My Favorite Post-Run Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

Within the first 45 minutes after my morning run, I have a ranging hunger enough to take out half the refrigerator. Not always do I have time to sit down for some oatmeal, make some eggs, or even pour your typical bowl of cereal. The Manchild is usually redecorating our carpet with his breakfast, Ryan is suiting up for work/getting ready to head to class, there's a pile of dishes in the sink from the previous evening's dinner, and I feel like there's almost no time to sneak in anything for breakfast.

However, I know well enough that after a long (even short) run, it would be a serious mistake to not drink plenty of water or even neglect eating altogether - even if your time to prepare it is pretty slim. It's a bad, bad, bad idea.

The way I see it, I put my body through a workout, and it deserves some lovin'. This shake is by far my favorite one to throw together in a flash. All you do is throw all the components in a blender (mine looks like we found it in the gutter somewhere), pour the smoothie into a glass, and BOOM, you can chase the toddler, do the dishes, and get through your morning - all while sipping on your beautiful breakfast smoothie. Not to mention replenishing your electrolytes, getting in some serious potassium and protein and calcium, and building energy and muscle. It has few, fresh, and simple ingredients, and each plays a beautiful part in the overall creamy dreamy flavor. This smoothie is also very filling - not leaving you with the itch for lunch not only an hour or two after breakfast. I've tried adding in berries/spinach, but let me tell you folks - leave this dang recipe alone. Save your berries/greens for a different morning's smoothie. I promise this one is 100% perfect as is. Plus, peanut butter + spinach? Yikes. However, I could see tossing a handful of old fashioned oatmeal oats in this smoothie's future. Just maybe.

I knew I'd immediately love the peanut butter/banana combo - heck, I usually slather peanut butter right on the banana and eat it! But the real treat here for me was the peanut butter/chocolate milk mix (or protein powder) together. At first I was a little skeptical about throwing in a tablespoon of chocolate milk mix (even if it was sugarfree). But Ryan reminded me that during his years running, and especially throughout his undergrad on the university's cross country/track teams, that they drank chocolate milk like fiends. So if you were wondering about the chocolate add-in, there you go. I guarantee I'll never run 90+ miles a week like they were, but I still can happily justify a little sneak of chocolate in my smoothie. If it still makes you crazy, then opt for the protein powder. I won't tell.

 

My Favorite Post-Run Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
makes about 2 tall glasses of smoothie

Ingredients:
1 banana, peeled
1/4 C all natural creamy peanut butter
2 C skim milk (or you could use almond milk)
1 T protein powder or sugar-free chocolate milk powder
5 ice cubes

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until uniform throughout.


baking with blondie original