Winter Berry Smoothie

Our smoothie blender logs a lot of mileage between the three of us and our smoothie fixes.  I’m surprised the little machine still runs, but I’m hoping it’s a lifer now.  Smoothies around here include whatever we happen to have on hand when we’re feeling the power of the puree.  This one happened to include an assortment of frozen berries, from our Minnesota winter stock pile, along with some yogurt, banana and protein powder, hemp protein in this one. 

Summer and winter smoothies are extremely different at our house.  We don’t go a day without each of us having one or more with fresh fruit and local greens in the summer, and have to put forth more effort to feast on the winterized (packaged) versions for a few months out of the year.  Since it’s March 1st here, and the ground is covered in snow, this is a winter variety smoothie.  All of the berries were purchased pre-frozen, too, since we ran out of our frozen stock of fresh farmer’s market and co-op fruit months ago already.  I’m sad to say that at the moment of this one’s blending, there was not a single leaf of kale nor spinach to be found in our kitchen.  None.  This smoothie was not part of the Green Smoothie Revolution.  Unless my hemp powder counts for something?

I’m in need of the Green Smoothie Revolution book by Victoria Boutenko, and maybe you are too.  I’m not in any way affiliated with Boutenko, but you’ll find her Green For Life book endorsed on my left sidebar, because it’s such a good resource to share.  After reviewing the book the publishers sent her, Michelle over at Find Your Balance just so happens to be giving a copy away.  Good luck! 

Back to this Winter Berry Smoothie

Small handful each of:
Frozen organic raspberries*
Frozen organic blueberries*
Frozen organic berry assortment*
Frozen mangoes

1/2 fresh banana
2 Tablespoons of hemp protein powder**
Few spoons of plain organic yogurt (about 1/4 c.), I always prefer Stonyfield
Unsweetened almond milk to help liquify smoothie (start with 1/4 c., add more to thin)

*Trader Joe’s variety: inexpensive, organic
**Organic hemp protein powder from local co-op, The Wedge

I filled up the magic bullet cup, blended, and shared with my kiddo.  She and I thought it was delicious to the last drop.  It’s on smoothie mornings that I feel pumped and ready for a long day, and forego coffee, even.   

The only thing I would have changed about this one was its lack of dark leafy greens.  I would have loved a few leaves of dinosaur kale in this one.