Day 112: More Protein Shakes & Things I Learned from my Mom (Happy Mother's Day!)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I thought it would be appropriate to post more smoothie recipes on Mother's Day since 1) I'm not cooking today and 2) it gives me a reason to talk about my mom.  Honestly, I didn't get a whole lot of culinary skills from my own mother (she would be the first to admit that!) so I don't have much of a platform in my other posts to talk about her.  I did learn A LOT of other stuff from her, which I will get into later.  I feel like I can relate the protein shakes back to her, though, because I'm pretty sure she has a smoothie every morning for breakfast.  I'm not positive what kind, but I think they're very healthy and very green.  (Not like the recipes I'm writing--I'm a little too scared to drink a dark green smoothie.)

My Wedding Day 6/26/10

 My mother is incredible.  And like all women, she's her own flavor of crazy.  I mean this in the best way possible.  To all women who need to see proof that total physical transformation is possible, look no further than my mother.  She is beautiful, and for lack of a better word... totally ripped.  Now, my mom was never ugly or obese; but like most women, she struggled with her weight off and on.  She had her "problem areas" and tried various diets.  I remember the Jane Fonda VHS tapes and the fitness benches.  We all know how most of that goes--up and down, emotional and physical roller coasters.

Diva Dash 2013

Living with epilepsy most of her life, my mother was always a fairly strong woman.  But it wasn't until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 that real transformation took place.  She changed her eating habits and joined the gym--and attended on a regular basis.  She started going to group fitness classes and got a personal trainer.  I always thought of my mom as more of an introvert than extravert so it completely amazed me that she would just go to a fitness class with no one she knew and not really knowing what to expect.  To me, the risk of embarrassment would have been too great to try!  14 years later (13 years cancer-free) and I have heard rumors that people refer to her as "psycho lady" at the gym because her fitness routine is so intense.  (That's why I say she's her own style of crazy.)  I don't know where she got her motivation or drive to stick with it but she did and her body shows it.  Now, in all fairness, her kids were in middle school and high school when this intense routine began, which is a little different than having a 2 and 1 year old at home, so I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself yet.
Recently, not only have I seen her physical appearance change, but her spiritual walk with the Lord has grown closer and it shows in her actions, demeanor, and overall confidence and outward kindness.  Not only does this make her an amazing role model for me and my kids, but I'm so thankful for the longevity she has most likely added to her life and amount of energy she has and will have for a long time to play with my kids.  No one would believe that she has 2 grandchildren if they met her on the street.  My children will have years of great memories with her and my father because of her current lifestyle!  I've learned a lot from my mother, including the fact that you're never too "old" to change your life in a dramatic way!
Things I've learned from Mom:
1) How to Sew (My mom is a quilter and is very talented in sewing, knitting, painting, cross-stitch--all things crafty, basically!)
2) How to Apologize (Even at a young age, whenever my mom and I had an argument, she would come into my bedroom and apologize and want to make sure we both went to sleep OK.  I make sure I always apologize to my own children when I know I'm in the wrong.)
3) Stories from the Bible and the importance of a relationship with Jesus
4) How to Organize
5) How to Serve (in the church and elsewhere)
6) How to read & write, cut & paste (We did preschool at home and she is also teaching my Abigail while they are together for daycare during the day.  Abby knows her letters and numbers, how to spell her name and color inside the lines thanks to my mom.)
7) of course... How to Exercise and attend Group Fitness Classes!  (I went with my mother on a regular basis to the gym first thing in the morning during my engagement.  My wedding day was probably the skinniest I have ever been and ever will be!)

Easter 2014

Here are a few more smoothie recipes.  This time around I used non-fat yogurt rather than low-fat.  It's a bit more expensive but there is a huge difference in calories.  Also, Silk recently came out with almondmilk plus protein and fiber, so I've used that milk in place of the almond/coconut milk I used in the other recipes.  I also used almond butter a few times.  It has a slightly lower caloric count than peanut butter, and it also has less sugar and more fiber.  We found it really gave the smoothies a sweet, breakfast-cereal-type taste.  The choices are yours--there are endless possibilities!  (I still have some more ideas in my head, but they will probably have to wait longer before they are tested and put into print.) :)

Raspberry-Mocha Smoothie (serves 1) Perfect if you need that extra boost of caffeine in the morning!
2/3 cup raspberries (frozen or not)
2/3 cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
2 TB wheat germ
1/2 cup Silk dark chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup cold coffee

Calories: 286, Fat: 3g, Protein: 18.5g, Fiber: 13g, Added Sugar: 16g, Vitamin C: 55%, Vitamin A: 6%, Vitamin E: 45%, Vitamin D: 13%, Iron: 17%, Calcium: 68%, Folic Acid: 20%

Version of a similar smoothie that serves 2:
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup cold coffee
1 cup Silk dark chocolate almond milk
3 TB wheat germ
1 TB almond butter

Calories: 843, Fat: 13g, Protein: 30g, Fiber: 21g, Added Sugar: 29g, Vitamin C: 93%, Vitamin A: 11%, Vitamin E: 75%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 28%, Calcium: 101%, Folic Acid: 30%

Triple Berry Almond Smoothie (serves 2) PROTEIN + FIBER packed w/ a boost of VITAMIN C
1 1/2 cups strawberry halves
1/2 cup blueberries (frozen)
1/2 cup raspberries (frozen)
2 TB almond butter
2 TB wheat germ
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup Silk almondmilk + protein + fiber

Calories: 617, Fat: 20g, Protein: 37.5g, Fiber: 28.5g, Added Sugar: 21g, Vitamin C: 266.5%, Vitamin A: 11.5%, Vitamin E: 20%, Vitamin B12: 50%, Iron: 26%, Calcium: 58%, Folic Acid: 20% 

Blueberry-Peach Smoothie (serves 2) PROTEIN + FIBER packed
1 cup frozen peach halves
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
2 TB wheat germ
2 TB almond butter
1 cup spinach
1 cup Silk almondmilk + protein + fiber

 Calories: 582, Fat: 20g, Protein: 39.5g, Fiber: 23g, Added Sugar: 21g, Vitamin C: 53%, Vitamin A: 101%, Vitamin E: 20%, Vitamin B12: 50%, Iron: 28.5%, Calcium: 68.5%, Folic Acid: 20% 

For more protein shake recipes by me, visit:  http://bethanysmeals365.blogspot.com/2014/05/day-103-protein-shakessmoothies-part-1.html

For more information about the nutritional value of fruit: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1990/2

Day 103: Protein Shakes/Smoothies Part 1 (no pictures)

So I've been working on some recipes for smoothies that are packed with protein and rich in other vitamins and minerals without using protein powder and that taste really good.  The reasons I don't want to use protein powder are the cost and the fact that I want to know and understand exactly what is in the smoothies I make and put into my body.  After doing some research, I've discovered that protein powder is not strictly regulated, and in actuality, it's really not hard to come by the protein recommended in a daily diet for an average "recreational" adult athlete. I can also feel good about giving these smoothies to my children. Randy and I have been replacing 1 meal a day with smoothies and some have been great and some have been failures (in my or his opinion, depending on the day).  Don't worry, I am only sharing the successes!  My experience making smoothies at the ice cream parlor/mini golf course I worked at in high school and college and my experiments last summer with smoothie making have made this process pretty easy and fun!  So far, I've compiled a list of 6 smoothie recipes we love and I wanted to share with you.  I have more ideas in my head and am already gearing up to make a new one tomorrow morning.  But I thought I'd break the list up into more than one post so they don't take me too long to type up.  Also, I just realized that I didn't take any pictures of the smoothies I've made so far, so I'll have to do that for the next post! :)

Some notes about the ingredients:
1) Some recipes include greens and others do not.  I think it's important to mix it up.  Having a good portion of kale or spinach everyday sounds good, but too much of anything is too much.  These dark green vegetables are rich in minerals--but minerals that can sometimes cause health issues themselves if eaten too much too frequently.  Because we try to eat green veggies with dinner and are having more salads with lunch, I think it's a good idea to have some smoothies without the greens to make sure we're keeping everything in moderation!
2) Wheat germ is the "embryo" of the wheat plant.  It's the part of the wheat kernel with the most vitamins and minerals and you can buy it in a glass jar in the oatmeal section of the grocery store.  It contains protein, vitamin E, folic acid, iron, zinc, and other minerals.  Because it's a grain, it adds a little more "fill" to the smoothie.  It's kind of like adding oatmeal but without that dry, powdery texture that adding oatmeal powder can create.  It helps make these smoothies feel more "meal-like" and is very affordable!  A serving size is 2 TB, but that is generally all I put in these smoothies which honestly make enough to feed Randy and myself.  So we're technically getting half a serving everyday.  I may increase this on the next round and see what it does to the texture of the smoothies.
3) I alluded to this in the above note, but most of these smoothies feed both Randy and myself.  They could easily feed one person, I suppose, but we don't have glasses or "to-go" cups big enough to fit the whole smoothie, so we split it.  Keep that in mind when reading the nutritional facts. (The calorie count seems high on first glance, but you have to remember that this is a meal-replacement smoothie, and most of them serve 2.) Occasionally I've made 2 batches of the same smoothie--1 for each of us, so there are 1 or 2 smoothies that actually are just 1 serving.  (They are noted below.)
4) Sometimes fruit smoothies can be tart.  We've found that to naturally sweeten a "tart" smoothie, it helps to add half of an apple.  Apples are a rather sweet fruit and they absorb some of the tartness of berries.  It's a great way to sweeten a smoothie without needing to add granulated sugar or honey.
5) I use non-fat and low-fat Greek vanilla yogurt, whatever I happen to pick up at the store.  The nutritional facts for these smoothies are for low-fat yogurt because we currently have Cabot low-fat Greek vanilla yogurt in our house--it's one of the cheaper brands.
6) Sugars: Fruit has a ton of sugar in it!!!  If you are restricting sugar (even natural sugar), these recipes aren't for you!  I'm including "added sugar" in my nutritional facts which includes the sugar in the yogurt and almond milk.  You can find facts about sugars in natural, raw fruits online.  Here are some sugar findings of mine: 1 mango=24g, 1 cup strawberries=7g, 1 cup blueberries=15g, 1 banana=14g, 1 apple=19g, 1 cup raspberries=5g, 1 cup pineapple=16g (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2)

Strawberry-Mango Smoothie (serves 2)
1 mango, diced
2 cups strawberries, diced
1 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 apple, chopped
1 cup low-fat Greek vanilla yogurt
2 TB wheat germ
1 cup orange juice

Calories: 662, Fat: 5.5g, Protein: 27g, Fiber: 14g, Added Sugar: 28g, Vitamin C: 541%, Vitamin A: 126%, Vitamin E: 40%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 25%, Calcium: 91%, Folic Acid: 20%

Pineapple-Banana Smoothie (serves 2)
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1 banana, sliced
2 TB wheat germ
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup Almond Breeze almond/coconut milk

Calories: 547, Fat: 7g, Protein: 28g, Fiber: 10g, Added Sugar: 34g, Vitamin C: 188%, Vitamin A: 114%, Vitamin E: 90%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 26.5%, Calcium: 97%, Folic Acid: 20%

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie (serves 2)
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup low-fat (or non-fat) milk
2 TB wheat germ
2 tsp cinnamon

Calories: 601, Fat: 8g, Protein: 31g, Fiber: 11g, Added Sugar: 41g, Vitamin C: 71%, Vitamin A: 34%, Vitamin E: 40%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 15%, Calcium: 83%, Folic Acid: 20%

Chocolate-Raspberry Smoothie (serves 1)
1 cup raspberries
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup Silk dark chocolate almond milk
2 TB wheat germ
1 TB peanut butter

Calories: 552, Fat: 16g, Protein: 26.5g, Fiber: 12g, Added Sugar: 46g, Vitamin C: 109%, Vitamin A: 30%, Vitamin E: 100%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 27%, Calcium: 93%, Folic Acid: 20%

Chocolate Banana Peanut-Butter Smoothie (serves 1)
1 banana, sliced
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup Silk dark chocolate almond milk
1 TB peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB wheat germ

Calories: 568, Fat: 15g, Protein: 24.5g, Fiber: 6.5g, Added Sugar: 46g, Vitamin C: 72%, Vitamin A: 32%, Vitamin E: 90%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 21.5%, Calcium: 92.5%, Folic Acid: 10%

Strawberry-Blueberry Smoothie (serves 2)
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 cup blueberries
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 apple, diced
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup almond/coconut milk
2 TB wheat germ

Calories: 591, Fat: 8.5g, Protein: 25g, Fiber: 15g, Added Sugar: 35g, Vitamin C: 227%, Vitamin A: 84%, Vitamin E: 90%, Vitamin D: 45%, Iron: 27.5%, Calcium: 98%, Folic Acid: 20%

***A special "thank you" to those who responded to my last post asking for ideas for protein shakes.  Along with those responses, this website came my way: http://www.niashanks.com/2013/07/protein-powder-free-protein-shake-recipe/ which gave me the idea to add spices and extracts to my smoothies.  I look forward to many more experiments in this field!!! :)

(By the way, for dinner tonight a friend of mine and her kids came over.  We fed them mac & cheese, veggies, and fruit while we had Chili's To-Go!)