoy anything with whey or wheat germ in it. Or soy curd.
So would I taste it? Would you make me one and BRING IT HERE????? :) I've got all the ingredients for a couple of them without the whey.....
The other thing I've found is that Mueller's vanilla Greek yogurt with almonds is a wonderful quick meal when I'm dying to eat something and there's no time to make something low-carb friendly. Having that yogurt in the fridge keeps me out of the ice cream MOST of the time.
Which one of these is your favorite? And thank you for not putting kale in it, what is up with the kale crush these days????
Aw, now I scrolled up to see if I was insulting anyone (it's a habit of mine) and sure enough, Jan's throwing spinach in....
(Ruthy stretches out her hand to STOP JAN!!!! To no avail, of course!!!!)
I think I remember being Virginia's age.
DeleteIt was a different CENTURY.
Dagnabbit.
I finally got the opportunity to get to the post office, and guess what I found? A beautifully autographed copy of "Loving the Lawman"! Thank you!
DeleteI would love to bring one of these smoothies to you so you can taste it for yourself, Ruthy dear, but logistics being what they are, I'm not going to make it. :(
I can't take soy anything, except those roasted soy nuts. Sorry Kav, but TVP, tofu, anything made with soy - nope.
But this whey protein powder - as long as it isn't a major part of the recipe - is pretty good. I have another recipe where you just stir the protein powder into a cup of yogurt, and that one is too whey-ie for me. It's an expensive experiment, though, just to try it. You'll have to ask if anyone local is a Trim Healthy Mama. The diet is taking the country by storm, so you might know someone. Just look for any incredible shrinking women. ;)
And yes, I throw spinach in. Not kale, though. I have to cook kale or it's too bitter. But I only add the greens if I haven't gotten a serving elsewhere...like with my spinach, cheese and egg scramble.
ha! I'm turning 40 in a few weeks so I can't possibly be that far behind you all.
DeleteWait! Tina does juicing? I have an awesome juicer (a Breville, $300+ retail) and I've never really used it. But then I saw that movie "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". Sort of described my life!
DeleteNo, seriously, I was very inspired by his fresh fruit and veggies lifestyle.
I just don't know what to juice. I can't take that much apple juice and kale looks HORRIBLE.
I DO REMEMBER 40!!!!!! IT WAS ONLY A WEEK OR SO AGO! :)
DeleteTina sent us all links to that movie. What a smack upside the head, right? You go, girl.... Now I have to see what Trim Healthy Mama is all about. You know what I've found is that it's tougher right now because I'm working in the chair more each day, writing, trimming, editing.... and the inches need MOVEMENT. I'm hopeful that with the weather finally softening, needing to be outside will tempt an inch or two off here or there.... Mostly there. :)
Awesome stuff Jan ! Ruthie, your stopping in too, how wonderful ! Now you know I have all of the ingredients and almond or coconut milk here... so cool !
ReplyDeleteStarted on a new healthy eating and getting well plan with Dr Dave Frahm on FB. Going to beat this weight and lack of a more girlish figure... I have over 100 lbs to drop ! Want to join me ?
Blessings
Linda
There are a few of us here in the cafe who are dropping weight, Linda! Just stop by here for encouragement whenever you want.
DeleteBut you'll have to expect a few decadent desserts here and there, too. But virtual calories don't cost a thing, do they?
I'm with you Linda! I don't know that group, but I'm DETERMINED to eat better and drop some pounds. In college I would just skip the midnight pizza for a few days.
DeleteOh, the times we had... Now? I must whip the pounds off with a branch. *sigh*
Amen to all of that.
DeleteDay by day.... And I like that our focus isn't on just weight loss, it's on being healthy. Taking charge of the things we can.
Hey, we can do this! (Although I probably have desserts on the menu soon because we've had so many birthday parties this month, it's kind of crazy..... and yet fun!)
I went to THM's website.... Those girls have it going on! What great ideas for keeping taste and food in a diet.... and not thinking it's a diet! Wonderful stuff!
DeleteJust wait until you see Monday's recipe. Who says dieting/eating healthy = suffering?
DeleteJan, I'm sorry I didn't get by here over the weekend. I'm loving the idea of the smoothies as snacks!! I'll definitely have to order some of that powder.
ReplyDeleteJan, did you say you use the vanilla flavored whey protein powder?
ReplyDelete