There is a reason why so many muscle-minded men turn to their blender to help them get more pumped. Blended shakes are an easy way to knock back the protein you need every day to pack on muscle like a pro. Not to mention a compact way to obtain key nutrients that may be otherwise lacking in your daily diet. And now that flip-flop season is in full swing you might be giving your blender a stiff daily workout to help you beat the heat.
But, as you’ve likely experienced, smoothies can come off as one-note and be as exciting to drink as cough syrup. Too many of us are on auto-pilot with our protein shakes blending or shaking together the same tired ingredients. Which is a shame, because at their core, smoothies are an excellent way to work all sorts of foods with a standout nutritional pedigree into your diet.
Whether you’re whipping up a quick breakfast replacement, a muscle-building drink after a monster workout or a frosty snack, you need to know that smoothies are infinitely riffable and are ready to welcome all sorts of seemingly strange bedfellows that can be turned into a delicious drink to send down the hatch. With a little know-how and a few underutilized ingredients, it’s possible to make a protein shake so delicious you’ll actually crave it. So, yes, please stop thinking about protein shakes as little more than protein powder and water.
To help you chug back better shakes, here are a batch of smoothies that whip in some outside-the-box ingredients (hello, avocado) that make it way better to drink your protein. Every one manages to hit you with a perfect trifecta of taste, texture, and nutrition. Gentlemen start your blenders: These nutritious smoothies are the real big gulps.
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How To Create Your Own Healthy Protein Shake: 8 Unbreakable Rules
Yes, you can make better smoothies at home. Follow these steps to master the shake making formula.
Follow the Leader: For the most efficient blending, pour liquids first into your container followed by soft items like yogurt and nut butters, then powder, and finally anything hard including raw vegetables. Frozen ingredients such as fruit and ice go in last to help pull all the other ingredients down into the swirling blades for even mixing. If your blender has a speed adjustment knob, begin at the lowest blender speed then work your way up to high speed to let it rip.
Be Liquid Smart: If you are not sure of the exact proportions, dumping in all of your milk, juice, or water right away could leave you with a smoothie that seems watered down. You can try blending in a bit less liquid at the start and see if you like the consistency. Too thick? Blend in more liquid until you get the consistency you want. Too thin? Whip in additional frozen fruit.
Patience Pays: Let’s not gloss over this: Take. Your. Time. Smoothies are quick, but that doesn’t mean a lack of patience and blending everything up for a couple of seconds is going to cut it. You want to blend together all the ingredients for a bit of time so that your smoothie is lump-free. Aim for at least 1 minute with a regular blender, or about 30 seconds if you’re using a machine with serious horsepower, like a Vitamix.
Scale Back the Sweet Stuff: Fruit, honey, dates, juices and sugar-sweetened dairy-free milk can result in a blender drink that is not too far off of liquid candy. In general, aim to blend in no more than two sugary items. Truth is, fruit should provide nearly all the sweetness that is needed. If you’re blending in yogurt or non-dairy milk such as almond or soy make sure to use unsweetened kinds.
Beyond the Powder: Yes, protein powder is a convenient way to give your creamy drinks a hefty dose of this macro, but it’s not the only way. Items like Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, pasteurized egg whites, cottage cheese, and even soft tofu can help you go bigger on protein and help improve the texture and taste of your blender creations.
Going Bananas: Blending in frozen bananas is the perfect way to instantly give your smoothie a frosty and creamy personality. Ice cubes? Not so much. To freeze ripe bananas for your muscle-making shakes, simply peel the fruit, chop into quarters, spread out on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then store them in the freezer in an air-tight zip-top bag.
Don’t Forget the Fat: Fats help your body absorb various fat-soluble nutrients in the shake. They can also provide a rich, creamy consistency. Nut butters, seeds, nuts, full-fat dairy and even avocado are ways to deliciously fatten up your post-gym drinks. If you’re adding a fat source and the shake turns weirdly gloppy when blended, add a little extra liquid to smooth it out.
Go for Bonus Flavor: There are easy ways to make your drink pop with exciting flavor. A touch of spice like cinnamon or nutmeg can instantly transform a smoothie from meh to memorable. Herbs like mint or basil, citrus zest such as lemon, fresh ginger, and vanilla extract are also great ways to add calorie-free flavor to your shakes.
8 High Protein Smoothie Recipes To Build Muscles in a Heatwave
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PB&J Smoothie
Hold the bread, this smoothie tastes like everyone’s favorite schoolyard sandwich. Wheat germ is the stealth health food here as it contains a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals including selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and thiamine.
- 1 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
- 2 tbsp wheat germ
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
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Lemony Blueberry Smoothie
This is a fresh tasting smoothie fit for the season. Cottage cheese lends the drink the required amount of protein and frozen blueberries have a surfeit of disease-thwarting anthocyanin antioxidants.
- 3/4 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- ½ frozen chopped banana
Place all of the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.
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Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie
This smoothie tastes like dessert, albeit a mega-nutritious one. Sweet potato adds wonderful natural sweetness to this decadent tasting shake not to mention a wallop of immune-boosting vitamin A. Consider cooking up a few at a time so they are ready to go for shake time. In similar vein to yogurt, tangy kefir is a surefire way to increase your intake of muscle-building protein and the gut-benefiting beneficial critters known as probiotics.
- 1 cup plain kefir beverage
- 1 cup peeled, chopped and cooked sweet potato
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
- 1 tbsp almond butter or cashew butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1/2 frozen banana, chopped
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container in the order listed and blend until smooth.
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Green Monster Smoothie
Found alongside baby spinach and arugula in the supermarket, tender baby kale is less bitter tasting than its grown-up version and requires no chopping making it a great way to infuse
smoothies with nutritional might. Virtually flavorless soft tofu is a surprising way to add plant-based protein to smoothies as are nutty tasting hemp seeds. Mango adds a plenty of sweetness and some tropical flair. And just a hint of sourness in smoothies from items like lemon juice can sharpen fruitiness.
- 3/4 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup soft (silken) tofu
- 2 cups baby kale
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 3 tbsp hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 1 cup cubed frozen mango
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container in the order listed and blend until smooth.
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Over Easy Mocha Shake
This blender drink is definitely a smooth way to start your day. Boxed pasteurized egg whites are perfectly safe to eat straight from the carton offering breakfast smoothies a pure source of top-notch protein. Using brewed coffee as your liquid base perks up your morning drink, while milk powder is an inexpensive way (yes, less pricey than protein powder) to add creamy consistency to smoothies and some extra protein. Blend in subzero cherries and you’ll get a hit of health-hiking antioxidants.
- 3/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 1/3 cup pasteurized egg whites
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 3 tbsp milk powder
- 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 cup frozen pitted cherries
- 1/2 frozen banana, chopped
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container in the order listed and blend until smooth.
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Red Velvet Cheesecake
When it comes to smoothies, it’s time to root for naturally sweet beets. They are a fantastic source of naturally occurring nitrates that can aid in cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure numbers. High powered blenders can handle raw beets, but if you’re using one with wimpy horsepower or want a sweeter-tasting shake you may want to blend in cooked ones. Some supermarket produce sections now carry pre-cooked beets. Good for more than just lasagna, ricotta cheese adds creamy richness and a dose of muscle-friendly whey protein. Raspberries lend the drink much-needed fiber and antioxidants. The mint and orange zest are all about the flavor magic.
- 3/4 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
- 1 small beet, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp walnuts or pecans
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon or allspice
- 3/4 cup frozen raspberries
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container in the order listed and blend on high power for 1 minute, or until smooth.
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Chocolate Fudge Smoothie
Avocado gives smoothies an unbeatable creamy texture without making them taste like guacamole. Plus, you’ll benefit from its nutritional payload which includes heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fat-fighting fiber and a range of vitamins including vitamin C and K. Blending in spinach is an easy way to add a nutrition boost without evening knowing it’s there. Adding a touch of fiery cayenne makes the drink taste extra exciting.
- 1 cup water
- Flesh of 1/2 avocado
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 scoop plain, chocolate, or vanilla protein powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/2 frozen banana, chopped
Place all of the ingredients in a blander container and blend until smooth. If too thick, blend in additional liquid.
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Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
A perfect protein-packed drink to help you keep your cool this summer. Greek yogurt gives you extra protein and probiotics, creamy tahini delivers good-for-you fats, and peaches and carrot are a source of immune-boosting beta-carotene. A smoothie that even Bugs Bunny would hop into the kitchen for.
- 1 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup frozen peach slices
- 1/2 cup frozen chopped banana
Place all of the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.
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Superfood Smoothie Mix-Ins to Boost Nutrition and Flavor on the Go
These blend-ins can instantly up the nutritional ante of your smoothies.
- Manitoba Harvest Hemp + Immunity: Hemp protein powder is gussied with some immune-boosting powders including elderberry and acerola cherry. After all, shouldn’t we all have some more acerola in our lives?
- Vega Performance Protein + Creatine: An impressive 30 grams of plant-based protein is paired with 3 grams of creatine monohydrate for a next-level smoothie powder geared towards athletic success.
- Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed Meal: Whirl into your smoothies for a dose of heart and brain-boosting omega-3 fats along with hunger-quelling fiber.
- Bumpin Blends Berry Awake: These convenient frozen smoothie cubes are made with organic berries, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and spinach. Undeniably, a way to simplify your smoothie routine without sacrificing nutrition.
- Navitas Organics Cacao Powder: This powder will elevate your smoothies with great chocolaty flavor, much needed magnesium and a wallop of antioxidants.
- Possible Supergreens: An easy way to power up your protein shakes with powdered greens and fruits. We promise it won’t make your drink taste like a salad.
Tools to Upgrade Your Protein Shakes
Hitting the road this summer? You need not rely on sugar-loaded drinks from the juice bar. The ingenious Nutribullet Flip is a rechargeable portable blender that lets you drink your protein whether you are on the beach or trapped in a dingy hotel room. The insulated cup will keep your smoothie nice and frosty for several hours. And the machine is powerful enough it won’t leave chunks of frozen fruit floating in your drink.
Make and Take
Need a cold smoothie to go? After blending, pour your drink into an insulated 32 oz wide mouth Hydro Flask bottle that is up to the task of keeping your drinks frosty or steamy for several hours. Bonus points for its splashy colors.
