4 Fun Smoothie Recipes To Brighten Your Morning

I’ve mentioned my affinity for smoothies in previous posts, but lately I’ve gotten the urge to add to my go-to smoothie line-up. You know — mix things up a little bit to keep mornings interesting.

Here’s a handful of smoothie recipes I’ve discovered lately that are delicious, filling, and a little different from my typical spinach + unsweetened almond milk + frozen banana + chia seeds combo. (Don’t get me wrong: those banana smoothies sure are delicious, but a girl needs a little variety, you know?)

My favorite thing about these new smoothies is that even though they’re a little different (for me, at least), they don’t contain anything I don’t already buy or have on hand (a.k.a. no protein powders or additional supplements needed). Score! They’re all dairy-free as well.

Before we get to the recipe portion of this post, I wanted to share a few quick tips on blending the perfect smoothie:

• Make sure to add liquids to the blender before solid/frozen items.
• Start the blender at the lowest speed and work up to higher speeds once the mixture smoothes out.
• Add ice last (if called for in your recipe).
• If your smoothie won’t fit into a single cup, you can freeze the extra in an ice cube tray and blend it back into a smoothie later.
• If you’re working with a frozen banana, be sure to peel your banana before putting it in the freezer. That makes it easy to just throw it into the blender when you’re ready for a smoothie!

Okay, now on to the deliciousness. Happy blending!

Banana Cocoa Smoothie

• 1 1/2 bananas, frozen
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 Tablespoon almond butter or PB2 powder

Blend and enjoy!

Avocado Mango Walnut Smoothie

• 1 1/4 cup coconut water
• 1/2 medium Hass avocado, peel and pit removed
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 cups frozen mango cubes

Blend all ingredients until fully combined.

Blackberry Basil & Lime Smoothie (this one’s a find from Slender Seven!)