(upbeat music)
- Hey, munchies, welcome to the channel.
If you're new or if you're not, I'm Alyssia,
and I am stoked you're here, either way.
I have some easy smoothie recipes coming your way today.
I don't have kids, but I have a lot of requests
for kid-appropriate foods, and smoothies has come up a lot.
So my approach here was keep it simple,
nutritious and tasty.
I did not add any complicated or uncommon ingredients.
I didn't try to sneak in a ton of veggies.
Let's just make some smoothies
that I actually want to drink.
Starting off with one of my personal favorites.
♪ Peanut butter and jelly smoothie ♪
♪ Peanut butter peanut butter jelly ♪
It starts with a frozen banana and milk of choice.
It could be almond, dairy or soy, whatever works.
You could even use water, honestly.
Then, of course, we need the nut butter.
It does not have to be peanut.
It could be cashew, almond, sunflower; go crazy.
I used cashew because it's lighter in color,
so the smoothie actually stays a more vibrant pink.
And rather than jelly, I'm adding frozen strawberries.
No added sugar required here, in my opinion.
Blend it up.
Smoothies are versatile.
More liquid, and they're going to be thinner,
perhaps more toddler-friendly.
Less liquid, and they will be thicker.
Great for drinking, but also fun to eat.
Especially those thicker ones
can be made as a smoothie bowl,
which can be made extra appealing
with toppings like fresh fruit, nuts,
nut butter, chia seeds.
These textual elements are a nice change.
And sometimes it can feel more like a meal
to sit down and eat something with a spoon.
Peanut butter and jelly
is a classic combination for a reason.
Sweet and salty goodness,
balanced nutrition with carbs, healthy fats and protein.
It's all-around tasty,
and it really just can't let you down.
Next up, how about...
♪ Peaches and cream oatmeal smoothie ♪
♪ Bring that smoothie over to me ♪
This one is just rolled oats, frozen peaches,
Greek yogurt or plain yogurt,
which is going to add creaminess,
as well as probiotics and protein;
milk of choice, some honey for sweetness, if desired.
I do recommend it in this one,
especially if you're using plain yogurt.
And a bit of cinnamon.
Blend it up.
Those oats add thickness and texture,
and, not to mention, help with satiety
from the fiber and whole grain goodness.
Again, great to drink.
You can get the thickness to your preference
by adjusting the liquid,
but I actually love this one as a smoothie bowl.
This might be my favorite flavor of the day.
Adding fresh fruit, granola,
pistachios or other chopped nuts.
It gives textural variety and flavor.
But look at those colors.
This makes nutrition so much more fun.
I really believe that our relationships with food,
which start in childhood,
would be a lot mentally and emotionally healthier
if we focused on finding ways to really enjoy nutrition,
and fruits have a lot of that.
So if a fruit smoothie appeals to you or your little one,
then that's great.
Rather than focusing on what we're not doing well enough,
what if we focused on the strengths, the goodness?
And if you decide your heart calls for greens,
make it tasty, would ya?
Like with this...
♪ Tropical green smoothie ♪
It can't get any easier than this.
It's just frozen avocado,
which is a great way to save the ones going bad;
spinach, coconut milk for flavor,
texture and natural sweetness;
and frozen pineapple, which is plenty sweet for me,
so I don't need any added sugar here; you do you.
But remember, a little added sugar isn't going to hurt.
And if it helps you get in more goodness, then great.
Blend it until super creamy, and it's ready to go.
Now, a lot of times, breakfast smoothies
are all carbs and natural sugars,
and they don't tend to keep us full for very long,
because our insulin spikes.
But adding avocado and coconut milk
adds healthy fats to balance this out nutritionally,
and it's going to help keep you full for longer.
That sweet and tangy pineapple is balanced out
by the mild coconut milk and nutty avocado.
You don't even taste the spinach.
This smoothie is thick,
and so it is great served as a bowl.
Add your favorite toppings.
I used fresh fruits, slivered almonds,
coconut shreds and hemp seeds today.
I've got one more, but here's your quick reminder
to subscribe and hit the bell for more content each week.
I love sharing recipes and inspiration
for a healthy and satisfying relationship with food.
Okay, let's finish off with one
that seems a little more indulgent, but it really isn't.
♪ Chocolate peanut butter smoothie ♪
It's frozen bananas for a creamy, thick base,
along with milk of choice.
And then, of course, we need peanut butter,
chocolate, which is just unsweetened cocoa powder;
yogurt, which will add creaminess and some protein;
honey for sweetness, which is probably needed
if that cocoa powder is unsweetened.
But I guess if your bananas were really, really sweet,
you may be able to get by without; it's up to you.
And why not throw in some spinach?
It's going to turn brown,
so you'll literally have no idea that it's there.
Blend until super creamy.
This is a treat for me.
It's so satisfying.
And that green goodness, say what?
It's salty, sweet.
And of course, if you're making it as a bowl,
have fun with those toppings.
Whether you use chocolate chips or cacao nibs,
I encourage you to make the choice
with an intention that aligns with your heart.
You are really making an effort to fuel yourself
or your little one with nutrition, and that matters.
Sometimes a couple of chocolate chips
can really bring a lot of joy.
More isn't necessarily better,
but it doesn't have to be all or nothing.
You might've thought you would never see
chocolate chips and spinach in the same setting.
I say, why not?
So there are your simple smoothies,
kid-friendly, tasty, and nutritious, focusing on more good.
I just think we tend to get caught up
in judging ourselves so often with health,
all the things we're doing wrong.
That's not really doing as much good,
or it hasn't done much good for me.
What really helped me heal my relationship with food
and embrace a healthy lifestyle was not judging myself,
and, instead, appreciating the goodness
and the efforts I was making.
This mindset changed everything for me.
So be kind to yourself.
Thank you for being here.
Let me know what else you'd like to see.
I'll be back next week with a brand-new episode.
And remember, it's all a matter of mind over munch.
(upbeat music)