I used to not be much of a breakfast person, but after my sophomore year of college I kind of got into a groove of getting breakfast every morning and I don’t feel good without it. Now that my CRAZY quarter has ended, I’m working on getting myself back in my comfortable routine. Starting with early mornings and breakfast. When the quarter started, I picked up the blender I had been wanting for so long and added shakes to my breakfast favorites, and I love it! So today, I’m sharing a little story and some delicious shakes with you!

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STORY TIME

BACKGROUND

So, a little background story. In middle school, when I moved to Montana, I went from being very active to suddenly being trapped indoors most of the time. I ended up gaining quite a bit of weight and was super self-conscious about myself – when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see myself and most importantly, I didn’t feel like myself. I was lethargic, easily tired out, dejected, and my attitude was bad. I took my bad feelings out on everyone else. Then, I stopped eating land-meats and lost a lot of that weight almost instantly. When I came back to California, started playing outside and joined the track team, it literally melted off and my energy and enthusiasm were back, just like that.

PRESENT PROBLEM

Fast forward four years, since my trip to Peru, I’ve been gaining weight. At first just a little bit, totally not even something I concern myself with since my weight has always varied with the seasons. However, I then fractured a bone in my foot, which limited my exercise, though I still pushed myself harder than I needed to (because I’m a stubborn fool). BUT THEN, last quarter came and I spent days at a time sitting in front of my laptop working.

Normally I’m a healthy food nut, but I didn’t even have time to make my favorite staple (baked salmon, a salad or some garlic veggies, and some fruit-based dessert) so I was ordering in a lot. There’s almost nothing you can order in at 10 o’clock that’s good for you – as if eating that late is anyway! (P.S. Does anyone else get nightmares if they sleep on a full stomach???) I digress, anyway, the fact is I basically found myself in the same position I was in Montana: eating junk, eating at the wrong times, not moving enough and feeling just crappy overall.

Aaaaand now my pants literally don’t fit. So, now I’m trying to crush my new-found junk food addiction and get active again. I’m two weeks in and already feeling better, but there’s still a ways to go!

ENTER THE SHAKE

Shakes are now one of my favorite meals. The NutriBullet I got was seriously one of the best investments I have ever made. Now, when I’m in a rush, I make time for the five minutes it takes to make a shake, and then drink it while I’m getting ready or finishing last minute assignments and they’re so filling. I’ve actually been unable to finish a few (especially the strawberry banana one below which is PACKED with protein!) and I stay full!

I love that I’m getting the nourishment from healthy foods that I need, too. The best part about these shakes is that they all use similar base ingredients (greens, protein, liquid, etc.) or staple groceries so it keeps my (and your!) grocery lists short and manageable. I picked up everything I needed at Costco (and more) for like $100, and everything but the produce will last for much longer than two weeks, so my next trip will be closer to $25 for just the fresh stuff and milk.

I usually drink one shake per day, although when I’m really, really busy I bump it to two. Plus, it’s so easy to mix and match for all sorts of combinations. It’s really been even better than I hoped it would be!

Are you a shake fan? How do you love yours?

DELICIOUS BREAKFAST SHAKES

TROPICAL SHAKE

• 2 cups chopped kale and spinach
• 1 papaya, chopped
• 1 scoop of strawberry protein powder
• 1 açai smoothie pack
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• coconut water as needed for consistency, ~1⅓ cup (or up to max line for Magic/NutriBullet)

STRAWBERRY BANANA ULTRA PROTEIN SHAKE

• 2 cups of chopped spinach
• 2 bananas
• 2 scoops strawberry protein powder
• Handful frozen strawberries
• ~ ½ to 1 cup cottage cheese (I think it complements fruity flavor, but go less if you don’t love it)
• Milk as needed or to max line (regular, almond, whatever suits your fancy)

BERRY YUMMY SHAKE

• 2 cups chopped kale and spinach
• 1 cup frozen berries
• 1 açai smoothie pack
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• Coconut water as needed or to max line

THE COSTCO SHOPPING LIST

• Spinach
• Kale
• Bananas
• Papayas
• Cottage cheese
• Frozen strawberries
• Frozen mixed berries
• Açai smoothie packs (Amazon, cheaper at Costco)
• Coconut water (Amazon)
• Chia seeds (Amazon)
• Strawberry protein powder (Amazon)

ALSO TRY

• Frozen peaches
• Almond milk
• Other flavors of protein powder
• Pre-cut fresh fruits like melon and mango
• Pomegranate juice
• Agave nectar (Amazon)

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