I was excited to get a Magic Bullet blender for Christmas. I'd like to use it to make some healthy smoothies or shakes. I'm not looking to do a cleanse or go on a liquid diet, but I thought this would be a good way to incorporate more veggies, especially spinach, into my diet. A lot of the recipes I've seen are fairly heavy on fruits, which I've read can just fill you up with sugar. I was hoping you could set me on the right path with some simple recipes. Thanks!

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I love the Magic Bullet, have used it for years! I upgraded last year to the Nutribullet as it is a big bigger and a little more powerful so it blends vegetables a bit better.

Some suggestions for your smoothies.

Pick 1 or 2 fruits. My go-to is always a small banana (or half a large banana) and roughly 1 cup of frozen blueberries but you can use whichever fruit combinations you like. Don't worry about too much sugar though. Yes there is a lot of sugar in fruit but you are also getting the fiber from them and when combining it with protein, the overall glycemic value of the smoothie will be lower.

For your protein, there are many options. I am a big fan of VEGA protein, vanilla being my favourite but the chocolate is also good. I don't use a full scoop in my smoothie as I don't need that much protein so perhaps try just using half of a scoop if you find you are getting protein elsewhere throughout your day. If you struggle with meeting your daily protein requirements, then go with the full scoop. Adding in hemp hearts is good too for additional Omegas, and more protein. We get so many benefits from Omegas!

You can also add in nut butters - either peanut or almond. This is a great way to add more protein and flavour to your smoothie. Mixing it with a berry base gives you a peanut butter and jam taste and when you mix it with bananas, it is almost dessert-like. Raw cacao is a good addition too for a chocolaty taste.

I stick with water for my base but almond milk is an option if you like, however it does add more calories.

I also use a spoonful or two of plain yoghurt, to make sure I am getting enough probiotics in my day. If you choose to use yoghurt stay away from flavoured ones as they are loaded with added sugar. Sugar from real fruit is ok but we want to stay away as much as possible from added sugar.   

And for veggie options, frozen kale is my favourite. You can make it yourself, or you can buy it already cut and frozen at the grocery store. Just use a handful and blend it in with everything else. It may not blend the best in your blender but the nice thing about the kale is it really doesn't alter the flavour of the smoothie. I find when I use spinach you can really taste it, and it gets stuck in my teeth. Spinach is a good addition when making more of a vegetable based juice, but stick with kale for your smoothies. There are also options of using greens powders, which are powdered supplements that contain all the nutrients of vegetables. I prefer the real thing but the powders are a great alternative.

Happy Blending!

Lainey PS. Everyone around me keeps talking about adding “maca” into their morning smoothies. There are a lot of benefits. Also supposedly makes you super horny.

Attached - Chris Martin out for a jog in Malibu on Monday.