Whipping up a smoothie remains my go-to every morning, no matter where we are in the world. I will always forgo packing an extra pair of shoes in order to make room in my suitcase for the blender. It feels like such a comfort of home, and a way to stay on track with our wellness goals. If you feel like you’re in a smoothie rut, or are overwhelmed with all of the additives and recipes out there, here is our routine all spelled out – simple and sustainable:

Keep it simple.

Especially when you’re establishing a routine (for smoothies or any wellness goal!) you need to keep it simple to allow it to stick. I went through a season of researching every booster available and had a burgeoning pantry to show for it. The result was a lot of waste, not being able to use them all before they expired; and also not sticking with a certain recipe long enough to see results from all that goodness. Here are the basics you need to get started:

• A blender that will go the distance, is easy to clean, and holds up well to abuse. It’s no easy feat blending all of these frozen solid fruits + veggies! Here’s our “save” pick, and our “splurge” pick. We’re currently using the Ninja but after 1,973 blender-fulls, she’s on her last legs. We’re headed back to the Vitamix when she finally whirls her last twirl.
• 2-3 options for frozen fruit, 2-3 options for veggies. We get our frozen bags at Costco and lately I’ve been rotating through dark cherries (immunity, anti-inflammatory amazing for sleep!), a berry medley (antioxidants, lower blood pressure, fighting disease!), and wild blueberries (regulate blood sugar, eye + gut health!). We do a 1:1 of fruit to vegetables. I know what you’re thinking about the veggies, but stay with me, I have a plan and you. will. not. taste. them! So for the frozen veggies I’ll go with kale, spinach, zucchini, and cauliflower. You can mix and match all of the fruits + veg to find your favorite combos.
• The magic ingredient to take away the veggie taste 😆. Most days of the week I will add a fresh avocado to the blender and voila! it instantly smooths out the texture and vaporizes any “green” taste from your vegetables. When fresh avocados can’t be found (or are wildly expensive like they are now), you can get fresh tubs of smashed avocado at the grocer. In a pinch we will use the little packets from Costco. I love the plethora of vitamins and healthy fats they add as well. Another great alternative is a fresh or frozen banana if you don’t mind a little banana taste. Pro tip: the browner, the better. When a banana is that beautiful speckled brown, it means she’s loaded with even more antioxidants…and she’s sweeter!
• Milk of choice. We have tried them ALL. I mean it. All of them. Oat, almond, macadamia, cashew, plant, hemp…the list goes on. Find the one that gives you the flavor and nutrients you need and please just make sure it’s not loaded with gunky additives that will detract from all of the other goodness you’re putting in your blender. When in doubt, use the Yuka app to scan it.
• Add a protein powder that serves your wellness ethos. For my dietary needs, I always look for one with ingredients I can pronounce that is organic, vegan, gluten-free, and no “fillers”. Big bonus if it tastes delicious. Sadly the better the ingredients, the more expensive they get. However, you can fill this protein box with some of the ingredients above – your milk and your avocado. If you’re not able to splurge on the good stuff, I’d rather see you double up on some of the clean, whole pieces above. If you’re trying to add in more protein (us too!), I highly recommend this one (we have it on subscribe and save & have purchased it 26 times 🫣), and I have also been loving this one as well.

Then Add + Subtract.

So there you have it! That’s how easy a smoothie can be. Right there you are getting a hefty serving of fruits, vegetables, protein, essential vitamins + minerals, fiber, and a powerhouse of disease-fighting nutrients. YES! You win!

If you happen to be type A like me and are always up for extra credit, here are a few of our tried + true boosters that we reach for depending on which need we’re meeting at the time.

• Inulin (added fiber + prebiotics)
• Maca (improved digestion, muscle recovery, cell renewal)
• Organic super seeds (even more protein, digestion, cleansing, gut health)
• Mushrooms & Adaptogens (stress relief, mood booster, immunity booster)

Have fun with this. Play with flavors from your pantry like cinnamon and vanilla, try a new fruit or vegetable to vary your nutritional arsenal. Food is medicine and it starts your day in the most well + joyful way! One last tip before you blend: drink s l o w l y. Imagine all of those ingredients on a plate. It would take a while to eat, right? So make sure you drink as if you’re chewing to allow your body time to process and digest without a bloaty aftermath.

Thank you for being here! Please share your favorite smoothies in the comments below. We live for fresh inspo!