I’m not even 30 yet and I already feel like I’m getting old. Mostly because all the sudden I’m the kind of person who can fall asleep at the drop of a hat. (Go on. Drop it.) Seriously though. The climax of the Lego Movie that we saw in theaters a few weeks ago? Totally out. Reading a story to Charlotte? I give myself 3 pages. The 10 minute drive to Costco yesterday? If you live in Sacramento, consider yourself warned.
Post-kid-bedtime is when I usually get Important Stuff done. (Like pinning All The Things. Somebody’s gotta do it.) Friday night I was supposed to chop enough fruit for 40 people and make 2 dozen deviled eggs for my cousin’s wedding the next day. Instead I zonked out, sleepily setting an alarm so that I could get chopping and mayonnaise-whipping bright and early.
So I crawl out of bed the next morning and start chopping like a mad woman to get it all done for her 10am wedding. You should have seen my mango-slicing skillz. I should go pro. I got it all done, in my pajamas of course, leaving me a roomy 20 minutes to get ready. (har har)
We are literally running out the door, kids, fruit salad, and slippery deviled eggs in tow, when Eric grabs the invitation off the fridge for the address. And reads it aloud to me: Eleven o’clock in the morning. 11. Not 10. Â An hour later.
Ah well. Better an hour early than an hour late, right? And on the bonus side we got to hang out at our neighbor’s garage sale down the street. Â Because it’s totally normal to frequent yard sales in wedding clothes.
Do you guys drink smoothies for breakfast? It’s such a trendy thing right now. I am all over it. It’s a delicious way to pack in some healthy carbs and protein. Eric is the smoothie maker ’round these parts. He makes one for us every morning. It is awesome. I’m a breakfast-forgetter, so having this done and out of the way means I have time for more time for important things, like falling asleep while reading Charlotte book number 37.
Eric lost 20 pounds last summer through exercise and calorie counting using My Fitness Pal. That’s when he started drinking this Strawberry Mango Protein Smoothie everyday. He got it down to a fine art, always putting in exact amounts so that he knew how many calories he was consuming.
That’s when he discovered protein powder. (<<That’s a link to the kind we buy.) More calories, yes, but good ones because they are protein. (And that’s about where my healthy commentary ends; you guys know I’m not exactly a health guru!) The bottom line: the smoothie is yummy, protein rich, and has about 250-300 calories, depending on how much peanut butter you use. (You could even experiment with using PB2 if you wanted to cut calories.)
It’s certainly better than a bowl of cereal. (Not better than a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Ain’t nothin better un that. But Grape Nuts? This smoothie kicks Grape Nuts’ butts. Grape Nuts’ butts, I say!
This post has a couple affiliate links. If you buy anything on Amazon through those links, then I get a cut at no cost to you. Thus making it possible for me to buy name brand cheddar cheese instead of the generic stuff. Thank you, from the bottom of my cheesy heart.Â
Strawberry Mango Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup protein powder, slightly mounded
- 1/3 large banana
- 4 leaves spinach, stems remove
- 1 teaspoon peanut butter
- 8 whole frozen strawberries
- 1/3 cup frozen mangos , OR berries
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and process for about 30 seconds or a minute. (Add them in the order listed above, it will blend easier)
- Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Blend again until smooth. Over-blending will make it foamy, so don't overdo it.
- Pour into a 16-oz glass and serve.
- Rinse out your blender immediately so that you don't have a sad, sad mess to clean later.
Notes
Nutrition
Some other smoothies you guys might like:
Beet Coconut Dream Smoothie from Dishing Up The Dirt
Cherry Revitalizer Smoothie from Averie Cooks
Almond Butter Spinach Smoothie from What Gaby’s Cooking
Strawberry Banana Green Smoothie from Tastes Lovely
3-Ingredient Superfood Smoothie from Making Thyme For Health
If there is anywhere you can wear wedding clothes and not worry, it should be a yard sale ;)
Pretty pictures, Karen! Love the color!
Oh Gosh being sleep deprived is the worst thing ever!!!!! I sleep for a full 8 hours and still feel groggy and tired in the morning! How weird is that!!!!!! You’re a whiz genius to have done so much in such a short period of time! These protein smoothies look delicious!!!! Strawberry and mangoes are the mega fruits of the season and this combination couldn’t have been better! :D
Mega fruits, haha, I like that!! Indeed they are.
Just make sure the protein powder is from a local outlet. The imported stuff is full of heavy metals and all sorts of contaminants, especially from China.
Oh wow Dee, good to know, I’ve never heard that. Thanks for commenting!
I go to bed super early as well. I can’t remember the last time I stayed up past 11. But that’s ok bc I’m that much more productive in the mornings. I wake up excited for breakfast and this smoothie sounds perfect! And Cinnamon toast crunch..mmm…I think I will go to bed dreaming of that cinnamon-y milk ;)
This looks stinkin’ delicious! We make smoothies on the reg, but haven’t had a strawberry/mango one in a while! Smoothies are perfect when you’re in a hurry in the morning because you can throw it in your car and drink it on the way in and not waste time sitting down eating :)
Yum, yum, yummy. I’ve recently jumped onto the smoothie train. It’s the only thing I can seem to stomach early in the morning since I’m not really a breakfast person. My blender has been running constantly and I love coming up with new combinations. Adding protein powder is such a smart idea, especially since I’ve been trying to add regular workouts to my schedule… trying being the key word here :)
Strawberry and mango are the perfect combination! Plus the peanut butter, this looks all kinds of delicious.
I don’t usually give myself enough time to make a smoothie (I literally shove half of an english muffin in my face and I’m out the door) but I should start because this would be nice to have during my morning commute!
You fell asleep during the lego movie… sad! This smoothie looks amazing.. Now I just have to the ambition to get up and make it. I’m usually grabbing a granola bar out at 10 at work… because I’m starved. har har….
I know, it was kind of a low moment for me, not gonna lie.
If only you could plastic wrap smoothies like granola bars, right? :)
Laughing so hard right now. Classic Karen. I smoothie it up every morning and it’s so great. Protein powder is so helpful when you don’t eat much meat like our family. I like the idea of peanut butter and fruit together because in my mind it would be very pb&j-esque. Is it?
My husband wanted a “good old-fashioned comfort food meal” and I made your garlic sauced meat loaf. He loved it! Because there are just the 2 of us, I divided the recipe into 3 smaller loaves and froze 2 of them. It still took close to 40 min. at 350F for the one to bake (used the meat thermometer to confirm internal temp. at about 155F as suggested).
I am making this bad boy this morning, love it Karen!
The next time I need to scream in frustration I’m going to yell “GRAPENUTS’ BUTTS!” Sort of like saying “Merlin’s Beard!” or “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” but it will sound infinitely cooler. Infinitely.
Oh man, it’s lucky it was you and not me, because I would definitely have needed that extra hour. I am the slowest chopper ever! But I can handle blenders just fine. :)
This smoothie is gorgeous, Karen! I love the pretty-pink color and the healthy ingredients used to make it. So that means it’s totally ok to have two glassfuls right? I love a good, filling smoothie for breakfast and I’m thinking I gotta try this gorgeous one soon! Pinned. :)
Better early than missing the wedding altogether. Yeah, I did that. I read the swirly lettering on the invitation wrong. Oops! Smoothies are my jam. Love this one! Pinned.
WHAT no you didn’t Jennie that’s awful! I hope it wasn’t your sister’s or anything. I thought of you when I posted this Jennie, you are the smoothie queen!