Healthy Chocolate Mint Smoothie

I have so much to tell you.

First of all, if you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have started the Low FODMAP Diet. Quick 101: FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are sugars/carbohydrates found in foods that can trigger IBS. You can find more here, but I just wanted to fill you in on the change that Skinny Muffin is about to see for the next couple weeks and maybe forever.

 

I started yesterday, so today is Day 2, but I feel a lot better. Already. It’s pretty miraculous. If you’re interested in FODMAP, I am posting some of my lunches on Instagram. They are currently pretty bland (rice, quinoa, salad, hard-boiled eggs) but once I go to the grocery store, I think I can expand my diet a little bit.

The point is that I decided to have a “one last treat” kind of thing before I started. I think eventually I could have this again, but I’ve seen mixed information on cocoa powder, so I’m staying away for a bit. And nuts [almond butter] are supposed to be eaten in moderation, so I’m not sure when I will be able to have this smoothie again, but let me just say.. I am counting down the DAYS.

This smoothie is delicious. It’s like someone liquified a Thin Mint cookie. And you get the pleasure of having the recipe. My coworker told me about this really awesome blog, Living Healthy With Chocolate, and obviously I started searching for something delicious. I mean, they are all delicious, but something I already had ingredients for.

With the 80°F weather, you deserve this. Life is hard. School, work, late nights, finding time for the gym, everything. You deserve a delicious beverage. Side note: I think this would be amazing with Bailey’s Irish Cream. Next time??

Healthy Chocolate Mint Shake
Adapted slightly from Living Healthy With Chocolate

1/2 c cold water
1 banana, frozen
1/4 c cocoa powder
2 tbsp almond butter
Splash of mint extract (1/8 tsp if you have it)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in a blender or Magic Bullet.

Peach Berry Smoothie

Did you know the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is breakfast?

Usually that’s cereal or oatmeal with peanut butter, but today it was a smoothie.

Creamy, light, refreshing and very fruity. Sometimes you need to set aside the grain and reach for the fruit.

Peach Berry Smoothie
Serves 2

1/2 c blackberries
1 c peaches
1 c raspberries
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
1 c soymilk
1/4 c water

Blend all.

 

Tropical Smoothie

Now this, my friends, is a fruit smoothie.

No kale, no chia seeds or oats, nothing hippie about it. Just plain ol’, straight up, fruity.

This is one of those close-your-eyes-and-pretend-you’re-on-a-tropical-island smoothies. A Jimmy Buffett meets breakfast concoction. On my summer bucket list was make a peach raspberry smoothie. Well, this has neither peaches nor raspberries but I’m counting it. It’s equally summery and delicious.

Stay tuned and maybe you’ll get a peach raspberry smoothie, too…

Tropical Smoothie

1 banana
1/3 c chopped pineapple
1/3 c chopped mango
1/3 c plain Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 c (depending on desired thickness) orange juice

1. Blend all!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Hello, summer.

Now, my blender isn’t tip top, hence the strawberry particles, but it does make a delicious smoothie.

Oats allow fullness, chia seeds create thickness, and banana and strawberries provides sweetness.

Go. Go make this. Embrace the summerness.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 banana
1/2 c strawberries (fresh or frozen, I used frozen)
1 tbsp old-fashioned oats
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1/4-1/2 c plain soymilk, depending on how thick/thin you want it

1. Combine all in a blender and blend until smooth.

**Note: Letting the smoothie sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours allows the chia seeds and oats to absorb a lot of moisture, which thickens the smoothie. This is an option for thick-smoothie lovers.