Meatless Monday: Orange Cream + Spinach Recovery Smoothie

I have some big news. I am now the proud owner of a Ninja blender. Sure, it’s no Vitamix. But it’s better than what I was using to make smoothies which was… oh, that’s right. I wasn’t making smoothies. Because I didn’t own a blender! But now I do and I’m over the moon excited. Plus, Ninja is a brand to be reckoned with and definitely holds its own in the professional blender market. I’ve mentioned this in passing with my last recipe post but I never really went into detail. Cue: the more you know…

Since making my purchase, I’ve concocted several different drinks. Most of them have been okay. The one I made with Nektar Naturals was pretty good, actually. The others were nothing awful but nothing to write home about. The latest and greatest, however, is a keeper. It’s creamy, it’s green, and it’s sweet like an Orange Julius (which I should mention I’ve never even had but my husband swears it tastes similar, so I take his word for it). I usually don’t throw name brands out there for recipes but this time I’m gonna because it makes a big difference.

My Orange Cream + Spinach Recovery Smoothie is chock full of nutrients. It’s the perfect blend of carbohydrates and proteins with a 4:1 ratio to properly refuel after a hard workout or long run. Your muscle cells will benefit from proper post-workout recovery, allowing you to perform better next time.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. I see big things in my future as a smoothie-making machine. I’m gonna rock it with these nutrient-dense, drinkable treats!

Orange Cream + Spinach Recovery Smoothie

Ingredients

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a professional grade blender (Ninja, Blend-Tec, Vitamix, etc). Pulse to evenly combine ingredients*. When desired consistency is reached, separate into glasses. Drink up and enjoy! Makes 4 cups.

*You’ll notice my version is not as smooth and creamy as I allude to in the directions. That’s because for the sake of this version of the smoothie, I opted not to use the pulse option and instead just pressed the continuous chop button. Unfortunately it did not yield smooth, creamy results like the pulse button does. Word to the wise: use the pulse button.