Even the best of intentions need some help sometimes

Ever had one of those days where you scheduled, planned, and looked forward to your workout…until you lost steam an hour before?  Iron will or no, you want to “feel” like exercising – and feel good during the session, too!  On days where I need just a little extra to push me in that direction, I turn to smoothies.  They’re fast to make, fast to eat, and even portable if you have the right cup.

The Daily Burn recently reached out to see if I’d share a smoothie recipe – they’re a health and lifestyle resource site with lots of great articles, tips, and recipes with a beautiful website, so I was excited to be asked!  Here’s my trick: get a carb + protein boost with a hit of caffeine to start my engine.  As they pointed out in this article, caffeine can give your metabolism a little bump up, not to mention make you feel more alert.  The flavors are similar to a mocha latte, but the nutrient profile is way better.  Let me know how you like it!

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 6 ice cubes
• 1 cup of brewed coffee, chilled (or at least not super hot)
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves (also shown to help wake you up)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend and enjoy!  Makes 2 servings.