How to make the ultimate smoothie (& not get sick of it)

If you follow me on instagram (@healthcoachphilly) - you know that I make a different smoothie variation pretty much every day. Do I have a Yolanda Foster fridge and pantry full of fresh ingredients at my disposal?! Not quite. I do go grocery shopping weekly to pick up my fridge basics, and I keep a freezer full of frozen fruit.

Believe it or not, I don't plan anything in advance, because I never know what I'm going to be in the mood for. So, I just make sure that I have the ingredients for a few different flavor varieties. You can certainly plan for and make your smoothies for a few days in a row (store them in jars in the fridge or freezer) if you don't have time in the  morning, but a fresh smoothie is one thing I always try to make time for (even if it means waking up a little earlier than usual!). I've done this while working corporate jobs, and even one-handed as a new mom. It can be done!

What you need...

• greens (spinach, kale, romaine lettuce...can be pre-washed and packed!)

• fresh fruit (bananas, apples, pears, lemons, limes)

• fresh veg (celery, cucumbers)

• frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, mango, pineapple, peaches)

• additional proteins (hemp seeds, plant-based protein powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, nut butter, cashews/walnuts/or almonds, avocado)

• added fun; optional (stevia, dates, coconut flakes, coconut butter, cacao powder/nibs, cinnamon)

• liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water, water)

Decide on your flavor...

Do you want chocolate? Peanut butter & jelly? Tropical green? Mean green veggie? Blueberry? Use the ingredients you stock up on to create that flavor! If I'm craving blueberry -- I'll blend spinach, almond milk, frozen blueberries, cashews, banana and cinnamon.  Chocolate? Kale, coconut water, apple, banana, cacao nibs, cinnamon, hemp seeds. PB&J? Spinach, coconut milk, pear, frozen strawberries, peanut butter, banana. I can go on! The more you experiment, the more you will get used to this process and how to create your flavors.

& Try to incorporate the following elements...

• Green (the color doesn't have to be green at the end, but you should be adding tons of nutrient-dense greens)

• Sweet (this will help you love the flavor -- you can get the sweet from the fruit you add, or from dates or nut butter)

• Healthy fats (seeds, nuts, avocado, anything coconut, and nut butter will do this for ya)

• Protein (you're getting some from the greens, but you can get additional protein from the list above -- this will keep you full)

• Creaminess (cashews, banana and avocado will all add that delicious creamy texture)