Smoothie / shake ideas??? Just got a Vitamix and I'm having fun experimenting...

[4rings6stars]

I've got the "Whole Food" recipe book that came with the blender and I've searched online, but curious what other cyclists are blending...

Anybody have some good and/or creative recipes they want to share?

Pre-ride, recovery, breakfast, meal replacement/weight loss...whatever.

[velobran]

This is pretty basic, but make this a couple times a week after a ride if I'm in a time crunch:

Peanut Butter (2 spoons)
Soy Milk (not sure how much)
Oatmeal (maybe a 1/2 cup?)
Bananas (2)
Ovaltine (1 serving)

Or this one maybe once a week:

Mixed berries (blue, straw, rasp)
Banana
Yogurt (sometimes soy)
Flaxseed
Soy Milk

Otherwise, I'll only have smoothies when my wife makes them. I'm more of a juicer kind of guy over the last year.

[Too Tall]

I used to make cosmetic base formulas with this blender it is pretty amazing.

Basic recovery drink if I come home famished and spent:
Bannana
Yogurt
Soy Milk
Hammer Nutrition Recoverite
Honey

This totals approx. 600 calories and I feel great and it is not 2000 calories I would have had if I had my way with leftovers.

[robin3mj]

For the past 6-8 months I've been doing some form of this as my breakfast, using a reg'lar old blender.
banana
handful kale
handful spinach
enough milk/oj to make it liquid enough to drink

Then my wife joined in, and apparently my concoction was too fibrous/chunky for her tastes, and the blender died after 10 useful years.
So we got a Breville blender, and now breakfast (for both os uf- this makes 3.5-4 cups) is:
1 large banana or 2 small
1 green apple, cored
1/4 cucumber with skin
kale
spinach
milk/yogurt/OJ, to wetten
couple blue/rasp berries
squeeze of lime juice

I use the "smoothie" setting for 60 seconds, then speed 3 (of 5) for 60 seconds, and speed 5 for another 30 seconds and that gets it smooth enough for her taste.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Milk (soy, cocunut, almond-whatevs)
Yogurt
blueberries
banana
kale..
...
...
and
CINNAMON

[YO!!!]

Breakfast #1
Papaya
Banana
Pineapple
Yogurt
Cinnamon/nutmeg
OJ
Grape Nuts


Breakfast #2
Strawberry
Blueberry
Banana
Yogurt
Cinnamon/nutmeg
OJ

[4rings6stars]

Thanks so much for all the great ideas. Going to try some almond milk and cinnamon this week and start experimenting more its grains/nuts. Made some almond butter this morning (almonds, small amount of honey) and plan to use that in some blends....if I don't eat it all with a spoon or on toast first.

I need some ideas so I can do some shopping so this thread will be helpful. Tried this yesterday by basically adding small amounts of whatever fruits and veggies i had on hand and it was fantastic.

Plain Greek yogurt
OJ
1/2 orange (with peel)
1/2 apple (cored)
Banana
1/2 small avocado
Handful of spinach
1 carrot
2 ice cubes
...more I am probably forgetting

[prcrstn8]

Lactaid or rice milk
Instant coffee
MetRx
Ovaltine
Peanut butter
Ice

[WadePatton]

I used to do this a lot-and was thinner because of it just a few scant years ago. Should be back on it soon.

Breakfast:
3-5 bananas (more or less depending on size and amount of other fruit)
other fruit-such as blueberry, strawberry, pineapple, melon, orange, g-fruit...whateva
handful of spinach or romaine or other such deep greenery.
some ice cubes and around a cup of water for consistency/mixability. makes around a quart.

hold the ice cubes if using frozen bananas.

Frozen bananas smoothed is like ice-cream with nothing else added (a touch of water), BUT I likes a scoop of cocoa-powder in there maybe some vanilla-as a kickass recovery drink.

Snow (or ice*) and a couple of shots of Kalua makes instant ultimately simple and tasty snow cream.

*blender only needed if you're subbing ice for snow (watch out where the huskies go).

Also, the riper the fruit the better, texture means nothing when you're going to beat it to a pulp. It's about maximum sweet and flavor.

[rowdyhillrambler]

I am sure this is a dumbass question, i don't care. Does an overly ripe banana contain more sugars than a greener one.? A mushy brown banana seems so sweet, do they sart and finish with the same amount?. Is it negligible?

[Ben]

I am sure this is a dumbass question, i don't care. Does an overly ripe banana contain more sugars than a greener one.? A mushy brown banana seems so sweet, do they sart and finish with the same amount?. Is it negligible?

Same amount of sugar in a different form. Amylase (an enzyme in the fruit) turns complex carbs into simple.

You can pretend to be amylase -- put a saltine in your mouth and chew. Keep chewing and don't swallow for ~2 min. The starch will turn into simple sugar in your mouth. It's weird, and one of about three things I remember vividly from elementary school.

[rowdyhillrambler]

asked and answered.. perfect. I missed most of elementary, as i worked at a used car dealership. I am now chewing on a cracker, or practicing science.

[maunahaole]

Ice
Lime juice
tequila


blend
pour
drink.


some li hing mui powder on the rim of the glass to mix it up a little bit.

[WadePatton]

asked and answered.. perfect. I missed most of elementary, as i worked at a used car dealership. I am now chewing on a cracker, or practicing science.

a biology teacher in high school said something about chewing bread until it tastes like cake... i dunno i was passing notes to cheerleaders.

riper=sweeter, if over-ripe add yeast (if none volunteers) and enjoy fizzy akkyhol infusion. if it goes sour, well then you're making vinegar. vinegar has its place too yo.

[ericpmoss]

1 6oz container Liberte Lemon Yogurt
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 ripe peach or nectarine
1 cup pitted dark red cherries

It helps immensely in uber-hot weather. You can toss in a shot of ice-cold vodka if you don't need to actually recover. :)

[Tom_Bishop]

1 cup vanilla almond milk (unsweetened, chilled)
1 tbsp white chia seeds (pre-soaked in 75ml water for 15 min)
1 tbsp coconut flour
1-2 tbsp ground sprouted flax seed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey (unpasteurized)
1/2 of a large, ripe banana.

Add all ingredients to the chia/water mixture and blend. Served chilled . Good for Omega's, fibre, energy...and has no dairy, soy or wheat. I have one a day and they always satisfy.

[billrick]

Anyone have suggestions on a good protein powder for smoothies? We picked up a Breville so I'm experimenting.

[Octave]

Anyone have suggestions on a good protein powder for smoothies? We picked up a Breville so I'm experimenting.

I have a lot of recommendations, but it depends on your goals. If you can specify the following, I'll post my recs/reviews.

1. Looking for a quick digesting or slow-releasing? (are you using this for an immediate post-ride dose of protein or for something to keep you full between meals or for something to aid in muscle development overnight while you sleep)
2. Do you want a relatively neutral flavor (i.e. vanilla, chocolate) or something to actually add to the shake (i.e. banana, strawberry, cookies/cream, peanut butter...etc.)?
3. Do you have any preference for protein source (i.e. dairy, egg, vegetable, grain)?

[Too Tall]

Anyone have suggestions on a good protein powder for smoothies? We picked up a Breville so I'm experimenting.

This is SOP quick recovery shake when I get home from anything 4+ hrs.
1. 3 scoops of pre-digested whey Whole Foods Brand
2. Soy Milk
3. Honey

If I have Hammer Recoverite on hand : 3 scoops + soy + honey. That seems to work a bit better, it prob. does not but hey I like to think so ;)

[billrick]

I have a lot of recommendations, but it depends on your goals. If you can specify the following, I'll post my recs/reviews.

1. Looking for a quick digesting or slow-releasing? (are you using this for an immediate post-ride dose of protein or for something to keep you full between meals or for something to aid in muscle development overnight while you sleep)
2. Do you want a relatively neutral flavor (i.e. vanilla, chocolate) or something to actually add to the shake (i.e. banana, strawberry, cookies/cream, peanut butter...etc.)?
3. Do you have any preference for protein source (i.e. dairy, egg, vegetable, grain)?

Awesome, thanks in advance!

I have simple needs right now - due to schedule demands, I am almost 100% running and lifting for my daily exercise. And always in the early AM (5 to 6:30am). I am drinking my smoothies before my workout, but could switch to post work out if I get a decent container to carry to the gym. My wife is a vegetarian so my protein intake is limited unless I take the initiative.

With that in mind . . .

1) either a post-work out dose of protein or to keep me full between meals. You can probably tell that I haven't given the timing too much thought.

2) neutral flavor (i.e. vanilla, chocolate). My smoothies have been really simple so far - skim milk, frozen banana and mango, greek yogurt, and random sample packets of protein powder from Whole Foods. I'll get fancier once I have a base recipe and routine down.

3) no preference on protein source. I tolerate proteins well and have no dietary restrictions.

Thanks again!