By now you know we love a good smoothie– we’re always whipping one up! 🙂 And we love to put a healthy spin on it! As registered dietitians, our clients tell us how much they adore smoothies too, especially at breakfast because their fast and refreshing and they want to know how to enjoy them without getting hit with loads of sugar, calories, or causing weight gain.
A good rule of thumb is that a smoothie that is mainly fruits and veggies (not much protein) should be 150 calories or less like our our Skinny Green Smoothie (61 calories) and our Kale Recharge Smoothie (58 calories) should be teamed up with some protein like yogurt, chicken breast or eggs at the meal (or at the snack) to provide staying power. If the smoothie is 150 calories or more, it should ideally have both about 15 grams of protein and fiber from fruits and veggies for staying power like our Blueberry-Lemon Morning Detox Smoothie or our Cocoa Banana Burst Breakfast Smoothie or our Matcha Green Tea Smoothie
all which are quick and easy breakfast options, just like this dreamsicle below!
We created this lil’ number because who doesn’t love a yummy, cool and refreshing smoothie as a light meal or snack? This one is perfect before or after a workout and it’s a great energy booster! We love it in the morning for a light breakfast too–ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory to help fend off disease, settle the stomach (an awesome way to start those hectic mornings– goodbye bloat!) and to help keep the skin calm and flare-up free, oh yeah! Plus, it’s it’s great for the waistline– it’s low in calories but keeps you satisfied with 15 grams of satiating protein and a little shot of fiber. So when you drink this you won’t be ravenous immediately after and heading to the vending machine or for more food. Hello, slim and satisfied! 😉
This scrumptious smoothie is hydrating and a great source of potassium which helps to restore fluid balance (buh-bye bloat! 😉 ) and prevent muscle cramps while aiding in muscle contraction. You also get a dose of vitamin C, as well as a carb and protein combo to help repair muscles and tissues and aid in recovery–and give you an energy boost. Pineapple is also an excellent source of bromelain, an enzyme that aids in digestion and can help prevent indigestion and bloating– gotta love that!
We love this particular smoothie, but if you don’t have these ingredients on hand, don’t worry– one pointer to keep in mind is to add something frozen, such as ice cubes, frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, or any frozen fruit– they tend to make the smoothies thicker and more satisfying–think having ice cream versus drinking juice. Then add in your protein (we added yogurt) to sustain the energy boost and provide longer-lasting satisfaction.
Ginger-nana Pineapple Smoothie
Note: The level of sweetness people prefer varies a good deal. If you make this smoothie and want it slightly sweeter, add a few extra tablespoons of frozen pineapple (some of our clients like to add a teaspoon of honey or some stevia). We also are fans of ginger so we add extra, the calories are negligible.
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 4 ice cubes
- 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (we used plain, but vanilla is OK to use too)
- 1/4 cup frozen pineapple tidbits (Trader Joe’s has great ones)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger*
*NOTE: We actually just add in about 1/2 inch chunk of ginger without grating it first, which makes this very easy. However, if you don’t know if you’re a fan of ginger, start with the recommended grated amount and then from there you can use less or more without grating or measuring in the future).
Directions
Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Per serving: 232 calories, 1 g fat, 141 mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate, 15 g protein, 3 g fiber, 30 g sugar
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- 1 frozen banana
- 4 ice cubes
- 6 ounces nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup frozen pineapple tidbits (Trader Joe’s has great ones)
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger*
- *NOTE: We actually just add in about ½ inch chunk of ginger without grating it first, which makes this very easy.
- However,
- if you don’t know if you’re a fan of ginger, start with the recommended grated amount and then from there you can use less or more without grating or measuring in the future).
- Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth