Creamy Açaí Smoothie

Throughout my pregnancy I’ve been asked all of the standard food questions you might expect from friends and family. Unfortunately I haven’t had an insatiable appetite to boast about or great craving stories to tell–except for the time I binged on strawberries in the middle of the night. Now that my first trimester food aversions are long behind me, I’d say, by in large, my diet hasn’t changed all that much.

The one thing that has changed big-time though is my appetite for breakfast in the morning. While I used to be able to fit in an early workout on an empty stomach and be totally fine not eating breakfast until mid-morning, these days I find I need a little something to nibble on while on my way to the gym followed by a more substantial breakfast immediately after I shower.

There are only so many locker room-friendly breakfasts though and after burning out on breakfast bars I started seeking other options which is how I discovered this ingenious idea on Pinterest the other week.

Yes, friends, that is a make ahead breakfast smoothie, with milk, all thanks to an ice cube tray.

Smoothie cubes for the win.

Never have smoothies been so portable! The beauty of smoothie cubes is that they defrost while you do your thing in the morning. The days I want to hit the gym before heading to the office, I simply let some cubes defrost for a few minutes on the counter, mash them into a to-go mug and grab a straw on my way out the door. An hour or two later I have a nutritious (and locker room-friendly) breakfast waiting for me the moment I step out of the shower. Plus, it’s made with milk, which instantly boosts any smoothie’s nutritional value. In each 8 oz glass of milk, you not only get 8 grams of high-quality protein, you also get calcium and vitamin D. Talk about a quick breakfast to power up the morning.

After making several rounds of these I have a few smoothie cube tips:

1. If you have ample ice cube trays, blend up at least 4-5 smoothies-worth so you only have to deal with cleanup once.

2. They look pretty but I’ve found that square cubes aren’t the best shape since they take up so much real estate in the to-go mug, at least when frozen solid. Stick with skinnier cubes or just let larger cubes defrost a bit while you get yourself together. Then, mash them into your mug right before you head out the door.

3. Once frozen, transfer cubes into a plastic freezer bag. They keep better this way if you’re not planning on using them all up within a week or so.

Lately I’ve been all about this Creamy Açai smoothie. When I take it to go, I pack a little granola, coconut flakes and a few fresh berries to mix in just before sipping.

This smoothie is also a quick and easy breakfast to whip up in the morning, if your schedule allows. Whether you decide to make ahead of time or blend and top in the morning, eating a breakfast with protein, like this smoothie, will help get your day off to a good start.

Enjoy!

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 12 fluid ounces

INGREDIENTS
1 cup 2% milk
1 (100g) Frozen Açaí smoothie pack
1 medium banana, sliced and frozen
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen

Garnishes & Mix-Ins (Optional)
Fresh berries
Granola
Coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS
Run frozen açaí smoothie packet under warm water for 5 seconds. In blender, combine with milk, frozen banana, berries and blend until smooth. For a quick makeahead breakfast, freeze into cubes. Then, transfer half of the cubes to a large travel cup and allow to smoothie to defrost for 1-2 hours. Garnish with granola and coconut flakes, stirring in just before enjoying.

A special thanks to MilkPEP for sponsoring this delicious post. For more protein-packed breakfasts made with milk try this Nutty Blueberry Quinoa Oatmeal or Savory Oatmeal.