I want to share with you one simple trick I’ve been doing to up my daily veggie intake. We all know we probably need to eat more raw veggies, right? But who really wants to eat celery sticks and salads all day long to achieve the recommended 8-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day? I strive to eat the recommended servings every day, but lets face it, it can be a challenge.
Today begins a new series of smoothie recipes that I call the “Healthy Stealthy Shakes”. Why is the shake series named “Healthy Stealthy”? Well, it’s because we are being sneaky by adding an unlikely veggie not typically found in a shake. An added bonus is that this healthy ingredient can go undetected by the taste buds, making this veggie “stealthy” (at least my family and friends that I have let try them haven’t detected the secret veggie) =).
My sister-in-law is the one to get the credit for the idea of using this veggie in my shakes. She is also trying to add more raw veggies into her life, so she told me she’s been adding raw squash to her to her smoothies. At first, I was alarmed at the idea of adding raw squash to my shake, but I decided to give it a try and lo and behold I was amazed that I couldn’t taste it! In all honesty, I actually usually add a huge handful of spinach to my shakes as well, however if you are just starting out on this journey I recommend easing into that because it will turn your shake green, which I don’t mind but it isn’t as pretty to look at.
If you are interested in Trim Healthy Mama then you’ll be glad to know that this shake is considered a Fuel Pull, which means that it has very little fat and is low in calories so it can be paired with any type of meal, makes a great snack, or if you use a whole scoop of protein powder it can be an entire meal in and of itself. I try to make these “Healthy Stealthy” shakes multiple times a week not only for getting the added veggies, but I really like them and they help to curb my sweet cravings and fill me up.
This strawberry version of my “Healthy Stealthy” shakes is light and refreshing and reminds me of drinking strawberry milk! I can’t wait to hear what you all think once you try it! =)
Strawberry Healthy Stealthy Shake
(THM FP)
1/2 medium-sized yellow squash (or 1 whole small one), cut into a few large pieces
1/3 cup 2% cottage cheese (this adds more protein and makes the shake super creamy)
1 cup of unsweetened almond or cashew milk
1/2 scoop Pristine Whey Protein Powder (use 1 whole scoop if this is your entire meal for added protein)
1 1/2-2 cups of ice cubes (depending on how icy you like it)
1 cup of frozen strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Super Sweet Blend for THM (if you want to make it for your kids or not THM you can substitute 1-2 Tablespoons of raw honey)
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend for a few minutes until creamy. Enjoy!
Yield: 1 full quart of shake
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That sounds good! It reminded me of a guy at church that used the leftover sweet potatoes to make hot chocolate. 🙂
Oh, I can hardly wait to try this. I may try it with cocoa powder too, as I am a real fan of chocolate and strawberries together:))
I’ll bet it would be great with chocolate Diana!
Yellow squash is genius. The tough thing about mixing fruit and veggies is that you can get some ugly colors. I bet spaghetti squash would also work in smoothies.
The yellow squash is so pale in color you’ll never know it’s in there!
Love it! I also remember you mentioning the thought to toss some okra in there occasionally too! It’s great! I’m up to 1/2 cup frozen okra and a medium squash.
The kids are all sharing one right now too. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your great recipe.
It has helped me a lot to add a great cheap veggie to our daily menu.
Yes, I add okra and spinach on a regular basis! I’m so glad it is helping you! =)
I made this yesterday and really liked it. I don’t care for cottage cheese but with this recipe you don’t hardly taste it. I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad Bonnie!!!