smoothies for dummies

I'm sure you will get a lot of responses with protein powders, as many people know much more than I do about them. I don't like the artifical taste in them, so I don't buy or use them. However, I do make a tasty chocolate smoothie that is super high in protein!

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup cottage cheese (trust me, you won't know)
1 banana (i freeze mine)
2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 cup milk (I use almond, but you can use any)

Tastes like a chocolate milkshake. You can also add peanut butter or PB2

Good luck!

The simplest one I do is Carnation Instant breakfast and milk (almond or soy are fine if you don't do dairy). You can mix it in a cup, but I put it in my Magic Bullet because it makes it frothier. and helps dissolve the powder better. You can also add banana, peanut butter, etc.

I've found that the most important thing to have with smoothies, is a GREAT blender. The Vita-mix hype is only partly true, because you can actually grind ice with it, which means the sky is the limit when it comes to smoothies. I hear Blend-Tec has a comparable blender for 1/3 the cost, but I went with the Vita-Mix because of their customer service reputation. As it happens, I've never called them, because it's never broken down and I've beat on it quite a lot. lol. If I had to do it over again, I'd go for the Blend-Tec.

At any rate, the simplest smoothies are the best. I DO use the protein powders as someone above, says, because I am vegetarian and usually need the extra protein boost, but smoothies are really easy with yogurt, with milk, with juice, etc. etc.

The yogurt ones are easiest and usually just contain yogurt, enough water to mix, and frozen fruit, with whatever sweetener you like. Mixing banana with chocolate is an old standby in the RAW world, because you can't really taste anything but the two ingredients, plus whatever sweetener you use. There's even a chocolate pudding made from avocados, because you aren't the only one who misses chocolate. lol.

Having said all that, don't be afraid to experiment..............making a bad smoothie is pretty hard, in my mind.

Well, anyway, here's my recipe for a chocolate shake/slushie.

2 cups of nut/flax/soy milk.
A serving of Amazing Grass Vanilla Chai protein powder.
2.5 tablespoons of raw cacao.
A small frozen banana.
Agave Nectar (to taste), usually 1 tablespoon).

That's pretty much it. I usually add the powders to the liquid, to whir up a bit, before adding the frozen fruit, because once the fruit gets pureed, it's actually more of a soft-serve ice cream. Sometimes I add frozen raspberries, strawberries, etc. etc.

Perfect for when the chocolate hankering comes up. PLUS, really, really, good for the body. Low calorie, low-fat, and very, very, "alkalinizing" (antioxidizing).

Good luck!.

Do you have the calorie count for it?

I am not a big oatmeal fan so I blend mine into my shake.

1/8 cup oats
1 cup water
4 ice cubes
1 scoop protein powder (I use muscle milk)
1 tbs PB2
1/2 medium banana.

Works out to approximately 300 calories and I enjoy the taste a lot.

I don't like the artifical taste in them, so I don't buy or use them. However, I do make a tasty chocolate smoothie that is super high in protein

How many grams protein? Doesn't sound very high in protein to me.

By the way, you should be able to get flavouring-free protein powder, including those without artificial sweeteners, which may be the taste you don't like.

Not chocolate but simple and (I think) delicious:

I throw into my Magic Bullet / single serving blender:

1 small or medium peeled orange, or a cored apple
1 banana
top off the cup with frozen berries (sometimes I rinse them in hot water first)
fill it with skim milk (or orange juice, or warm or cold tea)

And blend. Usually I put it all together the night before, keep it in the fridge, and blend it in the morning for breakfast. Takes about 3 minutes to assemble.