Beverages Smoothies

Berry Protein Smoothie (Low Carb and Low Calorie)

by Erika
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I was a very lucky girl last year and received the incredible gift of a Vitamix Professional Series 750 blender.  The Vitamix is the ultimate in home blenders, and exists in a class by iteself that is lightyears ahead of blenders like the Ninja Professional.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with the Ninja, and it peforms fairly well at a fraction of Vitamix’s price.  (The Ninja Professional is about $100-$150 depending on what accessories are included with it.)  For Amazon’s current price on the Vitamix, click on its photo at right.

For the price difference, though, Vitamix delivers in really meaningful ways. First of all, it is an extremely well built appliance.  It is heavy and substantial and the parts seem to be very well built.  I have a Ninja, and although it performs satisfactorily, the parts are cheap plastic and break easily.  Vitamix also has significantly more power and more blending options, and these make a difference, even when you are making something as simple as a smoothie.  

Smoothies can be healthy, good food choices, and then can also be calorie, sugar and fat laden substitutes for milkshakes.  This recipe is for the former – a healthy, delicious snack or alternative for a light meal. This recipe is also an excellent recovery drink post work-out, rich in protein and low in sugar.

I like to use Natural Force Organic Whey Protein Powder, an organic, vanilla flavored, sugar free protein powder that uses whey from grass fed cows and is sweetened with stevia.  Shockingly, it also tastes good!

I also recommend that you use only organic fruit and vegetables in your smoothies.  And while you can use any fruit, berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) are particularly low in sugar carbohydrates and good for smoothies.

I find the sweetness from the fruit and the protein powder to be enough in my smoothies. My husband likes them a little bit sweeter, so you can optionally add a little bit of stevia or stevia blend for your sweet tooth.  Pure, organic stevia is the best choice.  It is highly concentrated and a tiny bit goes a long way. It does have an aftertaste, and the more you use, the stronger the aftertaste.  I have recently tried a stevia/Erythritol blend by Pyure that tastes really good (not just in smoothies, but also in coffee, tea, etc.)