April 22, 2016 by Natalie Bernacchi 52 Comments
Ready for a super fruity and refreshing strawberry banana maca protien smoothie packed with antioxidants and my secret recipe?
Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie….Maca What?? Maca-schmaca. Really, what in the *&$# is maca anyway?
Ever walk into one of those super trendy juice or smoothie spots and instantly feel like everything you’ve had to eat in the last 48 hours was just horrible for you? You know what I’m talking about…those little juice bars have popped up on every corner. You might see words like superfood, antioxidant, maca, chlorophyll, hemp seeds, matcha, and spirulina splashed all over their oversized chalkboard wall menu. Heck, I literally feel healthier just listing all of those words out, even if I’m not 100% clear on what they all are!
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I feel you. I TOTALLY feel you! I used to get overwhelmed by all of the “healthy” terminology. I’d walk into these places and be like ok…chlorophyll…thats the stuff that’s in plants. So since green plants are healthy, thennnnn I should just have that. Haha, well you can’t really go wrong, I mean they all have added benefits, but sometimes it is nice to know what you’re putting into your body.
So I tested it out. I did some research on all of these superfood healthy magical ingredients and found out that a few might actually really help with some issues that I and many other active women deal with. I was diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea a while back and have been working through it for quite some time. Long story short, for a while (before I really knew any better) I worked out at such a high intensity for so long, while depriving myself of proper food and nutrient intake, that my body totally freaked out and decided not to have a period. You’d think that’s awesome, but it’s not.
So that brings me to maca powder…Maca is a root from Peru that wayyyy back when was used as a remedy to help aid many different things like hormonal imbalances, menstrual problems, stamina, enhance energy, anemia, and the list goes on.
I wanted to give it a try because I do prefer natural remedies when available, but it turns out I’m not a huge fan of the taste. It’s weird because Maca smells like butterscotch, but to me tastes a little bitter. SO I basically did what any child would do and took the classical pairing of strawberry and banana to mask the flavor of the Maca and couldn’t be more pleased. (PS…good trick for sneaking vitamins and nutrients in for kids is to blend into their favorite smoothie!)
5.0 from 4 reviewsSTRAWBERRY BANANA MACA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE SAVEPRINT PREP TIME2 minsCOOK TIME2 minsTOTAL TIME4 mins A super fruity and refreshing Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie packed with antioxidants and secret health benefits!Author: Natalie BernacchiRecipe type: SmoothiesServes: 1 SmoothieINGREDIENTS
- 1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
- 1 Small Banana
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ Cup Water
- 1 TBS Maca Powder
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 Scoop About Time Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
- Optional – 1 TBS Flaxseed Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Enjoy!
NUTRITION INFORMATIONServing size: 1 Calories: 240 Fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 34 Fiber: 5 Protein: 27
So anyway, next time you’re in a juice bar, or better yet, at HOME…make this Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie for those extra added energizing and stamina boosting benefits! If your hormones are out of wack, definitely give the maca a try too, it’s worth it! Then next time you hit up one of those super trendy juice/smoothie bars, you’ll know what’s up!
SAVE RECIPE FOR LATER & PIN:
I’d love to hear from you!
- Are you ever overwhelmed by all of the choices when you walk into a juice bar or smoothie shop?
- Have you ever had Maca? AND do you like the taste of it?
- Are you a fan of herbal remedies?
Don’t forget to tag #AFitPhilosophy with your recipe creations! I’d love to hear what you think and see what recipes you’re making!