Eating healthy should be your priority. After all, you are what you eat. If you eat fatty junk food, you’ll gain weight and increase your risk of becoming ill. In contrast, if you provide your body with all the nutrients it needs, you increase your chances of looking, feeling, and performing at your best.
Of course this is easier said than done when you have a busy schedule and haven't had the chance to prep for the day. We all have days like this, when the grab and go unhealthy option wins out things only go downhill from there. That's why it’s important to have quick, easy options that make sure you don't miss out on the fuel you need to keep you going at your peak.
My go to when I know I will be slammed for the day is to whip up a quick shake. You can still get all of the nutrients you need but in a quick no fuss way.
Here are my 3 go to recipes that are healthy, convenient and made from ingredients most of us already have in our pantry.
- The best basic meal replacement shake
This recipe is so simple, and yet it covers all of your nutritional bases. It also tastes great. Best of all, it doesn't contain any fancy or expensive ingredients.
You’ll need:
- 1-2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
- 1 ripe medium banana
- 1-2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
- 2 cups of water
- 3-5 ice cubes (optional)
Just peel the banana and dump it in your blender with all the other ingredients. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds. Serve immediately.
- Breakfast shake
Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day. A good breakfast will keep you feeling full until lunch while providing you with all the energy you need to perform at your best. A bowl of sugary breakfast cereal won't cut it, and nor will a pastry or doughnut. But you need something ready in seconds. Here is the solution.
You’ll need:
- ½ to 1 cup of raw oats
- 2 teaspoons of freeze-dried coffee
- 1 cup milk or dairy-free milk if you have issues with lactose
- 1-2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (optional)
- 1 cup of water
Toss all the ingredients in your blender and blitz on high for 30-60 seconds. The oats will sink to the bottom if you leave this shake for more than a minute or two. So if you are drinking this later on make sure you give it a shake to redistribute the oats before drinking.
- Blueberry yogurt maple smoothie
Not all meal replacements have to contain protein powder. While that particular ingredient does make whipping up a shake really easy, not everyone needs to eat a lot of protein, and you may even prefer not to use this type of product.
If that sounds like you, here is a great meal replacement shake. It contains protein but, in this instance, the sources are almond milk and Greek yogurt.
You’ll need:
- 1½ cup blueberries
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup low fat plain Greek yogurt