Strawberry Smoothie

Over the holidays I did a massive amount of baking - churning out just a tremendous amount of pastries, cookies, dutch babies (best ever), marshmallows, chocolates, chocolate marshmallows, and many, many other sweet treats.  In my next life I can only hope to be reborn as a Keebler Elf as spending each and every day making cookies and treats would be the most amazing thing ever. 

However, what I love to make isn't necessarily what I love to eat (thankfully).

After recovering from the carb festival that I hosted at my house for nearly a month, I have been craving smoothies and clean eating. 

I kick off nearly every morning with a smoothie.  Especially when my body is screaming from the rooftops that it NEEDS something clean, easily digested, and filling.  If I don't eat a good breakfast, I will go bonkers around 4-5 PM and I don't always make the best choices as a result.

My strawberry smoothie with banana and cocoa nibs is my absolute favorite and is our quick go-to when pressed for time.  It's creamy, filling, & decadent. Additionally, it keeps me from becoming a carb blackhole by 5 pm.

Ingredients:

• Vega Protein Powder Bodacious Berry OR Vanilla (I usually do a healthy scoop)
• 1 12oz Can Coconut Water
• 1 cup Cashew milk or Almond Milk (Plain, Vanilla)
• 1 frozen banana
• Frozen Strawberries (approx two handfuls)

Directions:

• Add Liquids and Frozen Fruit / Berries to blender
• Add Protein Powder
• Blend completely 
• Add additional liquid as needed to get to your desired consistency.  I will usually use Water if I need to thin it out a bit but you could add additional coconut water or almond / cashew milk
• Top with Cocoa Nibs

Alternatives:

• Use Chocolate Protein Power or Chocolate Almond Milk for a chocolate / strawberry smoothie
• Add a tablespoon of Peanut or Almond Butter (especially amazing in a chocolate / strawberry smoothie).  I like to have the blender on as I add the peanut or almond butter as it tends to keep it off the sides of the blender when I do this. 
• Top with Coconut 

The frozen banana is the key to a creamy smoothie - it's the one ingredient I will never skip.  I buy tons of bananas and will immediately peel them, break them in half and put them into freezer bags. Rarely will I just eat a banana, though I did get detained by customs in Switzerland for smuggling 8 bananas into the country.  I really had no excuse - I can only assume I was very concerned by a potential banana shortage in Zurich.  They were confiscated and I have to say I didn't have a great smoothie my entire time there.  So ... take that for what it's worth.

Want recipes for any of the sweet treats posted above?  Let me know, I will happily share them with you!