With the long training days it often feels like your stomach can be a bottomless pit and nothing seems to satisfy your hunger, but smoothies are a quick and easy way to give your body the fuel and nutrients it needs to fuel up and recover properly. I love that smoothies can be thrown together within a few minutes. Smoothies also have a great balance of carbohydrates to provide energy and endurance, protein to help with recovery, and fats to help you feel full and satisfied for longer. In my Zucchini Bread Smoothie Recipe, frozen bananas provide the carbohydrates to give your muscles energy. Nut butters and seeds can be added to the smoothie or as a topping for extra satisfaction and richness. Smoothies can be loaded with protein by using cow’s milk (1% milk provides 8 g of protein per 8 ounces), adding greek yogurt, or using protein powders. However, athletes must be cautious with protein powders.
Dietary supplements like protein powders, pre-workouts supplements, vitamins and minerals are not regulated by the FDA, which means that these supplements are not examined for purity. So this means that we do not actually know if what is stated on the label of dietary supplements is actually within the supplement and may not have high quality ingredients, which is a scary thought for many athletes eligible for drug testing. Oftentimes, banned substances can contaminate protein powders, pre-workout supplements, and other ergogenic supplements that claim to improve performance, stamina, and recovery. Many athletes avoid dietary supplements because of this risk, but if protein powders and other supplements is a part of your routine and benefits you, be sure to check if the supplement is third-party tested. A third-party tester, like NSF International, verifies the ingredients and checks levels for contamination. NSF certified products are products that are safe for athletes to use. To see if your supplement is safe click here.
Whether or not you use protein powders, you can still enjoy this tasty, summer smoothie:
What you’ll need:
- 1 small zucchini, frozen
- 1 small banana, frozen
- 1 tsp ground flaxseed
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of vanilla greek yogurt (can sub for 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder)
- Milk
How to make:
- Wash zucchini and cut into small circles. Peel the banana and cut or break into smaller pieces. Place in a freezer safe plastic bag or storage container and place in the freezer overnight.
- Once frozen, remove the zucchini and banana from the container or plastic bag and add to the blender. Add flaxseed, cinnamon, greek yogurt (or protein powder), and oat milk. If you prefer a thick and creamier smoothie (like me!), add milk slowly and blend until desired consistency.
- Pour into your favorite bowl or cup and top with granola, nuts/seeds, and drizzle with peanut butter. I prefer to make thick smoothie bowls with lots of toppings!
- Enjoy, ✨ chef’s kiss ✨
While dietary supplements can be helpful, they are not necessary. This smoothie tastes great without protein powder and can provide around 20g protein per serving.