The Smoothie Project ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food

This is a guest post from my friend Catherine McCord with One Potato Box (meal service) and Weelicious (blog and cookbooks).

Without fail, every single morning, our family has a smoothie and has done so for over four years now. Truth be told, my husband and I have been smoothie drinking obsessives for almost ten years, but it wasn't until we had a health scare with my oldest son, Kenya, that we got our kids on board as well.

What started as a way to nourish our bodies daily with real food became our family meal each morning. Instead of reaching for pancakes and waffles covered in syrup, crepes filled with cheese or Nutella, or bowls of processed cereal, we instead reached for fresh and frozen fruits, vegetables, and a mix of proteins to fire up not only our brains but also our bodies. If it sounds simple...it's because it is!

The Smoothie Project (which is now my newest cookbook that launched this week!) has drastically improved not only my son's health, but the health of everyone in our household.

Want to Save this Recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

I started to realize that by simply adding and adjusting the ingredients in our smoothies to what was going on in each of our bodies, I was able to support our individual needs. Smoothies are incredibly delicious and extremely addictive no matter your taste preferences. Each smoothie can be unique and created based on your mood and nutritional needs. Smoothies are completely allergy-friendly and customizable because there are no "have to's":

You don't have to add a banana.
You don't have to use cow's milk or any type of milk—you can use water as your liquid!
You don't have to add green vegetables (there are many colors to choose from).
You don't have to use expensive fruits.
You don't have to drink the same thing every morning.
If you're feeling drab and dreary, you can help brighten your mood with a bright pink or yellow smoothie.
If you feel a cold coming on, add some honey and ginger to your smoothie.
If you struggle to get enough iron in your diet, add some nuts, greens, and molasses to your smoothie, along with kiwi or oranges to aid iron absorption.

variety of fruits, veggies, proteins for smoothies

I try to add a vegetable into most smoothies I make as well. Getting vegetables (especially into kids) can be a feat within itself, but since you don’t taste them in most smoothie creations, it’s the perfect opportunity to get them in. Grab a generous handful of fresh baby spinach, kale, a sliver of beet, or even frozen cauliflower, and toss it in for a boost of vitamins and minerals.

The best part is that there’s little to no cleanup and, especially when it’s warm outside, your kitchen will stay cool as you’re only using your blender. How great is that!?

Get the Kids Involved

Have a picky eater in your home? Get your kids involved by having them make smoothies with you. Allow them to pick the ingredients to add from the fruits, the vegetables, the proteins (like nuts, seeds, protein powder and more), and their favorite type of milk or liquid, and then let them whip it up. Once they get into the rhythm, it will become an addictive habit that’s much less costly, and far more healthy, than the drinks at your go-to smoothie shop.

Catherine Mccord and family making smoothies.

Need more inspiration? Print out the Smoothie Project chart, laminate it and let them use a dry erase marker to circle what they want in their daily smoothie. It will take the guesswork out of what to make for breakfast and make them feel incredibly empowered too!