Happy Friday! 

We made it! I make it sound like I’ve had a tough week, but in all honesty it wasn’t that bad. I just had a lot going on and have been working like a mad woman.

One thing I always try to do is break away from work on the weekend. Of course I’ll still do my blog posts and be somewhat active on social media, but it is cut way back. I still want to enjoy the weekend and be able to spend lots of quality time with my husband. 

 

I’ve gotten some great workouts in this week, especially Wednesday.

I started with 4 miles on the treadmill followed by 60 minutes of spinning.

Wed Workout

I am really happy with how my leg is progressing and so far it has been responding great to the workouts. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

Another thing I am loving today is my new Nike Track and Field shirt my husband got me. It is a little big but so comfortable, and for me comfortable is what I go for when working out!

Nike T F

 

As you all know Friday is here which means it is time for another installment of Five Things Friday.

Today I decided to continue with smoothie focus and bring you Five Go To Healthy Smoothie Ingredients.

I love smoothies year round, but since we are on a tight budget recently I try to pull from what we have in house when I get in the mood for a smoothie.  To me there are several ingredients (besides fruit of course) that I always like to try to have around the house in case I get a craving for a smoothie.

Five Go To Healthy Smoothie Ingredients

 

1. Almond Milk

I love almond milk. Several years ago the husband and I switched from regular skim milk to almond milk because his stomach wasn’t reacting well to drinking skim milk anymore.  

The thing I love most about almond milk is that it lasts longer than skim milk. I can store in my refrigerator for weeks and it doesn’t go bad! This is really important because it saves us a lot of money.

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Some other great benefits of almond milk:

-High nutrient content

-Lower calories

-Keeps your heart and bones healthy

-Low impact to blood sugar

-Lactose-free (if you need that)

I usually will buy the unsweetened almond milk, but you can also buy regular, vanilla and even coconut almond milk. These will all add slightly different flavors to your smoothie.

 

2. Xathan Gum

I don’t think I have to talk too much about Xanthan Gum as I have been discussing it off and on all week. Even though this is a relatively new addition to smoothies, it is a great one!

Xanthan Gum

I love smoothies to be thick and almost have that frozen yogurt like texture. Xanthan gum helps to keep that consistency!

The great thing about it as well is that a little goes a LONG way.  In the smoothie recipe I shared with you yesterday I only used 1/2 a teaspoon. This barely made a dent in the bag.  This will last you a long time even if you make a smoothie a day!

 

3. Spinach

I love spinach. I love it in smoothies, salads, omelets and even by itself.

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Spinach has so many health benefits and is a great additive to smoothies. Don’t worry if you have never tried spinach in a smoothie I promise you – you don’t taste it!

 

A few of the benefits of spinach:

-Loaded with vitamins: A, K, D, and E

-Good source of iron and Omega 3s

-Strengths bones

-Nourishes eyes

-Readily available and relatively inexpensive

This is an easy and simple addition to your smoothies that can add a lot of nutritional value!

 

4. Chia Seeds

Chia Seeds are a relatively new addition to many of my smoothies. They are small tiny seeds and while you don’t taste them, I just had never thought to add them in until recently.

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A few benefits of chia seeds:

-Good source of fibre and Omega 3s

-Strengthens teeth and bones

-High in phosphorus

-Great source of protein

-Gluten free (if that is important to you)

-Helps regulate blood sugar

They aren’t the greatest thing to just snack on plain, but when you throw them in the smoothie much like with spinach you don’t taste them. 

 

5. Protein Powder

My final ingredient that I use a lot in smoothies is protein powder.

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I wouldn’t have enough room in one picture to show you all of the types of protein we have, but these are a few of my favorites.

I love adding different flavors into my smoothies: chocolate, vanilla, vanilla latter, cookies and creme etc.

They each give your smoothie and unique flavor and add some extra protein to keep your body strong. If I am drinking my smoothie in the morning a lot of times I will add in some of my CLICK protein to add some caffeine as well.

 

There you have it. Those are my go-to smoothie ingredients that I always try to have on hand in the house. Of course, I usually have a pile of frozen fruit in my refrigerator on a regular basis.

 

What are you favorite smoothie ingredients?

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