Weekend Gourmet Flashback: Blueberry Muffin Smoothie #breakfastinaglass #smoothies #breakfastonthego #healthyanddelicious

 

Protein shakes and smoothies have played a major role in my 100-pound post-stroke weight loss. I start nearly every morning with a protein coffee shake...and I've recently started including fruit-based smoothies. I love smoothies, because they make it easy to meet my daily allotment of healthy fruit and vegetables! I keep my kitchen stocked with frozen fruit, unsweetened nut milk, fat free Greek yogurt, and healthy add-ins like chia seeds. Then, I can whip up a breakfast OR afternoon smoothie in less than 5 minutes. This Blueberry Muffin Smoothie features frozen fruit, protein-packed Greek yogurt...and an extra fiber boost from the addition of oatmeal. The end result is creamy and delicious...without being overly sweet. I just love it!

 Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

from Smoothie Project

Ingredients (makes 1 smoothie):

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 fresh or frozen banana -- I keep sliced frozen bananas in a storage bag in my freezer at all times
• 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk

Directions: 

Step 1: Add the blueberries, banana, Greek yogurt, oats, lemon zest, and nut milk to your blender container. [NOTE: I personally find the smoothie blends completely by adding the fruit first and layering the other ingredients on top.]

Step 2: Blend until all of ingredients are completely combined -- about 30 seconds. This ensures the oats and frozen fruit are completely blended. Pour the smoothie into a glass, garnish with a few additional blueberries, and serve.

Look at that gorgeous purple color!! This smoothie tastes as great as it looks...the blueberries and banana work perfectly with the tangy yogurt and earthy oats. I'll admit I was initially worried about the smoothie's sweetness level...but the frozen ripe banana provided the perfect sweetness. One thing to be aware of: because this smoothie contains oats, it will thicken up pretty quickly...so you might need a spoon to finish it up. That's totally NOT a bad thing! The fiber in the oats helps  you stay full and satisfied for hours.