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Berry Blast Almond Smoothie makes a healthy breakfast

I admit that breakfast has always been a struggle for me. Even when I was a kid, my mom had to force me to eat anything at all. I still feel the same way, and because I do intermittent fasting, I still don’t eat very early in the day. That’s where I appreciate this Berry Blast Almond Smoothie. I am always happy to have something that tastes like a fruity milkshake, you know?

Protein for breakfast is a good idea

But, probably just making an actual milkshake for breakfast isn’t the best idea, right? I have some other great breakfast ideas, like Omelet Breakfast Burritos, Veggie Frittata, Butter Pecan Waffles, or even a Dutch Baby. These are all great ideas, and I frequently make things like this for other people.

Not so much for myself though. I need simple, easy to make and eat and a good amount of protein to get me through the hours until my next meal. This smoothie is going to give you that for sure. The berries are great for antioxidants and almonds contain a bunch of really good stuff.

Can I sneak in some green stuff?

You absolutely can! Spinach contains some iron, vitamin A, folate, potassium, magnesium, and even some calcium. For this post, I wanted the color of berries to really shine, so I only put in about 1/4 cup of spinach leaves, but you can get more than that in there before it shows up in the taste. A bit of kale, romaine lettuce, beet greens or carrot tops can also be used instead. It’s a good thing for your body to mix things up when it comes to nutrition so don’t be shy.

What is the best machine for making smoothies?

I have several kitchen machines that make great smoothies, including my beloved VitaMix. A VitaMix is one of your handier kitchen gadgets, and I use mine a LOT, but it’s a little pricey if you’re just making smoothies. it is also heavy and takes up too much room in my small kitchen to leave out all the time.

I love my NutriBullet

So, my top pick for making smoothies is my NutriBullet. This particular model has all the power needed to get the nuts and seeds in here smooth as silk [which also gets all the nutrition contained in the cells]. It’s also far from a single-task machine. I use it for all kinds of small-ish kitchen tasks. It makes good mayo and great dressings and vinaigrettes. I use to liquify my fermented hot sauces, and grind up my dehydrated vegetables for soups, gravies and stew.

I’ve had mine for years, only having to replace the gaskets from time to time, and the cup [fantastic customer service!] when I dropped it on the concrete. So, today, you get a little product review along with the recipe.

Why use protein powder?

The protein powder is totally optional and what kind to use is your choice entirely. I’ve tried quite a few over the years, and these days my favorite is Prime Protein. It is clean, with no gluten no sugar, no soy, and it’s keto and paleo friendly. It comes in lots of flavors including vanilla and strawberry, both of which would be great in this smoothie. I used unflavored for this post, because it was what I had on hand.

The use of protein powder is going to help keep your energy up and you won’t feel hungry as quickly as you would if you left it out. Made according to the recipe, this has 20 grams of protein which is great getting you all the way through the morning!

What about sugar in This Berry Blast Almond smoothie?

I low carb 99% of the time, so I don’t use sugar in much of anything that I personally eat. This smoothie is no exception. The berries alone are sweet enough for me, but you can add maple syrup or raw honey if you like it sweeter. Many protein powders are somewhat sweet as well.

It is easy to add the liquid-type sweeteners if you get it all made and want it sweeter – just stir in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey. I also mention vegan options in the recipe notes, below.

Smoothies are great for busy mornings

Many people are in a big hurry in the morning, so I made this recipe as easy as possible. All of the ingredients go right into the container together, and you just let it rip, until you can see that everything is totally smooth. I don’t normally measure the ingredients for a smoothie, but I did while testing proportions for this post, so that you would have accurate info. Once you get the hang of it, you can just chuck whatever tickles your fancy in there.

ingredients for berry blast almond smoothies

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Berry Blast Almond Smoothie

Author: Donalyn Ketchum

A cool, creamy and protein-packed breakfast that will get you day off to an easy start!

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Meal: Breakfast, Brunch

Servings:

Calories: 352kcal

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk [or whatever milk you prefer]
1/4 cup yogurt [whatever you prefer - see notes for my favorite]
2 heaping tablespoons protein powder [no sugar preferably]
8 - 10 raw almonds
1 tablespoon golden flax seeds
1/2 cup blueberries
6 strawberries, hulls removed
1/4 cup fresh spinach
2 tablespoons maple syrup [optional - you can mix it in easily if you like it sweeter]

Instructions

Place all ingredients, in the approximate order given, in a smoothie maker or blender, and process until very smooth and creamy.
Drink!

Notes

My favorite yogurt is this one: Homemade Yogurt.

This is a good-sized adult portion, or it can be split into smaller glasses for kids or if you're having it as just part of your breakfast.

Nutrition

There you go – a pretty short and sweet post, for a short and sweet recipe that will get your day off to a great start!

I have a couple other favorite smoothies that you may want to check out: Nectarines and Greens Smoothie & Apple Ginger Green Smoothie. For now, I hope you are getting your day off to a fabulous start!

Originally published in May 2014, Updated May 2017, Most recent update May 2024

Comments

Nami | Just One Cookbook says

I enjoy drinking smoothies everyday ever since I got myself Nutribullet. Super convenient compared to a blender I used to use (I got lazy to clean each time…). I have never put raw nuts in my smoothies before but I’d love to try this one! My trainer also talked about the protein powder too (I only ask to add in Jamba Juice). Looks healthy and delicious!

- Donalyn Ketchum says
  
  Thanks Nami – I was hesitant about getting the Nutri Bullet since it’s an infomercial thing, but I have a regular Bullet already and I love that, so I figured this would be good too. And a smoothie every morning is the perfect way to begin the day!
  
John@Kitchen Riffs says

Lovely smoothie — I do like their texture, and you can add so many interesting things to them. This looks wonderful — thanks.

- Donalyn Ketchum says
  
  Thanks for your kind words, John – we are very excited indeed! Hope you get a chance to try this great breakfast too 🙂
  
Bonnie says

This looks like a perfect breakfast for me! Fast, on the go and good for you too, looks SO luscious!

- Donalyn Ketchum says
  
  Thanks Bonnie – hope that you give it a try!
  
Donalyn Ketchum says

Welcome Stace and I’m glad to have you here – I saw that you also signed up for my newsletter, so thank you for that as well!

Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

That is one nice smoothie!

Sue says

I’m all about the berries these days, this is going to be breakfast all week long!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thanks Sue – I know that I could have it every day, and not get tired of it 🙂
  
Angela says

I made this smoothie with my kids this morning and they loved it! Packed full of flavour and so quick and easy to make. Thanks!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thank you Angela – it does make a great addition to breakfast for kids ♥
  
Dina and Bruce says

This was both filling and tasty. Love the berries.

- Donalyn says
  
  Thanks guys!
  
suja md says

This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thanks Suja – it does seem like having dessert for breakfast 😉
  
kushi says

Simple and delicious smoothie recipe. Thanks for sharing.

- Donalyn says
  
  Thank you Kushi – my pleasure!
  
Carmy says

Love the combo of berries! Such a refreshing smoothie to start the day off with!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thank you Carmy – it’s especially good on a warm summer morning!
  
Janie says

One of my go-to smoothies to make for breakfast! I love the berries with the flax seeds for the extra kick of health.

- Donalyn says
  
  Me too, Janie – thanks!
  
Lauren says

I love the combination of fruit and nuts so I just knew I was going to enjoy this smoothie! It was super easy to make and tasted great – a new fav!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thank you Lauren – so glad that you enjoyed it!
  
Anjali says

I made this for breakfast today and it turned out so well!! It was super creamy, filling, and tasted great. Kept me full all the way until lunch!

- Donalyn says
  
  I’m glad to hear that Anjali ♥
  
Andrea says

Nutritional, fresh and delicious, this berry blast almond smoothie is for me. Yum!

- Donalyn says
  
  Thank you Andrea!
  
Marta says

I’ve had this smoothie for breakfast every day for the last week! I think I’m addicted and I’m not sorry about it. Thanks for a great, easy recipe.

- Donalyn says
  
  That is very good to hear, Marta – thank you!