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Click to view monilark's profile Pro 146 posts since
Jan 12, 2005

Aug 1, 2007 8:19 PM

What do you think of my healthy protein smoothie recipe?

I've been drinking these protein smoothies recently - and just wondered what some of the "experienced healthy eaters" think of my recipe (by the way, I could stand to GAIN a few pounds (I'm 5'5" and 114 pounds));

1 scoop whey protein
1 scoop greens powder
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
8 oz. apple juice
frozen blueberries/strawberries

Any ideas on how to make it even HEALTHIER? LOL! (by the way, I don't like bananas in my smoothies).
Click to view copasetic1's profile Amateur 24 posts since
Oct 15, 2003
1. Aug 1, 2007 8:33 PM in response to: monilark
You'll need a bit of fat and perhaps some more protein to achieve the bit of gain that you're looking for. For nutrients and flavor, I recommend adding to your recipe:
3oz. lean beef
1oz bacon (smoked or Canadian are both fine).

Enjoy!
Click to view graingirl's profile Legend 272 posts since
Jul 20, 2001
2. Aug 2, 2007 11:30 AM in response to: monilark
If you're trying to make it more filling, perhaps you could add some plain or vanilla yogurt? Or, even just some milk? Trader Joes sells some frozen mango chunks that are sooo good in smoothies.
Click to view reboot's profile Legend 398 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
3. Aug 2, 2007 1:28 PM in response to: monilark
At this time of the year it is far more reasonable to use FRESH blueberries and FRESH strawberries. Put both in a bowl and cover with 2% milk. Sprinkle on some real flax seeds if you think them necessary and enjoy. When finished, have a whole FRESH apple.

The above is far healthier than something containing highly processed whey powder (empty calories), the mysterious greens powder, last year's berries, and a fraction of an apple. It is certainly far more delicious and enjoyable than your concoction but, if you really are enamoured with preprocessing your food so it is semi-digested, you could still throw it all into a blender and make a 'smoothie'. I can't imagine why you would want to but there's no accounting for taste.
Click to view HSunshine's profile Pro 196 posts since
Sep 15, 2003
4. Aug 2, 2007 3:32 PM in response to: monilark
quote:<HR>Originally posted by reboot:
At this time of the year it is far more reasonable to use FRESH blueberries and FRESH strawberries. Put both in a bowl and cover with 2% milk.<HR>


I dunno where you live, but here strawberries and blueberries are no longer in season locally. What's in the stores has been shipped from elsewhere, say California, which is something I'm trying to avoid (YMMV). All my berries have been frozen since June and are destined for smoothies, waffle topping, and the like. Just sayin'
Click to view florie's profile Legend 213 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
5. Aug 2, 2007 3:32 PM in response to: monilark
I like reboot's ideas the best, i just don't like the sarcasm that goes along with it........
Click to view teetime's profile Legend 459 posts since
Aug 17, 2002
6. Aug 2, 2007 4:53 PM in response to: monilark
quote:<HR>Originally posted by florie:
I like reboot's ideas the best, i just don't like the sarcasm that goes along with it........<HR>


Along with the asinine tone he also seemed to overlook that the OP is interested in gaining some weight. When I get too light I need to drink juice. An apple in summer will fill me up and I won't want much more. Juice will go down on a hot day and will leave room for PB on an english muffin too.

I don't know about the powders - don't use them - but like the idea of adding a different kind of smoothie to your routine. Use yogurt and milk for protein, some PB for taste and extra calories, some maple syrup for taste and extra calories, and some ice and fruit for taste and texture (pineapple might be good with PB)
Click to view Ariann092's profile Legend 681 posts since
Jan 4, 2005
7. Aug 2, 2007 5:02 PM in response to: monilark
Fresh blueberries are sadly on the way out or already gone. I lucked out and bought the last two pints of New Jersey blueberries (the best blueberries in the country IMHO) last week, which were buried in a stack of blueberries from California (blech). Strawberries didn't seem to come at all this year, maybe we had them a week, and they were still pricey. The peach crop has also been less plentiful than average this year, but I'm trying to buy and eat as many of them as I can while they're still around. I don't know where pre-frozen fruit usually comes from/is shipped from, so I try to avoid them, but they are often equivalent to or better than fresh fruits in terms of nutritional content. They are picked actually ripe instead of sitting for days on a truck "ripening" and slowly losing vitamins.

The only two things in your smoothie I'd call "healthy" are the flaxseed oil and the frozen berries (despite where they may come from). I'd think it'd be better with ground flaxseeds, though. I think whey protein is a waste (eat food for protein! Almost nobody needs so much of it that they have to find artificial ways of getting it in), greens powder should be replaced by actual greens (you can even put greens in smoothies if you really want!), and apple juice is one of the least healthy juices you can choose. Better juices would be orange, grapefruit, pineapple, carrot, even grape. Also, I'm with you about not liking bananas, but there are other (cheap and in season) fruits which will give a smoothie more body - peaches and any kind of melon would be good. Frozen mango is very good in a smoothie.
Click to view Ariann092's profile Legend 681 posts since
Jan 4, 2005
8. Aug 2, 2007 5:10 PM in response to: monilark
Ooh, pb and chocolate syrup or maple syrup smoothies are the BEST. They're good with pineapple, mango, or peaches.
Click to view comet034's profile Legend 244 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
9. Aug 2, 2007 6:15 PM in response to: monilark
I put about a 1/4 cup of natural peanut butter in my smoothies and, though it sounds gross, it's very good and adds a little salty to the sweet and some body. Good protein, too. I agree with much of the above, as well. Whey protein seems like a waste and I don't trust anything that little miss muffett ate with curds.
Click to view tpr55's profile Pro 126 posts since
Aug 17, 2007
10. Aug 6, 2007 11:38 AM in response to: monilark
I always add oatmeal (raw) to my smoothies. Easy way to consume, and I like what it does to the texture of the drink.
Click to view tpr55's profile Pro 126 posts since
Aug 17, 2007
12. Aug 20, 2007 7:39 PM in response to: monilark
I only saw two comments above regarding whey protein, and neither party seemed to know anything about it. There's nothing wrong with using whey protein, or soy protein powder, for that matter. They both have specific uses.
Click to view Ice Cream's profile Legend 602 posts since
Dec 28, 2003
13. Aug 21, 2007 8:24 AM in response to: monilark
quote:<HR>Originally posted by tpr55:
There's nothing wrong with ...<HR>


That is a dangerous phrase in the CC.