As some of you might already know, I have been doing the 21 Day Clean Program Cleanse. Although I eat fairly healthy, I had to get creative with my protein shakes so that they would keep me full until lunch and taste good! I am happy to say that I will continue having at least one shake a day after I finish the program.
So before we get into the healthy smoothie recipes, I wanted to tell you that (no joke) this cleanse has been the best health investment I have made in a long time. I came across it while reading an article on Goop and I decided to try it. After 21 days, I feel so different! Be on the lookout for an in-depth post on my experience, but here are just a few of the results I’ve noticed from the cleanse:
- WAY more energy! I am not dying by the end of the day.
- Better sleep – I have not been waking up a million times at night.
- No bloating – at all!
- My skin has never looked better.
Is it hard to follow? Just for the first few days. My biggest challenge was cutting out sugar, because I am/was a big sugar eater. I didn’t realize how much sugar I was eating because I was eating “super healthy.” By the third or fourth day, I felt so good that even eating foods that are not cleanse approved was not even a temptation.
Now, on to the smoothies!
I believe that all things happen for a reason, and it was a complete coincidence that when I decided to start the 21-day Clean Program, I was also reading a book called Body Love.
To make the story short, it’s the first nutrition book that has ever made sense to me. It focuses on how to balance your blood sugar levels and live a healthy life, and follow a diet for maintaining your optimal weight. By reading the book, I learned about what a balanced smoothie really is and what ingredients it should have in order to make you feel full, satisfied, and not spike your blood sugar which causes you to be hungry sooner.
So in order to come up with my favorite recipes, I mixed the FAB 4 approach from Body Love with what I was allowed to eat for the Clean Program. I found 5 recipes I absolutely LOVE, and created a recipe book with a grocery list for you!
Common Mistakes We all Make When Making Smoothies
Too much fruit! Fruit is healthy but, in small amounts. I limit it to 1/2 a cup and prefer low glycemic fruits like apples and berries.
No protein powder. You need the protein so your body feels full and satisfied. Without the right amount of protein, you will be hungry 5 minutes after you’ve had your smoothie. Some of my favorite protein powders are:
Using a sugary base like juice. Juice already has so much sugar, so adding fruit juice only increases your sugar intake. I really like making my smoothies with unsweetened almond milk or water.
Not adding a source of fat! Our bodies use fat as energy. I was terrified of this because I thought it would add too many calories, but when you eat whole healthy foods you don’t have to worry about the calories. If you keep your sugar/carbohydrate intake low than there won’t be such a big spike in blood sugar and your body can burn the fat for energy. Plus, it keeps you so full.
Why these 5 recipes are my FAVORITE
I tried out SO many recipes and have narrowed it down to 5 shakes that…
- Taste the absolute best
- Keep me full
- Have the most nutrient dense ingredients
- Are QUICK (haha)
- Satisfy any cravings I have
You do NOT have to be on the cleanse to have these smoothies–even when I’m done with the cleanse I will keep having them!
Each smoothie includes protein, healthy fats, fiber and vitamins from fruit & veggies. Feel free to use the vegan protein powder of your choice, or if you don’t have a protein powder you like, enjoy the natural protein from ingredients like spinach, kale, nut butter, etc.
P.S. This is completely unsponsored, I just wanted to share it with you!
Below you can download the recipe book with the five smoothies with a complete grocery list. It includes all the ingredients, smoothie toppings, and supplements (including Pearl Powder). So, you can recreate or even create your own healthy morning smoothie!
There is also a quick video tutorial below showing how I make the ‘Cucumber Spinach Apple Avocado Smoothie’ (inspired by Kelly Leveque). It can also be found on my Instagram if you want to bookmark it so it’s easy to refer back to!
I would LOVE to hear if any of you try these smoothie recipes at home, so comment below or on my Instagram. It has really inspired me to get creative and I hope you love them just as much as I do.
Enjoy!
