Put a little sunshine into your morning — even if the weather isn’t cooperating — with this bright & sweet creamsicle smoothie.

Most of us have a go-to protein shake or smoothie recipe. I haven’t got on the juicing train yet; I have a hard enough time keeping the fridge stocked with foods I intend to CHEW, let alone pounds of produce just for crushing. I do, however, like to simplify my morning routine from time to time with a daily smoothie.

 

NOT A FAN OF PROTEIN POWDER? TRY THIS AMAZING PEANUT BUTTER BANANA (POWDER-LESS) PROTEIN SHAKE! 

 

Most times, I recommend you chew your food. I mix it up in the morning with pre-prepped eggs, leftovers, and the odd bowl of oatmeal or a homemade muffin. It can get a little hectic, though. Variety may indeed be the spice of life but I need my mornings a little less “spicy.” Taking the “What am I going to eat?” question out of my morning equation actually helps reduce my morning stress. So, lately, it’s been a protein shake.

You can make your own fave smoothie recipe by following a basic formula:

 

FRUIT + FAT/FIBRE + PROTEIN + LIQUID + FLAVOUR ADD-INS

 

My no-brainer morning smoothie usually looks something like this:

• frozen fruit
• 1/2 overripe banana (we never run out of these, no matter how hard I try)
• chia or flax
• scoop of grass-fed whey protein
• unsweetened almond milk
• greens supplement
• cinnamon & pure vanilla extract

It’s great. It’s a vaguely greenish-purplish nutrient-packed glass of…sludge. OK, let’s be honest. If you’ve ever used a greens supplement, it turns everything moss-coloured.

Still, a delicious, fast, no-brainer breakfast.

Sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself with a spin on your usual routine. It doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’ve got the ingredients available, treat your tongue to something equally nutritious but novel.

Case in point: this much needed Monday pick-me-up Creamsicle Smoothie. Sweet spring flavour on a cloudy, cool morning.

Childhood in a glass. Let me know if you try it!

 

CREAMSICLE SMOOTHIE

 

Ingredients

• 1 scoop grassfed whey or vegan vanilla protein powder*
• 1-2 clementines or 1 small orange, peeled
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice (optional)
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• handful of ice cubes

Instructions

Combine in a high-powered blender & whiz until smooth. Add more liquid if too thick, or add a scoop of plain yogurt or another 1/2 banana, or more ice, if too thin.

* Or use 1 scoop unflavoured protein powder + 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract