Mornings can be rough and sometimes there just isn’t enough coffee or tea in the world to wake us up. Instead of reaching for a sugar-loaded donut for a wake-up call, our dietitians share their favorite recipes for that morning boost.

Mary Bennett, RD, LD, CDE, Registered Dietitian at NorthShore, shares her go-to single serving breakfast smoothie.

Strawberry-Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 - 6 oz lite vanilla Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup of orange juice
• ½ cup frozen strawberries
• ½ frozen banana

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Jessica Hicks, MBA, RD, LDN, Registered Dietitian at NorthShore, likes to add Kefir to her smoothies to get a nice probiotic in. This recipe is great for nausea, thanks to the ginger and whey. 

Ginger Peach Smoothie
Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup peaches
• 1 cup milk of choice (or Greek yogurt if not using protein)
• ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
• ½-1 tsp agave or honey
• Ice
• *Optional: vanilla or plain protein powder

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Lori Bumbaco, Oncology Dietitian at NorthShore, loves this on-the-go recipe that is perfect year-round. Make sure to let your green tea cool a little bit before you blend it – no one likes a warm smoothie!

Berry Green Tea Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 2 cups green tea
• 2 cups frozen berries
• 1 tsp ground flaxseed

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Kim Hammon, Registered Dietitian at NorthShore, likes to start her week with a nutritional smoothie that can be made with easy-to-find fruits. It’s a great way to sneak some veggies in for kids, too!

Spinach Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 banana
• 1 cored apple, cubed
• ¾ cup orange juice
• Ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?