Morning can be a real doozy, especially for fellow non morning persons. The first thing to do in the morning is a much needed boost of energy. We reach for a cup of our favorite caffeine beverage before we decide what to do that day. Well, besides coffee there are other more nutritious and delicious alternative to your energy boosting caffeine.
Healthy smoothies can give you that boost of energy you’ll need for your day. Smoothies are amazing, it’s a morning beverage and breakfast in one. Depending on the ingredients you put in your smoothie, it can have different nutritional value and health benefits.
Here are some easy to make Energy boosting smoothie recipes:
1. Minty Pear-Honeydew Smoothie
This delicious smoothie is amazing when beating the heat of summer. It is refreshing and delicious. Mint can help detoxify the skin, prevent hyper acidity, relieve headache, rich with energy boosting antioxidant and lessen menstrual cramps.
This smoothie is best consumed during summer. It is composed of fresh honeydew and Bartlett pears blended with white grape juice, mint leaves and a handful of ice cubes for texture. Pears give a very good source of vitamin C, copper, potassium and energy boosting fiber. Honeydew is an effective way to maintain blood pressure levels and increases collagen production on the skin making it appear glowing and smooth. Adding in ice is optional, the ice gives the smooth texture.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Ripe Pears
- 0.50 c Mint Leaves
- 0.50 Apple Juice
- 1 cup Ice cubes
- ½ Cup Honeydew
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the honeydew, ice cubes, apple juice, mint leaves and pear in the blender and puree until smooth. You can leave out a few chunks of pears for texture. You can create this smoothie the night before. Store it in a sealed container until you need to drink it in the morning.
2. Strawberry Fields Smoothie
This creamy smoothie is perfect for those on the go mornings. It is packed with healthy antioxidants, potassium and fiber. A glass of this delicious smoothie can help boost energy levels till the late evenings. This beverage is also great for a mid afternoon snack. You can create this smoothie at home in the morning and store in a thermos until needed. Strawberries are one of the most nutritionally packed fruits, it is a great source of magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, copper, biotin, phosphorus, potassium and fiber.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 sliced frozen banana, sliced
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 tsp. Honey
- 1 cup coconut milk
DIRECTIONS:
- Add the banana, strawberry, honey and coconut milk in the blender. Puree the ingredients until you reach the desired texture. You can add in more honey or sweetener if you prefer.
3. Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie
This thick and yummy pick me upper smoothies is great as a morning snack or a post workout smoothie. Bananas contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals such as manganese, vitamin C, potassium, energy boosting fiber, protein, folate and vitamin B6. Peanut butter like the banana is high in protein and potassium, it can help lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. It also contains fiber and magnesium that can help improve bowel movements and strengthen the muscles.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 small banana
- 3 ice cubes
- 1 cup milk or Nonfat milk
- 1 tsp. Creamy peanut butter
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut up the banana into small chunks and add the peanut butter, milk and ice cubes to the blender. Blend until you get your desired texture. Drink this smoothie while it is cold. You can make your smoothie a lot creamier and smoother if you freeze your chopped banana for a week before using it in the recipe. Just seal your banana in an airtight plastic bag.
4. Garden Refresher Smoothie
This delicious smoothie works like an energy boosting elixir. It’s best consumed after a workout or a tiring day in the office. If you like to add more flavor to the recipe you can add a pinch of salt, milk, or hot sauce.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 carrot
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 1 handful of watercress
DIRECTIONS:
- Peel the cucumber and slice them into small chunks.
- Remove the hardest part of the watercress’s stem.
- Cut up the tomato into chunks to make it easier for blending.
- Remove the core and seeds of the red bell pepper and slice into chunks. Trim the carrots.
- Juice all the ingredients and place the juice in the blender. Add in some ice cubes or cold soya milk. Blend everything together to create the garden refresher smoothie.
Smoothies are a great alternative to caffeine. It can help boost your energy and keep you more hydrated throughout the day.
