I originally shared this recipe for what I cheesily dubbed a “power smoothie” back in 2012 when I was pregnant with my youngest (who turns 8 and the end of June, and I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m FINE, thanks for asking.) I still love it, but the pictures needed a makeover and the recipe needed some slight tweaking (I cut down on the sugar and upped the fat a little to balance out the macros). If it’s too tart for you, feel free to add a little drizzle of honey or agave! Read more after the recipe!
Kate’s Power Smoothie
Description
This citrus and blueberry power smoothie is loaded with lots of goodness to keep you fueled, whether you have it first thing in the morning or as a snack!
Ingredients
1 cup orange juice (preferably the good stuff, like the not-from-concentrate orange juice)
2 tablespoons steel cut oats or oatmeal
3/4 cup 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups crushed ice
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in the jar of your blender and blend. You will probably need to run it through twice. Serve immediately.
- Makes 1 giant smoothie, 2 smaller smoothies, or 3 snack-sized smoothies.
Notes
nutrition information (for 2 servings using 2% greek yogurt):
Calories: 211
Fat: 3
Carbs: 36
Sugar: 22
Fiber: 7
Protein: 12
This also has 211% of your Vitamin A, 116% of your Vitamin C, 37% Calcium, and 19% of your iron–not too bad for a snack!
Tip: To help your blender out, you can soak the oak groats in the orange juice overnight (either in the jar of your blender or in in a glass). This will make it easier to blend and will also eliminate a lot of the grittiness from the oats.
step in the way-back machine to 2012
Yeah, I know, that’s probably the cheesiest recipe title ever written. I’m sorry. I generally have a zero-tolerance policy for cheesiness. And yet…here we are. This smoothie and I have a special relationship and like all special relationships, there’s room for a little PDA, right, schnookie wookums?
I’m also trying really, really hard not to make every single one of my posts about being pregnant because I realize that the world is not pregnant with me and I also realize the world does not revolve around my pregnancy and me (unlike my first pregnancy when it did–just ask my sister Annie.)
That said, food and pregnancy are inextricably related, at first for the aversions and then for the cravings. Throw in the fact that, at least for me, a little too much salt, sugar, or fat can send a perfectly good day to a very bad place and I spend a lot of time thinking about food (and, let’s face it, I think about food a lot to begin with).
When I’m growing babies (let’s see how many euphemisms for “pregnancy” I can come up with in a single blog post), breakfast is a tricky meal for me. I need a lot of calories, I need them fast, I need complex carbs and protein, and I hate eggs. Also, I’m dead tired and trying to get two kids up, dressed, fed, not looking like orphans, and sent to school with a decent lunch as well as trying to get a dog to do her business rather than be distracted by the mean neighborhood cats that like to taunt her.
breakfast while gestating a human
I’ve dabbled in different breakfast options here and there, but most things either leave me feeling weighed down, starving, crashing, or filled with inexplicable road rage an hour later when I’m on my way home after taking my kids to school. (Sidenote: my husband just loves gestating Kate. I do believe I’m painting a lovely picture of myself right now).
So anyway, I started making this power smoothie a few weeks ago and it has changed my life. Totally not being overly dramatic here. I’ve tinkered with proportions and I still do from time to time, depending on how I’m feeling and what I’m in the mood for. No, it’s not super low in calories or sugar (although it’s not an over-the-top dessert smoothie made with ice cream or sherbet or frozen yogurt). Yes, it has a juice base, which I realize is not super cool or hip in the smoothie-making universe, and yet…I don’t really care. It does, however, keep me satisfied, energized, and feeling really great for a good three hours (at least). Like…it makes me feel like my batteries have been charged. (Yes, I know, we’re moving back into cheesy territory).
If I make and drink a full-sized smoothie (I usually cut it down by at least 1/3), it has 6 grams of fat, 14 grams of fiber, 24 grams of protein, and is loaded with potassium, Vitamin C, folate, calcium, and iron. It has a serving of dairy, 3 vegetable servings, and 4 servings of fruit (plus some change). Not too shabby, plus it’s freaking delicious. (On the downside, a whole smoothie has quite a bit of sugar…this smoothie is designed to serve 2).
how to make it
So what’s in this magical concoction of a power smoothie? Orange juice (try and get the good stuff, like the not-from-concentrate good stuff, not necessarily the fresh-squeezed good stuff, which you are often required to pay for with your firstborn child), 2% or whole plain Greek yogurt (I love Fage; make sure it’s actual Greek yogurt with twice the protein, not Greek-style yogurt that uses thickening agents), frozen blueberries, baby spinach, crushed ice, and steel cut oats.
Steel cut oats are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and help stabilize your blood sugar. They help keep you feeling full and satisfied. Plus, you don’t have to cook them, which is always a bonus in the morning. You don’t have to use them, and they will add a grainy texture to your smoothie, but I don’t mind it–the oats are sweet and they make me feel like I’m tangibly doing something good for myself, like running on the treadmill or giving up Teen Mom (neither one of which I’ve done lately).
In the jar of your blender, add your juice, 
oats (you can actually do this the night before; soaking them will make them less grainy).
yogurt, blueberries,
spinach (you can’t even taste it, I promise), and ice.
Should we talk about this ice for a second? I hated our freezer ice machine (Louisiana water is terrible, but my freezer icemaker is unfiltered. Throw in the fact that my ice always tasted like freezer because it was exposed in the freezer and I never used my ice because it was gross). I finally got this Igloo countertop ice machine from Sam’s Club. I still have to transfer the ice to the freezer, but I can store it in a freezer bag and only make it when I need it, so old ice doesn’t sit in my freezer for weeks. I thought it was silly at the time, but it’s seriously probably my favorite kitchen appliance right now!
Anyway. Blend thoroughly–my Blendtec handles it well on the smoothie setting, but you may have to run it through twice.
This is a serious smoothie. Take it with you when you drive your kids to school. Road rage crises will be averted.
(These bamboo straws come from Grove, which is hands-down my favorite place to get natural cleaning, home, and beauty products!
Print Kate’s Power Smoothie
Description
This citrus and blueberry power smoothie is loaded with lots of goodness to keep you fueled, whether you have it first thing in the morning or as a snack!
Ingredients
1 cup orange juice (preferably the good stuff, like the not-from-concentrate orange juice)
2 tablespoons steel cut oats or oatmeal
3/4 cup 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups crushed ice
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in the jar of your blender and blend. You will probably need to run it through twice. Serve immediately.
- Makes 1 giant smoothie, 2 smaller smoothies, or 3 snack-sized smoothies.
Notes
nutrition information (for 2 servings using 2% greek yogurt):
Calories: 211
Fat: 3
Carbs: 36
Sugar: 22
Fiber: 7
Protein: 12
This also has 211% of your Vitamin A, 116% of your Vitamin C, 37% Calcium, and 19% of your iron–not too bad for a snack!
Tip: To help your blender out, you can soak the oak groats in the orange juice overnight (either in the jar of your blender or in in a glass). This will make it easier to blend and will also eliminate a lot of the grittiness from the oats.
Questions & Reviews
LOVE smoothies! Have only just recently started adding spinach, but love it! Have never put any non-fruits-or-veggies in mine – not even yogurt, but especially never any grains, flaxseed, etc, etc. Will have to try it! Also wondering about the whole juice base being “not super cool or hip in the smoothie-making universe” – I’m not familiar with that. Is it really that big of a faux-pas??
Yeah, it’s all cool to use stuff like almond milk and water…which is not the same… 🙂
Really?! That’s lame. I’m sticking to juice! 🙂
I’m in love! I happened to have everything on hand yes, even the groats. My 2 year old even liked it!
I am pregnant with my 3rd, and the way you described how you feel, about food and what you need, etc is exactly the way I feel! This sounds like a great recipe. I am definitely going to try it out. Some days smoothies are the only thing that sound good. Thanks for sharing!
I loooove this post. I’m 30 wks pregnant and anemic and even my spinach and fruit smoothies are making me crash. Maybe groats are the answer? Worth a shot, definitely. Thanks!
Tara, are you using the greek yogurt too, like Sara say, the extra protien will also halo ypu from crashing, and yes, the fiber and protien in the oats help a ton too. I used steel cut cause I already have a ton of them and they work as well as the groats. I would also use half a cup of milk and half a cup only of orange juice, less calories and sugar and more protein. (actually, I would use a third of a cup of each as this is a big smoothie) (or protien shake as I would call it!)
I’m anxious to try this…thanks!!
Looks delicious! I remember when I was pregnant I usually ended up eating two breakfasts since I would be hungry less than two hours after eating the first time! The same thing sometimes happens now even though I’m not expecting. And I love the fact that it has spinach in it…I might start adding spinach to all my smoothies! :o)
So I have a 16oz cup with a straw (like yours) should I half the recipe or cut it down by 1/3 to not have a ton left over?
Oh, and your smoothie is purple and the cup is orange… Those were my wedding colors 🙂
I would cut it in half and I think you’d be super close to the 16 ounce mark (a lot of the bulk comes from the ice). And that is AWESOME about your colors! 🙂
Half the recipe hit the 16oz mark EXACTLY. I did have to add a little more juice for my blender to handle it. Taste was awesome!I had to use apple instead of orange juice because of acidity but still, awesome!
Hmmm…I’ve been on a major smoothie kick since going back to work after maternity leave. Banana is amongst my favorite, but I’ve been looking for other ideas since they aren’t exactly the best in the fruit department. I’m not a huge blueberry fan, but I bet mixing mango with the blueberries would be good!
As a “Gestating Emily” (my husband just loves having me around as well 🙂 who fully believes in a ‘the world does revolve around me and my growing parasite’ pregnancy, I appreciate any post on foods that stay in my stomach and not in the toilet, on the floor, in a towel, or whatever else is handy to barf in! Thanks – p.s. you gotta try a chocolate banana protien shake with oats in it…saved my life and my marriage 🙂
I’m so glad I’m not alone, hahaha! I will definitely try out the protein shake–the shakes themselves are never quite enough, but that sounds perfect!
this makes me laugh – i’m also pregnant with #3 – due in september. now, this caught my eye because a couple weeks ago i got some stomach something (on top of gaggy pregnancy business) and puked up yogurt. i certainly will never be eating yogurt from a spoon again in probably my whole entire life, but i need the dairy (i think milk is yucky) – and this seemed like a perfect alternative. and. i. love. it. been my morning routine since friday! i added a half of a banana too.
This looks super yummy! Could you cook the oats first? I’m thinking overnight in my crock pot. I’m not sure my cheap blender could handle them.
What you COULD do is soak the oats in the OJ overnight and then whip it up in the morning–that way, you still don’t have to cook! 🙂
…you’d *save your blender some hard work. Oops.
I would probably grind the oat groats in a coffee grinder (or similar) before adding them to the smoothie. You’d get a much better texture (thick, not grainy), and you’d your blender from some hard work. 🙂
Good call! You can also soak the oats in the OJ overnight, which helps a LOT.
SO….would that mean that one could make up a work-week’s worth in one go (minus the frozen blueberries and ice) and then just add that in and blend each morning? I just tend to be a bit, um, lazy in the morning, but I wondered if the oats would swell or get glumpy or gooey or something if they sat in liquid (just thinking cold oatmeal here).
And, by the way, you all rock, as do your recipes!
I probably wouldn’t do it more than overnight, but you could definitely put the orange juice and oats in your blender each night before you go to bed and then whip the rest of it up in the morning. I think you might even run into some fun sprouting issues if you went a week, hahaha! 🙂
Eeeew. You are probably right – thanks! That would have been a most unpleasant surprise.
I recently saw a post about putting all the ingredients in a baggy and freezing them together, that way you can just add the oats and blend in the morning. I’m thinking about freezing oj and yogurt in ice cube trays first and adding them too.
I guess freezing the OJ would break my blender. Maybe freezing the yogurt, but adding the juice so my blender doesn’t die 🙂
Where did you get that great smoothie cup with lid and straw?
I got that particular cup from Amazon (here’s a link to the 4-pack, but you can buy them individually, too):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004O1ZNLM/ref=mp_s_a_3?qid=1327508734&sr=8-3
I also have some that are the same brand from Walmart. Those ones are clear red, blue, or green, double insulated, and a little cheaper. I love both of them for different reasons, but they’re my favorite cups in my whole house!
I too am pregnant (due in June with my first) and the breakfast/snack/lunch/snack routine is kind of killing me. Dinner is no problem, usually because I’m so starving by then that I will eat anything. This smoothie will be the perfect solution for when I can’t think of something to eat (which is every day). THANK YOU!!!
Sorry, I just saw that someone else already asked, and your answer. Thank you.
Hi Kate,
Any chance you know the nutritional info on this? Only because I am being lazy, and why figure it out if you already know?
Thanks
Not off the top of my head (I calculated it last night, but I didn’t save it). Calories are in the 400-450 range for the whole smoothie and vitamins and minerals are off the charts.
Since I have been track everything I eat and am interested in eating I already did an analysis of the recipe. Here is what I came up with from http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
1 Serving
Calories 372.6
Total Fat 2.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 136.2 mg
Potassium 1,380.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 71.7 g
Dietary Fiber 8.8 g
Sugars 55.8 g
Protein 20.8 g
Vitamin A 175.3 %
Vitamin B-12 10.0 %
Vitamin B-6 25.2 %
Vitamin C 205.4 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 22.7 %
Calcium 33.6 %
Copper 15.3 %
Folate 60.3 %
Iron 18.6 %
Magnesium 32.3 %
Manganese 60.7 %
Niacin 13.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 14.9 %
Phosphorus 30.0 %
Riboflavin 38.5 %
Selenium 2.1 %
Thiamin 34.4 %
Zinc 5.0 %
I’m addicted to smoothies in the summer time. Another “super food” that I like to add in smoothies are Chia seeds. I got this off the website thechiaseed.com, “Adding just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to your daily
diet will give you approximately 7 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 205 milligrams of calcium, and
a whopping 5 grams of omega-3!” Bob’s Red Mill sells them.
This sounds like the super healthy smoothie recipe I’ve been looking for! Can’t wait to try it. When I was pregnant, I was addicted to smoothies. Let me share with you the one I made all the time – Avocado smoothie. Yes, I know it sounds weird, but it was delicious and nutritious. I don’t have proportions, but you are the pro and I know you can figure it out 😉
Avocado
Vanilla Greek yogurt
Skim milk
Honey
Ice
And blend! I bet the groats would be good in here, too. Although I really enjoyed the super smooth, creamy texture of this one.
Mmmmmm. I could totally get behind this. Yum.
I love smoothies, and this one looks great! Congrats on the article in the NYT!
This sounds great! I don’t have crushed ice but I am sure I can figure something out. It was wonderful to see you two in the New York Times today. Congratulations!
Oh, thank you, Trisha! Regular ice will work fine, you’ll probably just need a little more and it can be hard on your blender. If you know of a restaurant that serves drinks with pebble ice, you can often buy it from them in bags. Hope that helps! 🙂
I just testing positive on the pregnancy test – so this is PERFECT! Must find Oat Grots.. 🙂 LOVE IT (I haven’t told many people so forgive me for the name)
I like blueberries okay, but I really prefer Strawberry Banana smoothies. Any idea if adding those two would radically change the benefits of the smoothie?
Haha! See, I don’t like strawberry banana smoothies. It would still be really good for you, but blueberries carry a bigger nutritional punch and bananas are often on the naughty list when it comes to fruits, so it just kind of depends on what you’re after. If that’s what you prefer, go for it! 🙂
Any idea what the calorie count is for the full sized smoothie? Thank you for the fantastic recipes. Everyone I tell about your blog absolutely loves it!
It’s in the 400-450 range. It’s a lot less if you leave out the oats, but when I do, I feel that crash coming an hour later…
I love smoothies and you are right you can’t taste the spinach at all. Thanks for this one! Makes me want to make it right now!
looks and sounds delicious!
Yum! I can’t wait to try this…I am have just found my new favorite breakfast! Thanks for another great recipe.
yes, I could use one of those smoothies right now to jump start my brain! that should have read- I may have just found…
I have been kind of addicted to morning smoothies lately, too, and I am not pregnant. I cannot wait to try this one.
I love reading about your pregnancy. And, your food. 🙂
Spinach in a smoothie is the best invention ever. I have NO problem eating my wieght in fruit everyday but veggies can be a challenge…
And I also love how versatile smoothies are, seriously they are the perfect snack (or usually even a meal for me)
I’m so excited about this!! My boyfriend and I have been talking about doing smoothies for breakfast since he started school last week so this is perfect timing! Plus it gives me an excuse to go to Whole Foods, yay! 🙂
I make my smoothie pretty much the same, except who knew about the oat groats? Not me. They aren’t gross groats, are they? It’s true you can’t taste the spinach. I can testify to that. I’m going to have to hunt down some groats.