I hate getting up in the mornings.
I usually hit the snooze button 1-4 times each morning. My husband usually has to coax me out of the bed. I’m working on being better at this, but until I become a morning person that just pops out of bed, I need to find ways to save time in the morning. Something that I do to save time is taking breakfast with me on the go.
Two months ago, I shared my mom’s granola recipe and talked about how I like to take granola with me on the go. Today I want to share with you another great way to have breakfast on the go: smoothies!
Smoothies are great for many reasons. They are versatile, portable, healthy, and delicious. Today I’ll share a simple recipe with you, along with some tips for making them easily and simply, but keep in mind that the possibilities are endless.
1. I chop my fruit the night before to make it even easier in the mornings. All I have to do is dump and go instead of pulling out the cutting board! (I used mangos and strawberries for this smoothie) 
2. Start with juice. Your smoothie needs liquid to be a smoothie. I use orange juice because it goes well with most fruits, but you can use any kind of juice or milk if you’d prefer. I use about a cup.
3. Add yogurt. This makes your smoothie creamy, and adds some protein. I usually use 1/2 cup. 
4. Add your fruit. In addition to my other fruit, I usually put in a half or whole banana. This makes the texture creamy.
5. Put in a bit of wheat germ (optional). I do this so I won’t be hungry an hour later. Wheat germ has a bit of fibre and protein in it. You could add some other kind of protein powder if you’d like.
6. Add ice (optional) and blend. (I like to add ice to make it colder and give it texture, but Fred likes it without the ice – it’s up to you!)
7. Enjoy!
I like to make enough for 2 smoothies and then share with my husband or save the rest for the next day. This makes breakfast the next day even easier!
If Fred and I don’t share, I put the second half in a portable container so that I can take it with me easily in the car. Now that I live 30 minutes away from one of my jobs, it’s perfect to take in the car and just sip away as I drive.
Here are some pros and cons about smoothies before you decide to make it a part of your routine or not.
Pros:
- Great way to use up fruit that’s going bad (I sometimes overbuy fruit, strawberries in particular, so it’s a great way to use them up)
- Really healthy (makes me feel energized to have so many servings of fruit right away in the morning)
- Endless combinations (you could have a different kind of smoothie every day!)
- Portable- easy to take on the go (if you’re like me, sometimes you’re not hungry first thing in the morning and this is a great way to have breakfast over a longer period of time)
Cons:
- It doesn’t really feel like “eating” (because it’s a liquid it doesn’t seem very “filling” and just drinking something doesn’t always feel like a meal)
- It’s hard to have a smoothie and coffee all at once (if you’re a coffee drinker like me)
- You might find yourself visiting the washroom (or “bathroom” if you’re from the Land of the Free) more often (due to all the extra liquid)
- Sometimes you feel hungry mid-morning (that’s why I add the wheat germ!)
Overall, I highly recommend smoothies for breakfast and have even started craving them. Getting your 5 fruits/veggies a day just might be easier if you add a smoothie to your routine!
Now it’s your turn! Leave me a comment below to share some of your smoothie tips!
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