Sunrise Smoothie
I’m constantly running late in the mornings, no matter how early I seem to wake up, so a quick and easy breakfast is crucial most days. I like to get my workouts in before heading to work, so it’s even more important that I not skip out on breakfast and eat a nutrient dense meal post-workout to start my day out right. For many years, I resisted the smoothie, even though it was a perfect quick and easy breakfast for my hectic mornings; I thought there was no way that a drink could keep me full until lunchtime, and honestly, I just didn’t care for fruit that much. I’ve since discovered two things that have converted me into a smoothie drinker: one, that frozen fruit can be incredibly delicious since it’s picked and frozen at peak ripeness, unlike most of the fruits found in the produce section of the grocery store which can be flavorless and bland, and two, adding in a healthy fat to my smoothie helps with satiety and keeps me full all morning.
The primary source of fat in my smoothies is almond butter; you can use any nut or seed butter, I just find that I like the taste of almond butter better. Almonds are an excellent source of unsaturated fat, protein, and fiber, in addition to other vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Consuming unsaturated fats, which are primarily found in plants and fish, in place of saturated fats, which are primarily found in animal products, can help lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. Fats also increase satiety, as well as protein and fiber, and almonds are an excellent source of all three, helping to keep you full for longer. Just be careful when purchasing almond butter, or any nut or seed butter, to check that there aren’t any added sugars or oils.
For my standard smoothie recipe, I also use frozen berries, which are a great source of fiber and taste great. I personally love Wyman’s berries from Maine, as they taste great and include wild blueberries, which can have more antioxidants than farmed. I like to include yogurt as well, which adds some more fat and protein for satiety. I prefer full fat Greek yogurt, and like to get local if I can find it. For liquid, I like to use orange juice, as it helps me get my vitamin C and adds some acidity to the smoothie. I add in water as well so I don’t overdo it on juice, but you can also use milk or adjust the ratio of juice to water to lean more heavily on water. It’s all a matter of personal preference and you can always play around with the ratios and ingredients to find what works best for you.
As I noted with the almond butter, just be sure that for anything you use in your smoothie, you double check labels to make sure you’re only getting what you want and there’s no additional added sugars in the fruit, yogurt, or juice. Companies can sneak in sugar everywhere, so paying attention to labels is key. This recipe makes a large smoothie that’s fairly calorie dense, but also very nutrient dense, and I promise will keep you full until lunch. I sometimes like to have a smoothie for dinner, particularly on days where I’ve been traveling and eating out more, so coming home to a fruit-heavy smoothie gets me the fiber I usually miss out on while traveling. I encourage you to play around with different berries, liquids, and nut butters to find what you like best, but this is a great starter recipe to try out, even if you’re like I was and don’t think you’d like smoothies!
Recipe: Sunrise Smoothie
Almonds are an excellent source of unsaturated fat, which is considered a “healthy fat”, in addition to increasing the protein and fiber content. Adding a healthy fat to your to smoothie in the morning can help you feel full for longer, in addition to lowering your risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Ingredients
½ cup yogurt, preferably full fat
1 T almond butter, no added sugars or oils
2 cups frozen berries, no added sugars
1 cup orange juice, no added sugars
½ cup water
Procedure
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Note: you may find it easier to blend if you add ingredients in order they are listed.
Pour into your cup of choice and enjoy!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 large serving
