How to Build a Nourishing Smoothie That Can Work as a Simple Meal

It’s 2pm and you suddenly realise you haven’t really eaten.

Maybe the day got away from you, or you’ve just finished exercising and need something quick.

This is where I find smoothies really useful.

They don’t have to be breakfast. A well-built smoothie can be an easy meal when you don’t have the time or energy to make something.

And it doesn’t need ten different ingredients.

The simple smoothie formula

I keep it simple:

Fruit and/or vegetables + protein + healthy fat + liquid

That gives you an easy structure to work from, without needing to follow a complicated recipe.

If you’d like some recipes to start with, my free Simple Smoothies Guide has 14 easy ideas, a shopping list and a guide to building your own.

1. Fruit and vegetables

Use whatever you enjoy.

I often use berries, banana, mango or pineapple. Frozen fruit makes life easier because you can keep it in the freezer and it’s there when you need it.

I’ll often add a handful of spinach too.

2. Protein

If I’m having a smoothie as a meal, I want a good source of protein in there.

Protein helps us maintain and build muscle, which becomes increasingly important as we get older.

A useful thing to start noticing with any meal is simply:

Where is my protein?

Protein needs vary from woman to woman, so there isn’t one amount that suits everyone.

For smoothies, I use Uplift Vegan Protein or Mitchells Protein. You can find both in my shop.

3. Healthy fat

I’ll usually add something like peanut butter, ground flaxseed, chia seeds or avocado.

You don’t need to put everything in.

Choose what you like.

4. Liquid

I usually use water.

Add enough to get the consistency you like and blend.

That’s it.

Then notice how you feel

Once you’ve made your smoothie, pay attention to how you feel afterwards.

Does it keep you satisfied?
How is your energy afterwards?
Are you hungry again an hour later?

If you’re hungry again quickly, the smoothie may not have been enough for you. You might need more protein, a bigger smoothie or something alongside it.

This is how you start learning what works for your body, rather than simply following a recipe.

A few combinations I use

Berry Smoothie

• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1 handful spinach
• Uplift Vegan Protein or Mitchells Protein
• 1 tbsp nut butter, chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Blend and adjust the water depending on how thick you like it.

Tropical Berry Smoothie

• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup frozen pineapple
• ½ cup frozen raspberries
• 1 banana
• 1 handful spinach
• Uplift Vegan Protein or Mitchells Protein
• 1 tbsp peanut butter, chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Blend and enjoy.

My Chocolate Smoothie

This one is so good. I often have it after strength training.

• 1 scoop Mitchells Chocolate Protein
• 1 tbsp raw cacao
• ½ frozen banana or 80g frozen mango
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 300ml cold water
• Pinch of sea salt, optional

Blend until smooth.

I use Mitchells Chocolate Protein in mine. You can find it in my shop and use my code WELLNESSWITHCHIA for 10% OFF.

Affiliate disclosure: I may receive a small commission if you purchase through my link or use my code, at no extra cost to you.

Keep it simple

You don’t need to make the perfect smoothie.

You need something you enjoy, that keeps you satisfied and that you can actually make when life is busy.

So next time lunch gets pushed aside or you need something quick after training, you’ve got an easy option.

Want some recipes to get you started?

My free Simple Smoothies Guide has 14 easy recipes, a shopping list and a simple guide to building your own.

Get the free Simple Smoothies Guide →

Know your body. Know what it needs now.