Health Foods Recipes

We know smoothies made at home are crazy healthy. Some experts recommend drinking one every day. However, life can get in the way, and before you know it, you have run out of time and skip your smoothie for breakfast.

But there are some “hacks” you can do to make the smoothie-making process well… smoother.

Batch-make the ingredients
Once a week cut up a big batch of fruits and vegetables that you use in your smoothies. Then bag them up in serving-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze. If using a mixture of fruits and green vegetables, put the vegetables in last. It makes getting them out easier. You can store these portions up to six months frozen.

Use frozen ingredients
Then when you need to make a smoothie, take a bag out of the freezer, dump it in your blender, add protein powder, a liquid like almond or coconut milk, a few ice cubes and blend to the thickness you like. You now have a smoothie you can eat on the run or sit down and enjoy.

If your blender...

Homemade smoothies are much healthier than the pre-made ones you buy in the store. Most of them are loaded with sugar, going against the reasons why you added smoothies for weight-loss to your healthy eating plan in the first place. But even the smoothies you make at home can sabotage your weight loss efforts if you are not careful. Here are 4 reasons why your smoothies may not be carrying their weight in your weight-loss efforts.

Skimping on the fiber

If you are not using enough fiber-rich ingredients in your smoothies, you run the risk of feeling hungry sooner than you would otherwise. Fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer because it slows down digestion.

Not only does this prevent a blood-sugar spike (and the resulting crash which heads you straight for something to eat), but the fiber is indigestible meaning it doesn’t add calories to your diet. By including nuts, berries, seeds , fruit and dark green vegetables in your smoothies, you can be sure you are getting enough...