3 Energy Boosting Smoothies For Tired Parents

Are you a tired parent and desperate for a healthy energy boost? You’ve clicked onto the right page!

We spend a great deal of time ensuring our children eat a well-balanced diet they enjoy, yet we often forget or simply get too busy to properly care for ourselves. Smoothies, when made with healthy ingredients, offer a quick way to boost your diet with nutritional goodness.

The below smoothie recipes offer an alternative to caffeine and other processed and sugar-filled drinks that we often crave as sleep deprived parents. Unhealthy drinks (and foods!) become an energy-draining trap — we see them as ‘rewards’ or ‘treats’, just because they bring us a much-needed moment of pleasure. However, avoiding empty calories in exchange for nutrient dense food and drinks are key to reclaiming our energy, focus, concentration and overall health and wellbeing.

Each smoothie contains a nutritious mix and balance of key micro-nutrients and good sources of energy. Most importantly, they are delicious! Here are three nutrient-rich energy boosting smoothie recipes to help you bounce back and keep healthy:

Energy Boosting Smoothie #1: Creamy Mint Shake

Mint flavor makes for a cool and refreshing smoothie. The avocado adds healthy fats, great for nursing mamas! The greens bring micronutrients. The banana offers potassium and lots of other health benefits.

• 1 medium to large frozen banana OR if the banana is fresh add 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 cup chilled coconut, almond, or other “milk” beverage
• ¼ to ½ of a ripe avocado
• 3 pitted dried dates, 1 tablespoon of raw honey OR 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
• 1 large handful of baby spinach or spring mix greens
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract and/or ¼ cup of fresh mint leaves

Optional:

• add dark chocolate chunks for a mint chocolate chip like flavor
• sprinkle with cacao powder

Combine all of the ingredients into a high power blender or processor made for smoothies. Blend until you reach your desired texture. You can add ice if you desire a more frozen or milkshake like texture.

Energy Boosting Smoothie #2 – Chocolate Nut Butter Lactation Shake

For most women you do not need supplements to boost supply, babies are great at doing it on their own! This shake is simply full of healthy whole foods that happen to be good for milk supply. A simple way to get extra nutrition and help with nursing. Not nursing? This shake is still very healthy!

• 1 cup coconut, almond or other “milk”
• ¼ quick cook rolled oats
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup of ice
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter, sunbutter or other nut/seed butter

Optional:

• If you want it a little sweeter you can add 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup (also great for milk supply!)

Add the oats to a high power blender or processor designed for smoothies and pulse 1-3 times. Add remaining ingredients with the exception of ice. Blend well, then add the ice and blend until thoroughly mixed. The nut butter makes for a thick smoothie so be sure to have a thick straw! If you prefer a thinner texture you can add more ice or milk.

Energy Boosting Smoothie #3 – “Green” Smoothie

When we think of green smoothies the color seems to symbolize the healthiest of shakes. This is a “green” smoothie because it brings all of the nutrition of a green shake but the delicious blueberries make it appear purple. If you have picky eaters in the house this sweet tasting smoothie is a great way to get some extra greens in them! Blueberries are full of antioxidants and make a wonderful addition to a classic green smoothie.

• 1-1.5 cups of water or coconut water
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen mango
• ½ frozen or fresh banana
• handful of spring mix or baby spinach
• handful of baby kale or chopped kale
• 1 tablespoon flax oil and/or ½ avocado for healthy fats
• 1 teaspoon spirulina powder
• 2 pitted dried dates for sweetness

Combine all of the ingredients, with the exception of the water, into a high powered blender or processor designed for smoothies. Add water once all of the ingredients are settled into the container. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do not fill passed the “max” line with water, if your blender has one. Blend until everything is smooth.

These recipes offer a starting place for creating nutrient-rich smoothies to give you a burst of energy. Many find they are able to throw a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts and other ingredients together to create simple and healthy shakes. Do not be afraid to experiment and find what flavors and textures you like most.

All of these smoothies can be dairy, gluten and nut free depending on which ingredients you choose. You can also use some of these on a paleo diet if you choose the ingredients allowed in a paleo diet. The one great thing about smoothies is that they are easy to adjust depending on your diet and even what ingredients you happen to have on hand.