Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
Who doesn’t love a peanut butter & jelly sandwich on white bread with a bag of salty potato chips? Unfortunately this meal, a staple of American childhood, isn’t very nutritious. So I’ve elevated PB&J into a smoothie that maintains its nostalgic flavors but has roughly 30 grams of protein, fewer processed carbs, and more nutrients and fiber from frozen fruit.
You can try this smoothie with different types of frozen fruit and jelly. I use a local brand of organic grape jelly to avoid the preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup in traditional jelly, and I’ve experimented with frozen strawberries but I prefer the flavor of cherries in this recipe. You can also use your choice of milk–I default to unsweetened coconut milk because it’s nearly as rich as cow’s milk (and if I can avoid dairy milk, I will). Using organic peanut butter (or another natural nut butter) is important because you won’t get the trans fats you would in commercial peanut butter.
Try this yummy PB&J protein shake recipe and let me know what you think in the comments.
PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
2 tbsp PB2 protein powder
1 tbsp organic peanut butter
1 tbsp organic grape jelly (or your preferred jelly)
1 cup frozen cherries
1 ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 scoop Vanilla Vega Protein & Greens
8 ice cubes
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
TIP: If the ingredients get “stuck” and the blender doesn’t seem to be making progress, you can stop the blender and mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon and blend again, or gradually add more coconut milk. I like a thick smoothie, so I’m careful not to add too much liquid unless it’s necessary.
