Images from our run this afternoon. We tried to outrun the rain, which never did come. Either way, it made us go faster!

My favorite is the top right.

via dale gillard

After several months of smoothie experimentation, I’ve discovered the perfect purple smoothie. They’re good in the morning or for a post-workout recovery drink. All the ingredients are very accessible at your local grocery store. I use Target and Hy-Vee’s Health Market because they tend to have better, less processed foods without breaking the bank. Here’s the short list of ingredients:

• 1 Banana
• 1/2 Cup Frozen Fruit
• 2 Ice Cubes
• 1 Cup Soy Milk
• 2 Tbsp Brown Rice Protein Powder
• 1 Tbsp Agave Nectar

And now for the tricky part. I’ve learned that the art to a good smoothie isn’t necessary finding the right foods but rather how to add them to the blender and mix them at the right times.

• Start by adding 1 Peeled Banana to the blender. I find it’s best to break the banana into four pieces. Adding the banana first helps avoid and clumping from frozen food getting lodged between the blender blades. In other words, add the banana first and you’ll never have to stop halfway through to push the mix towards the bottom.
• Next, add a 1/2 Cup of Frozen Fruit. I like buying the 5 lb bag of frozen Raspberries, Blueberries and Blackberries. They are all healthy and easy to find. This will also give the smoothie it’s purple color.
• Add 2 Ice cubes. If you want your smoothie more liquidity, add 1 ice cube. Or, if you want it super thick, add four cubes. Just remember, the more cubes, the longer you have to let it blend.
• Next, add 1 Cup Soy Milk. You can use a dairy milk if you want, I just prefer to keep it Vegan and dairy free. The milk will give your smoothie a good base to mix everything, along with providing essential vitamins. Note: Rice milk can be used, but since we are adding Rice Protein Powder later, Soy makes a good variety.
• Add 2 Tablespoons of Brown Rice Protein Powder. Here, you could also use a milk based protein if you want, I prefer brown rice for the reasons above. MLo makes a great Brown Rice Protein and is sold at Hy-Vee or Amazon (Click here for the link). It’s super healthy.
• Before adding the last ingredient, blend the above for about 20 seconds. I use a lower setting to break up the fruit and ice. This will help unify the ingredients together, without creating a frozen ball of protein of sweetener.
• Add about a Tablespoon of Agave Nectar. I was using honey, but found Agave Nectar just as good. (Click here to buy on amazon) Plus it comes in a “no-drip” bottle so you never have to worry about dripping extra in the cupboard or making a mess. Note: If making a smoothie shortly before going to bed, skip the sweetener/extra sugar.
• Lastly, blend everything for another 30 seconds or until smooth. You’ll probably end up with 16 oz. of smoothie. If you’re hungry, down it all. If not, then you’ll make a friend by sharing a little.

For all those counters out there, here are the nutrition facts per 16oz…

Calories – 450

• Banana – 120
• Frozen Fruit – 70
• Soy Milk – 90
• Brown Rice Protein – 110
• Agave Nectar – 60

Carbs – 87g

• Banana – 31g
• Frozen Fruit – 17g
• Soy Milk – 11g
• Brown Rice Protein – 12g
• Agave Nectar – 16g (all sugar)

Protein – 23g

• Banana – 1g
• Frozen Fruit – 1g
• Soy Milk – 6g
• Brown Rice Protein – 15g

Potassium – 850mg

• Banana – 500mg
• Soy Milk – 350mg

Enjoy! …and if you like it, pass it on