By Jodee Weiland

Getting up in the morning and grabbing a healthy smoothie is a great way to start your day! A smoothie, done right, can be a high-fiber breakfast, which can help you lose weight if that’s a personal goal. But even if you are not looking to lose weight, a healthy smoothie has all sorts of health benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease. My Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie does all of that for you, and it tastes delicious as well!

In my smoothie, I intentionally wanted to make sure I had at least 200 calories because anything less is not substantial enough to substitute for breakfast. Everyone needs fuel for their bodies to function properly. I wanted to make sure I had minerals and vitamins included, plus some protein and at least five grams of fiber. It was for these last two reasons, I included fruits, a vegetable, and almonds.

Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie 

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut up
• 3/4 cup fresh strawberries
• 3/4 cup fresh frozen mango, cut up
• 6 whole almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon organic honey or more to taste, if preferred

Blend all of the above ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. I did not add honey, but for those who prefer a sweeter flavor, add the honey as well. Pour into a glass to serve. This recipe makes one serving.

My Good Morning Strawberry Mango Plus Smoothie is a great way to start your day! This smoothie is both healthy and delicious, while giving you seven grams of fiber along with five grams of protein, as well as numerous other vitamins and minerals. This smoothie is 202 calories and has 0 trans fat, reducing the risk of heart disease. What a great way to start your day, especially if you want to lose weight. Make yourself a healthy smoothie that fuels your body wisely, and enjoy!

By Jodee Weiland

Lately, I’ve been trying out some thicker smoothies that would be filling and could take the place of a meal while being nutritious and healthy as well. One thicker smoothie I put together was especially tasty. I think this smoothie was so good because of the addition of almonds. It’s much thicker than my regular smoothie, but the almonds also make it more filling. Almonds are heart healthy and since I love them, I felt certain they would add something great to the flavor. I was right, and the result was my Thick Green Smoothie Magic with Almonds!

This smoothie has fresh mango, apple, and unsweetened pineapple juice, all of which have numerous vitamins and nutrients. It also has frozen spinach for a green vegetable, which gives it even more nutritional value. By including almonds I’ve add protein, because an ounce of almonds contains about one eighth of our necessary daily protein. The inclusion of almonds make this smoothie heart healthy and gives it the thick consistency I was looking for, making it more filling and a possible substitute for a breakfast or a mid-day meal without bread. That is exactly what I was trying to create with this new smoothie!

Thick Green Smoothie Magicwith Almonds

• 1 Granny Smith apple unpeeled, cored, and cut up
• 1 cup fresh frozen mango slices
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 cup frozen spinach

In a blender, blend together the apple, the mango, the almonds, and the juice until smooth. Add in the frozen spinach and once again blend until smooth, but thick. This recipe will make approximately two ten ounce servings. It can also be made less thick by adding additional juice, if preferred.

My Thick Green Smoothie Magic with Almonds is delicious and very healthy! This thicker smoothie could easily take the place of a breakfast or a mid-day meal without bread, while still satisfying your hunger. It has great nutritional value, which includes twelve grams of fiber and about 15 grams of protein. There are 404 calories in one serving or half of the recipe, but for a meal this is relatively low. High in fiber, protein, and nutrients, this smoothie will satisfy your hunger, while keeping you healthy, so enjoy!