Asra Yousuf

Pandemic mornings can be tough! You wake up and its a whole new day- except for the fact that its the same day as yesterday, and the day before and the one last month. Hence, getting your mornings right can be extremely important, especially in times like these. I am a fan of morning routines, but for the longest time my morning routines have ended with a bowl of cereals with milk. While I love the momentary sugar high they give me, I am not a fan of the brain fog and drowsiness that follows a while after. So while on a hunt for a healthy, and sustainable replacement to cereals, I thought of giving smoothies a shot. And it has turned out to be quite a welcoming change- 2+ months and counting and I am still excited to blend up a fresh new concoction each day.

And the best part is that it is stupidly simple- if you plan your shopping right. All it takes is 5–10 mins. and voila! you have a glass of something fresh, colorful and yummy.

So let’s get into the details. Inspired by Kelly Leveque’s Fab Four Smoothie recipes, here’s is how I go about making my smoothies.

Components of my somewhat healthy smoothie

• Proteins: Greek Yogurt, Protein powder of choice
• Healthy Fats: Nut butter (Almond/ Peanuts/ Hazelnut etc.)
• Fibre: Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Rolled oats
• Veggies: Kale, Spinach
• Fruits: Banananana ❤, Berries, Green apple (or red), Mango, Kiwi
• Others: Ginger, Lemon, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cocoa Powder, Coffee, Fresh Basil, Almond Milk

While these ingredients might seem daunting at first, they are rather easy to procure if you plan well . Here’s how you can organize your shopping:

Things you can stock up on

• Nut butter ( Buy 2 variants so that you can mix and match)
• Protein Powder
• Almond Milk (What’s great about almond milk is that it doesn’t go bad unless you open the pack). Whole milk works as well- you just end up trading for higher sugar and carbs in exchange for more proteins.
• Flax seed meal, Chia seeds, rolled oats. (Get one or get them all and then you can play around with different combinations)
• Cocoa powder (To keep things healthy, go for 100% Cacao Unsweetened, natural)
• Ginger
• Packs of frozen berries, frozen kale/ spinach
• Nice to have: Instant coffee, Cinnamon, Nutmeg

Things to add to your weekly grocery list

• Fresh fruits and veggies (Don’t forget the banana)
• Greek yogurt (Plain/ Non-fat)
• Whole milk (if you aren’t lactose intolerant, preferably the reduced fat versions)

That’s it! Just mix-n-match different combinations, throw it in your blender and there you have it. I use a very basic Magic Bullet blender, but any sort of blender works.

If you wish to dive deeper, here are some combinations you can try:

Chocolate Smoothie

Chocolate Smoothies are for those extreme morning- the ones when you are surprisingly upbeat and feel like treating yourself and the ones where the world seems to be ending. The slight hint of coffee adds a kick to it and fulfills your morning caffeine cravings.

• 2 tbsp of Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Sliced Banana
• 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1 tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1 tbsp Flax Seed
• 1 tbsp Rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond milk/ water
• 1/2 tsp Instant Coffee Powder.

Kale & Spinach Smoothie

These might not be the most appetizing sounding smoothies- but trust me, they are the healthiest of the lot. And while kale might feel a bit grassy, the addition of ginger and lemon cuts through the bitterness and elevates this smoothie to a whole new level. Try it and you’ll be surprised!

• 2 tbsp of Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Sliced Banana
• 1 cup kale & spinach
• 1 tbsp Almond Butter
• 1 tbsp Flax seed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 cup almond milk/ water
• Optional: a couple of basil leaves

Green Apple Smoothie

Green Apple because it is a bit more tangier than red apples and comes with slightly less carb and sugar content, but either variety works equally well. Cinnamon helps balance the tanginess, along with adding its own flavor and health benefits.

• 2 tbsp of Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Sliced Banana
• 1 Green Apple (or red) chopped & diced
• 1 tbsp Almond Butter
• 1 tbsp Rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup almond milk/ water

Berry Smoothie

Weirdly, I am not a fan of eating berries out of the box and this is the only way I end up consuming it. Best part about this smoothie? The color, of course!

Mango Smoothie

This is one of those rare, treat-yourself smoothies. Good mangoes are rare where I am at, but when you get them, you cannot not make this, right?

• 2 tbsp of Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Sliced Banana
• 1/2- 1 Mango diced
• 1 tbsp Almond Butter
• 1 tbsp Flax Seed
• 1/2 cup almond milk/ water

Tips:

• You hate it when bananas ripen too slowly and even more so, when they ripen far too quickly. If you have a couple of bananas and you feel like they aren’t going to make it through the week, just slice them up and put it in the freezer. They act as wonderful alternatives to ice cubes and give your smoothies that extra creamy and cold texture. They do tend to go brown after a while, so won’t recommend freezing for a long duration
• Same goes with most of the fresh veggies/ fruits. If you feel like you are no where close to finishing them and fear that you might have to eventually toss them in the bin, just freeze them.