Double Strawberry Protein Breakfast Smoothie

The wind shivers over and through our little cottage by the bay like a cold silken spirit. Its fingers find the smallest cracks in the floorboards and tickle exposed ears and necks. Mornings like this make it hard to leave the warm nest of blankets and bodies and head out into the world for a run. Even if I am only exposed to the cold on the way to the car and from the car to the gym. It’s too dark to run safely over these potholed streets and tree-shaded footpaths at the moment.

I have been having trouble convincing myself to get out early enough to run, leaving it until the afternoons instead. But time with Chris in the evenings is precious, and so morning runs make more sense. Yesterday I decided that in order to make myself get out of bed and run I needed a suitable bribe. Something sweet to start the day that didn’t involve a cupcake (you know it so easily could have). Something sweet but nourishing, and simple enough to make the night before my run or when I returned in the morning.

My new found love of smoothies provided the solution, as did the new season strawberries that greet me from the strawberry farm down the road from my sister’s house. I had roasted some on a whim for dessert the night before and the remainder had cooled in my fridge overnight. Coupled with some other simple ingredients they proved just the bribe I needed to get out and hunt down those 5.5 miles before work.

This smoothie is filled with intense roasted strawberry flavour, and fresh strawberries. It reminds me of summer, sunshine and warm morning runs. There is major protein here too courtesy of a post run sized helping of fat free Greek yoghurt, and good fats and fibre from a serving of chia seeds. This is a sweet bribe for a sweaty lady and it does a body good too.

If you want a vegan version, simply swap the yoghurt for ¾ cup of almond or soy milk and the honey for agave. Your smoothie won’t be quite as thick or have as much protein, but it will be just as delicious.

Serves 1  | Gluten Free | Vegan Option available

Note: to roast strawberries spread a 250g punnet of washed and hulled berries in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar. Roast for 10 minutes. Cool.

Note: You can also add a few ice cubes to make this extra frosty if you would like.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup strawberries, roasted (see note)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries
• 150g non-fat Greek yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey (or agave)

Method

1. Place all ingredients into blender and blend on high until completely combined.
2. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
3. If not drinking immediately this smoothie will keep in the refrigerator overnight. It will thicken slightly, so you may want to stir in some dairy/non-dairy milk to loosen it up again. Or, do as I do, and eat it with a spoon!