Kris Dovbniak • Chef & Recipe Developer

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It’s no secret I love a good smoothie! I drink smoothies year round, but it feels like as soon as spring rolls around, I crave them even more!

I think smoothies are THE healthy fast food for moms. They take less than five minutes, and, if you pack them well enough, they’re full of more nutrients than we might get in some full days (because #momlife, amiright?!). I also find them crazy filling- because of the template I use to make sure they’re balanced with lots of protein, fiber, healthy fat and high quality, energy-giving carbs.

Of course, everyone is different, and if you’re finding your smoothie isn’t filling enough for a meal, go ahead and have some eggs alongside or save yours for a hearty snack, instead. Personally, I love them for a quick breakfast post-run, on-the-go or while packing school lunches. Either way, you’ll be getting a balance of nutrients in a delicious package- and the best part is they’re GREAT for kids, as well!

Today I’m sharing five of my favorite smoothies for spring. I try to keep my smoothie recipes as simple and realistic, in terms of ingredients as possible. These are REAL combinations I drink and though I love to add some extras to my smoothies (my favorites are hemp seeds for omega-3s and added protein, chia seeds for fiber and spices for flavor and other benefits- especially cinnamon and ginger. Click here for a shoppable list of my smoothie essentials). I don’t think smoothies need to be full of wildly expensive superfoods or 20 ingredients to be healthy and delicious!

p.s. This is the blender I use. It’s not the fanciest, but certainly not the cheapest. I love it and use it daily (this is my second Vitamix, the first I had for 10 years!) so it’s worth it to me. That being said- we also have a Nutribullet I will use in a pinch and it also works great! (I do recommend soaking whole nuts at least two hours before using them in a lower speed blender).

Protein for Smoothies

Likely THE most frequent question I get asked is “What protein powder do you use?” (the second, in terms of smoothies, is, “What can I use for protein instead of protein powder?”) The answer- to the first question, at least, is I mix it up! For me, the most important things to look for in a protein powder are simple ingredients, digestibility, and of course- taste! For these reason, I typically choose a plant-based protein powder or a bone broth protein powder (or collagen). Here are my personal favorites:

The Best Plant Based Proteins:

• KOS Plant Based Protein
• TB12 Plant-based Protein
• Amazing Grass Plant Based Protein (specifically, the Digest version)
• Ancient Nutrition Plant+ Protein

The Best Bone Broth/Collagen Proteins:

• Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein
• Vital Proteins Collagen (I’ve been using this for almost a decade)
• Ancient Nutrition Collagen

For kids, we use Healthy Heights Grow Daily– the kids both love it!

Now, I know protein powder isn’t for everyone’s budget and some prefer simply not to use it at all. A-ok! All of my smoothie recipes will work without it, you might just need a little sweetener (honey, maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit) if you use an unflavored protein/collagen or one of the below options.

My favorite protein-powder free protein options for smoothies:

• Hemp seeds (10g protein in 3 tbsp)
• Greek yogurt (17g protein in 3/4 cup)
• Nut butter (7-8g in 2 tbsp)
• Chia seeds (5g/2 tbsp)
• Whole nuts (5g/1/4 cup- see the raspberry lemon option with cashews, below!)

Now that you have a ton of options to work with… Let’s get blending!

Five Favorite Smoothies for Spring:

Cherry Almond

The tiny bit of almond extract really brings the almond flavor of this smoothie out- but if you don’t have it, no sweat! Vanilla extract works great in this smoothie, as well.

• 1/2-3/4 cup frozen cherries 
• 1-2 tbsp almond butter 
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla extract)
• 1/2 cup frozen zucchini (optional) 
• 2 handfuls spinach 
• protein powder/protein of choice (see above for options)
• liquid to blend

PB + J (aka the classic!)

This truly is the classic smoothie (or sandwich!) combo. If you prefer it less sweet like I do, leave the banana out. Either way, it’s delicious!

• 1/2 cup frozen berries
• 1/2- 1 whole banana (fresh or frozen)
• 1-2 tbsp peanut butter  
• 2 handfuls spinach 
• protein powder/protein of choice (see above for options)
• liquid to blend

Salad in a Glass 

Don’t knock it ’til you try it! This super green smoothie is light and refreshing, especially paired with a little vanilla protein powder. I love extra mint- follow your tastebuds!

• 1 whole banana
• 1/2 green apple
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 sprigs mint (more if you want it more minty!)
• 2 handfuls chopped romaine lettuce (spinach works, too)
• protein powder/protein of choice (see above for options)
• liquid to blend

Chocolate Avocado 

This smoothie feels like SUCH a treat- creamy and chocolatey, but filled with fiber from the avocado, banana and frozen zucchini (frozen cauliflower rice works, too). Use a chocolate protein powder for extra dark chocolate flavor!

• 1/2-1 whole banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup frozen zucchini (optional) 
• protein powder/protein of choice (see above for options)
• liquid to blend

Raspberry Lemon

This is one of my favorite fresh smoothies for spring. The cashews lend both healthy fats and a bit of protein, if you prefer to go without protein powder- this is a great option!

• 1/2-3/4 cup frozen raspberries
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked if not using a high speed blender)
• liquid to blend
• optional: add greens and/or protein powder

Happy Sipping!

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