All About Smoothies
Here at Brook, we love smoothies. They are a great option if you’re looking for a quick meal or snack that needs to be eaten on the go. Not only that, but refreshing and tasty as well! You can swap up the flavors depending on what you like or have on hand and you can sneak some veggies in there too. Win-win!
The secret to smoothies is treating them like you’re building a meal, and by that we mean making them balanced with protein, carbs, and healthy fats. This ensures you’re getting the nutrients you need to keep your energy steady and prevent untimely sugar crashes.
Here’s a good formula to start with when building a single smoothie. Adjust the ratios until you find what works best for you and you can double or triple as needed for multiple smoothies. The combos are endless!
¾ cup liquid
+ ½ cup fruit (or other carb with fiber)
+ 1 cup raw leafy greens (or ½ cup frozen greens or other veggies)
+ ¼ cup protein
+ 2 tablespoons healthy fat
+ flavor boosters (optional)
Liquids
- Milk
- Non-dairy milk, unsweetened (cashew, almond, coconut, soy)
- Coconut water
- Filtered water
- Coffee (chilled)
- Yogurt, unsweetened
- Kefir
- Herbal tea (chilled)
- Green tea (chilled)
Carbs with fiber
- Oats
- Brown rice (cooked)
- Winter squash (ex: pumpkin, butternut squash)
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Cherries
- Kiwis
- Mango
- Raspberries
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Other fruit
Veggies
- Spinach
- Rainbow Chard
- Kale
- Lettuce
(ex: romaine, red
leaf, green leaf) - Cucumber
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Beets
- Herbs (mint,
basil, parsley)
Proteins
- Greek yogurt, unsweetened
- Cottage cheese
- Silken tofu
- Defatted peanut butter powder
- Protein powder, unsweetened (ex: whey, pea, hemp)
- *Nuts (ex: almond, cashew, peanuts, walnuts)
- *Seeds (ex: hemp, sunflower, chia)
- *Nut or seed butter
Healthy Fats
- Avocado
- Coconut cream
- Oils (coconut, avocado, hemp, walnut, flax)
- *Nuts (ex: almond, cashew, walnuts)
- *Seeds (ex: hemp, sunflower, chia, flax)
- *Nut or seed butter
Flavor Boosters
- 100% cocoa powder
- Cacao nibs
- Ginger (fresh or dried)
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Cayenne powder
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Vanilla or almond extract
- Citrus zest
- Lime or lemon juice
- Turmeric
- Matcha powder
*Note: Nuts/seeds contain both fats and proteins. For example, if you choose nuts for your fat, you can also count it as your protein, if you’d like. Even if you count it as both categories, you still only need to add 2 tablespoons total.
Need some inspiration?
Chunky Monkey
• Almond milk + Coffee
• Banana
• Zucchini
•• Peanut butter
• 100% Cocoa powder
Berry Blast
• Hemp milk
• Frozen mixed berries
• Chard
• Greek yogurt
• Hemp seeds
Banana Bread
• Yogurt
• Banana
• Zucchini
•• Walnuts and chia seeds
• Cinnamon and vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Cup
• Soy milk
• Oats
• Spinach
•• Peanut Butter
• 100% Cocoa powder
Mango-riffic
• Coconut milk
• Mango
• Kale
• Silken tofu
• Coconut cream
• Lime juice and zest
Green Machine
• Green tea
• Apple
• Lettuce and mint
• Pea protein powder
• Avocado
• Matcha powder
Still want more smoothie ideas? Chat with us in your Brook app!
Written by Emily Matson, MS, RDN
on June 10, 2020. Emily is a Registered Dietitian with her Master's degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.