Truth be told, I wasn’t always a smoothie person. I was team “chew” until I started feeling sluggish immediately after breakfast, but somehow hungry an hour later. The culprit: carbs and sugar, even if from natural sources like oats and berries. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a time and a place for a cozy bowl of oats, but I tend to indulge in that old favorite on the weekends when snuggling with my bulldog is the only item on the agenda.

So what now? I was yearning for something that would be equally satisfying, but not so heavy. For something that would energize, without spiking my blood sugar. For something that would be well rounded…and perhaps even contain veggies? Oh, and lest we forget easy. Too much to ask? I don’t give up that easily. I decided to try my hand and hiding some veggies in a smooth and use whole foods like avocado and sweet potato to give it a thick texture with plenty of good fats and resistant starches that would keep me full and satisfied. And let me tell you, it’s amazing what you can hide in a smoothie! Spinach? May not change the taste, but watch out for the green hue. Cauliflower? A great way to bulk up the texture, but without any off flavor!

Here’s what I love in particular about my go-to green smoothie that I drink every day, whether for breakfast, lunch or a post-workout snack.

Top 5 Reasons to Drink This Green Smoothie on the Daily

1.) Hydration: Romaine lettuce is a main ingredient and is 95% water! Plus ice, water and lemon juice amplify the hydration.
2.) Healthy Fats: Avocado adds a creamy texture and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
3.) Plant-Based Protein: Flax and hemp seeds add whole food based protein. Say goodbye expensive protein powders!
4.) Low in Sugar: Only sweetened with a bit of zero calorie stevia or monk fruit.
5.) Highly Nutritious: Spinach is high in fiber to keep you full and is also an excellent source of a variety of vitamins and minerals.

That’s a whole lot of goodness in one smoothie! Not to mention a bit of mint makes it oh so refreshing. Equally as good? My Salted Caramel Sweet Potato Smoothie and Chocolate Avocado Smoothies. They’re a bit more indulgent, but still filled with plenty of nutrition from whole foods and low in sugar. Together, these three smoothies are what I like to call my three amigos. Ready to ride off into the sunset with these recipe? Get the easy peasy recipes below.

Superfood Green Smoothie
Makes: 1 serving
Ingredients:
– 1 C romaine lettuce
– 1/2 C fresh spinach
– 1-2 sprigs of fresh mint
– 1/2 avocado
– juice of 1 lemon
– 1 C water
– 1 C ice
– 1 T hemp seeds
– 1 T flaxseed
– 1 packet stevia and/or monk fruit sweetener (or 2-3 drops liquid sweetener; I use Whole Earth Sweetener)

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender and enjoy!

Salted Caramel Sweet Potato Smoothie
Makes: 1 serving
Ingredients:
– 1 C frozen, cubed sweet potato (option to sub butternut squash)
– 1 frozen banana
– 3/4 C unsweetened nut milk of choice
– 1/2 C frozen cauliflower
– 1 T nut butter of choice
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
– pinch of nutmeg
– pinch of ground cloves
– 1 T salted coconut caramel sauce

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender and enjoy! Option to drizzle additional salted caramel on top.

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie
Makes: 1 serving
Ingredients:
– 1 frozen banana
– 1 C fresh spinach
– 1/2 avocado
– 3 T cacao powder
– 1 1/4 C nut milk of choice
– 1 C ice
– 1 T salted coconut caramel sauce, maple or date syrup

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender and enjoy! Option to top with cacao nibs.

Welcome to forever smoothie season! Have a favorite smoothie recipe of your own? Do share!

The post 3 Smoothies That Will Restore, Rejuvenate & Have You Rejoicing appeared first on The Shooks Life.