It’s finally here! SMOOTHIE SEASON!
Smoothies are the unofficial drink of the spring/summer and I’m so excited to share today’s post all about pre-made smoothie jars with you. These make-ahead smoothie jars combine two great ways to save time and still eat healthy – meal prep and a nutritious smoothie.
Smoothies have gotten somewhat of a bad rap in the health world over the last few years and for good reason. Some of the smoothies sold at local smoothie shops are filled with added sugars and high-sugar fruit juices that can spike your blood sugar and leave you feeling like you’ve crashed. But, smoothies don’t have to leave you feeling gross, the key is to make sure that they’re balanced with the right combination of ingredients – just like any other meal.
Making a smoothie with the right combo of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein will leave you feeling SO GOOD and not hungry thirty minutes after you finish drinking them. If you’re drinking a fruit smoothie, most of the carbohydrates will come from the fruit. Here are few ingredients you can use to add healthy fats and protein to your smoothies.
Healthy Fats
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nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond)
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avocado
Protein
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greek yogurt
Now that we’ve talked about what makes the perfect smoothie, let’s get into these simple pre-made smoothie jars! These make-ahead smoothie jars are a great way to gather all of your smoothie ingredients into one place and make your mornings even easier.
To assemble these, you start with the fruit first. I’ve given you two great simple options in the recipes below, but feel free to get creative. There are so many different combinations of fruit that you can use for your smoothie so feel free to get creative!
Two of my personal favorites are the classic strawberry, banana, nut butter combo and a more tropical version with mango, pineapple, and peaches. Both of these are absolutely delicious and fairly simple which is a must-have for me.
After you add your fruit, it’s time for the greens! You don’t have to add spinach or other leafy greens to your smoothie, but it is an easy way to get more greens into your diet. When you use a mild leafy green like spinach you can’t even taste them! Here are a few great leafy green and veggie options:
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spinach
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mild mixed greens
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kale
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cucumber
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cauliflower
Adding the leafy greens to the top of your jar gives you the opportunity to blend them with the liquid first which is a great tip. Blending the leafy greens with your liquid before you add any fruit ensures that they’re completely blended and broken down so you get a thick and creamy smoothie consistency without any chunks of leafy greens, because who wants that?!
Once your jars are assembled you can store them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. Then, when it’s breakfast time, just pull out a jar, add the ingredients to your blender along with the liquid of your choice and any additional add-ins. Next, just blend everything in a high-powered blender and breakfast is done!
Craving More? Try these delicious recipes!
Almond Butter & Jelly Smoothie
Five-Ingredient Vanilla Chia Pudding
Simple Pre-Made Smoothie Jars
Strawberry Banana Peanut Butter
Ingredients:
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1/2 cup frozen strawberries
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1/2 frozen banana
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1 cup almond or coconut milk
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1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
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handful of baby spinach, optional
Optional Add-Ins
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Medjool date or honey for sweetness
Method
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Place all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy!
Tropical Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
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1/4 cup frozen mangos
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1/2 cup frozen peaches
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1/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
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1 tbsp chia seeds
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1 cup coconut water
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handful of baby spinach
Optional Add-Ins:
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Plain or vanilla greek yogurt
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Replace 1/2 cup of coconut water with pineapple juice
Method
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Place all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy!
