How To Blend A Healthier Smoothie

                Not all shakes are created equal. For example, Shakeology differs greatly from your run-of-the-mill protein powder. This article, however, is not about the benefits of Shakeology (although you can read one about that here). This is an article about how to amp up the nutritional value in your average shake (be it a post-workout shake or  Shakeology) to make it even tastier and healthier for you.

                The possibilities for add-ins to your shakes are literally endless. I have so much fun playing around with different additions to my daily Shakeology as well as my post-workout shake.

(source: What Contains Gluten)

                Here are some great ideas for what you can throw into your blender the next time you make your shake:

-          Dates (remove the pit first!)

-          Pureed pumpkin

-          Spinach (sounds weird but trust me on this. It doesn’t add taste to your shake, just a handful of nutrients!)

-          Flaxseeds

-          Nuts

-          Frozen fruit

-          Oats (you can grind them first if you prefer your shakes to be less thick)

-          Honey

-          Cottage cheese

-          Yogurt

-          Other darky leaf greens (i.e., kale – which WILL change the taste of your shake)

-          Extracts (i.e., mint, caramel, butterscotch – use SPARINGLY though! A drop or two will do)

-          Nut butters (peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter)

-          Cinnamon

-          Instant coffee granules (play around with flavoured versions too!)

-          Avocado

-          Wheat germ

-          Agave nectar

-          Cacao nibs

-          Maple syrup (a drop or two will do)

-          Tofu (adds no flavour!)

You can also change up the flavour of your shake by using a different liquid base. For example:

-          Water

-          Milk

-          Almond milk

-          Flavoured almond milk

-          Coconut milk

-          Juices (be wary of sugar content)

-          Tea

-          Coffee 

Remember, when you’re blending your shakes that the more liquid you put into the blender, the thinner your shake will be. The less liquid, the thicker it’ll be. However, that said, the more ice you put into the blender will also change the consistency of your shake. I prefer mine nice and thick (like a milkshake) so I put in a lot of ice!

What's your favorite shake recipe?