We recently held a contest in our BioTrust VIP Community on Facebook where we asked our members to share their favorite smoothie recipe. We received a ton of great responses and had the tough time selecting just ONE.

So, what makes a good smoothie?

To begin, you need a solid protein source, which is where BioTrust protein blends come into play. We have three varieties for you to choose from, each of which comes with its own benefits.

They Keys to a Good Protein Shake

Generally speaking, I like to use my foolproof template when creating a healthy and delicious smoothie, and it looks a little something like this:

• Protein: 2 scoops BioTrust Protein Blend
• Vegetable: 1 – 2 fistfuls veggies (e.g., dark leafy greens, raw or roasted veggies, powdered greens)
• Fruit: 1/2 – 1 cupped handful fruit (e.g., berries)
• Healthy Fats: 1 thumb-sized portion healthy fats (e.g., nuts, nut butters, seeds, coconut oil)
• 8 ounces low-calorie liquid: (e.g., water, unsweetened almond milk, cow’s milk, green tea, coffee)
• Ice to preference

By using the above template, the sky is your limit when it comes to creating that quick breakfast before your commute to work, or an energizing post-workout shake you can drink on your way home from the gym. Shakes should be something healthy and chockful of nutrients, fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats. Just because they are fast and easy doesn’t mean they are unhealthy. But they can be if you aren’t careful.

How can protein smoothies be unhealthy?

1. If they contain too much sugar. This includes fruits that are higher on the glycemic index than others. I like to stick with berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries when making my smoothies.
2. If they contain too many processed and/or artificial ingredients. Often times if you visit these so-called “healthy” juice bars or smoothie cafés, you may be consuming a ton of processed and/or artificial ingredients that are essentially wolves in sheep’s clothing.

By making your own smoothies at home, you can rest assured you’re getting fresh, natural, whole ingredients, without all the extra calories.

Without further ado, let’s get to our award-winning smoothie recipes. The following entry was the winner of our VIP Community Shake Recipe Contest:

Daily Breakfast by Amy Ash

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach/kale mix
• Half avocado
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 Tbsp powdered peanut butter
• 2 scoops Low Carb Vanilla Cream (or Platinum1 or Harvest)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender, add water, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Yields 2 servings

• Calories: 385
• Fat: 26 g
• Carbs: 25 g
• Sugar: 5.8 g
• Fiber: 14.6 g
• Protein: 18 g

Runner’s Up: Ninja Turtle by Stephanie Rivera

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• Dash of cinnamon (can make with or without)
• 2 scoops Platinum1 Vanilla Cupcake
• 1 cup water and ice

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy your turtle power!

Nutrition Information:
Yields 1 serving

• Calories: 174
• Fat: 1 g
• Carbs: 14.4 g
• Sugar: 7.9 g
• Fiber: 3.6 g
• Protein: 26.5 g

Dirty Chai by Sarah Patrich

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops BioTrust Low Carb Café Mocha
• 4 oz of your preferred milk (I usually choose almond or coconut)
• 4 oz chilled chai tea
• 1 frozen banana
• (optional) 2 Tbsp chilled black coffee or cold brew
• (optional) about 2 Tbsp dried oats (to help fill you up and thicken it)
• Ice to preference

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Chef Note: If chai tea isn’t on hand, you can use a dash of cinnamon, powdered ginger, and powdered cloves. Pumpkin spice flavoring is good as well!

Nutrition Information (made with almond milk):
Yields 1 serving

• Calories: 338
• Fat: 5.5 g
• Carbs: 49 g
• Sugar: 16 g
• Fiber: 9.4 g
• Protein: 28 g