Smoothie Recipe – The Staple 4.0.1.2.3.5.12.387

Joking about the version number. I’ve switched this up so many times that I’ve lost track.

I’ve been drinking this one (and slight variations) the last few weeks:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons flax seeds
  • 1 scoop unflavored whey isolate
  • 1/2-1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2-1 cup strawberry, raspberry, blackberry mix
  • 1 cup steeped matcha green tea
  • Handful of baby spinach
  • Sometimes kale.
  • Sometimes a tablespoon coconut oil.
  • Sometimes handful of almonds.
  • Sometimes some cucumber.
  • Sometimes some celery.
  • Sometimes some broccoli.
  • Sometimes some chia seeds.
  • Sometimes some carrot.

I’ve switched from taking the veggies raw to steaming most of them. Cooked/steamed veggies are a little easier to work with plus reduces the oxalate level.

Another winter, another season of inactivity. Luckily each winter (of inactivity) I never put everything back on. But… Here we go again.

I’ve updated my “YoYo Graph.”

yoyo

Smoothie Recipe – The Staple 3.5

Trying to concentrate on weight loss some more, I decided to cut back on the last version of my “staple” breakfast smoothie in order to make room for more food later. I’ve chopped it down to 465 calories from 870. Now instead of drinking it in thirds from 8-11 am, I drink it in halves from 8-9 am. I’m not missing the extra serving convenience wise (now I bring just one cup to work), supply wise (less trips to the store to maintain supply of ingredients), or hunger wise.

I simply cut everything except the greens in half:
1/2 cup cranberry juice (the real deal, not the sugary crap)
1 cup water
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 handful kale
1 handful spinach
1/2 cup mix raspberry, strawberry, blackberry
1/2 cup blueberry
1/2 carrot
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon of crushed flax seed
1/2 scoop of whey protein

Smoothie Recipe – The Staple 3.0

I’ve made a few minor adjustments to my “Staple” smoothie/juice/blend recipe. I drink it in thirds throughout the day.

1 cup cranberry juice (the real deal, not the sugary crap)
2 cups water
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 handful kale
1 handful spinach
1 cup mix raspberry, strawberry, blackberry
.75 cup blueberry
1 carrot
1 banana
2 tablespoons of crushed flax seed
1 scoop of whey protein
sometimes about a cup of watermelon

Smoothie Recipe – The Staple 2.0

I went back to the drawing board with The Staple. Thinking it over, it had too much sugar (71+ grams). I decided to test it out without the 2 biggest sugar containing items, bananas and apples.

I mentioned in the last post that there is a reason for me picking these ingredients to start. I’ll get into more detail some other time, but the ones I picked have the highest nutritional value antioxidant wise–and provide a variety of antioxidants. Taking out bananas and apples did not disrupt this too much. I tried (and an continuing to try) to keep it simple too. I don’t want to have to search far and wide for something. And I don’t want to include overly expensive things either. Also, I leave out things that don’t agree with me taste wise, like tomatoes. High nutritional value, high taste value, high convenience value, low cost.

Without a banana and an apple, the sugar is down to 41 grams. We’re also looking at 620 calories (down from 820).

And to simplify it some more, I took out broccoli in favor of more spinach and kale. What broccoli provided in nutrition is also found in spinach and kale. It was become more of a PITA than what it was worth. So broccoli got axed.

And the taste… It still isn’t bad! And it keeps me full through lunch.

Here is the recipe:
1 cup cranberry juice (the real deal, not the sugary crap)
1 cup water
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup mix kale and spinach
1 cup mix raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry
1 carrot
about a cup of watermelon
2 tablespoons of crushed flax seed
1 scoop of whey protein

Smoothie Recipe – The Staple

I’ve gone back to the drawing board and changed up The Bigger Deal a little bit. I’ve named this one The Staple. I don’t know how much more I’m going to add/subtract anymore.

I found that the sugar content in other mix was getting up there. I checked everything for nutritional value and peaches were the odd fruit/veggie out. I think I had been adding them in for taste anyway. So I swapped a peach with a 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats.

Soon I’ll be posting the reasoning behind all of these ingredients. I’ll say it again… It does not taste bad at all! Or else I would not be able to tolerate it–especially in the morning.

This bad boy comes in at 825 calories. Consumed throughout the morning. And relied upon to keep me full so I don’t get too hungry before lunch. It’s been doing the trick.

1 cup cranberry juice (the real deal, not the sugary crap)
1 cup water
1 apple
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 banana
1 cup mix kale, spinach, broccoli
1 cup mix raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry
1 carrot
about a cup of watermelon
2 tablespoons of crushed flax seed
1 scoop of whey protein