Some thoughts and discussions from me.
Pineapple Upside Down Smoothie
Good morning – and happy July 1st 
After my parents left on Saturday, Shane asked what I wanted to do for the rest of the weekend, and I responded with two words: lay. low. I was pretty exhausted, and ready to get some things done around the house that have been neglected for the past week. I cleaned, laundered, worked on clients’ programs and online clients’ programs, finished a couple job assignments, and reeeelaxed.
In fact, my only outtings between Saturday afternoon and this morning have been church Saturday night, to the gym to train a couple clients, and to a farm stand to pick up some eggs. Today I feel refreshed and ready for the week!
After training my clients, I got my own workout in. I was feeling a little glum about my parents leaving, and thought a good strength workout would leave me feeling better. Here’s what I did:
cardio warm up, dynamic warm ups, then…
3 sets of 15 box jumps
1a. One-arm overhead kettlebell squat
1b. push ups
2a. barbell step ups (or downs, rather)
2b. kneeling lat pull downs
3a. stability ball plank roll outs (on toes)
3b. Kneeling cable holds
Then I stretched, and noticed that, yep, I felt much, much better! 
I walked home, and then started gathering up some ingredients to make the perfect post-workout smoothie.
I have been looooving me some smoothies lately. I went a good 8 months without making one, so I’m likely just making up for lost time 
My go-to shake has been my chocolate cherry smoothie, but yesterday I tried something different. I’m working with ViSalus to create a recipe with their Vi-Shape Mix, a primarily soy-based, gluten-free, low sugar protein powder mix that tastes like one of my favorite flavors ever…CAKE!
Aside from tasting like birthday cake, I wanted to try the protein powder because it was soy based. Can you believe I’d never tried a soy protein powder until now? The protein has whey included as well, but I was surprised to find that it mixed just as well as whey protein, and tasted as great, too! And one other very important fact that I looked for: it’s made from non-GMO soy.
Back to the smoothie!
The ingredients:
-
pineapple
-
almond or coconut milk
-
Vi-Shape mix
-
ice
-
coconut oil
-
sea salt
-
vanilla extract
-
almond meal
My first instinct was to make a pena colada smoothie, but I wanted to really make the cake flavor of the protein be able to shine, so I added the last three ingredients – sea salt, vanilla extract, and almond meal to give it more of the flavor of a pineapple upside down cake.
Pineapple Upside Down Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 c. ice
1 c. almond or coconut milk
2 scoops Vi-Shape mix
1 c. pineapple
1 tbsp. coconut oil
2 tbsp. almond meal*
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Put all of the ingredients into your blender and blend on high, until smooth. Drink up!
*if you don’t have almond meal, almond butter would likely work well, too!
I topped mine with a sprinkling on unsweetened, shredded coconut to give it a little chew. Delicious
Now I’m off to teach a HIIT class and train some clients. Happy Monday!
What’s your favorite post-workout snack?
If you make smoothies, what’s your go-to combination?
This post is sponsored by ViSalus, but as always, all opinions are my own.
Looks interesting! I’ve never done the tropical-y smoothie before, I’ll have to give it a shot. My go-to smoothie flavour combo is banana and chocolate – never fails!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…Why I Want to Swim With Sharks.
I tend to just add EVERY SINGLE FRUITIE VEGGIE thing to the vitamix and deem it a smoothie 🙂
Miz recently posted…KELP! (I need somebody) KELP! (not just anybody)
LOVE pineapple in my shakes! SO GOOD.
Madeline @ Food Fitness and Family recently posted…Baby #2: 18 Weeks
I’m not a huge pineapple fan, but this smoothie sounds good. I’m actually getting some vanilla protein powder in the mail today (my husband and I are choc-o-holics and usually only opt for chocolate flavored protein!) so I will have to give this recipe a shot!
I’m so excited everyone is starting to post smoothie recipes again! These are my absolute favorite thing in the summer and this one sounds delicious!
Danielle recently posted…Are you Eating Mindfully? 5 Ways to Make your Meals an Experience.
In the summer smoothies for sure! My go to combo is spinach, banana, blueberries (both frozen), flax, protein, and almond milk.
Lindsey recently posted…Foodie Friday
Right now I’m loving a smoothie with coconut water, avocado, kale, mango, blueberries, flax and cayenne pepper. It’s so good and filling!
Kacy recently posted…No Bullshit Wedding Talk, Part VI
That sounds incredibly healthy!
I love smoothies I have been having one a day! I am also using that coconut milk in them all the time and love the creamy rich flavor it gives. I think cake protein powerer sounds great but I use vegan protein powders because I don’t drink cow’s milk so I don’t want whey and I have mixed feelings about having too much soy.
this smoothie sounds amazing!!
great combo! I loved that flavor too! i don’t drink soy protein that often but i do find it delicious! Body By Vi is a good one!
lindsayc recently posted…Running and Adjusting – TX HEAT #wavesayonara
Yum! I need to have smoothies more often, especially with pineapple- thanks for the recipe!
maria@the_brooklyn_fig recently posted…Starstruck
Oh we are pinning this. I love the addition of sea salt in the smoothie. YUM!
Christine @ Oatmeal Bowl recently posted…A Day of Running & Kayaking at Big Bear Lake
I’m confused..there is no actual pineapple in the smoothie itself? Really?
I only have a tiny blender, would this work? I’d LOVE to work with that company and make a smoothie…I’m starting a blog soon, if they want to be “partners” 🙂
I only have hemp milk and hemp protein at home now…maybe that might work?
I’m a huge fruit person. Its actually not good how much fruit (and rice cakes) I eat all day (and very late at night 🙁
1 c. of pineapple! 🙂 Hemp milk would probably work just fine.
Also, just curious why you’d want a soy-based powder? So much controversy about soy that it seems more sane to stick to very pure forms (tofu, tempeh, edamame)…I always go back and forth between the whey and some other kind of vegan (non soy) and still can’t figure out what is the better…
Also, sorry for the triple comments, just wondering if you like your smoothies thick (spoonable) or thin? This looks awesomely thick, but probably due to almond meal….I hear coconut flour is decent in smoothie too….I’ve such a troubled tummy that I’m afraid of what to eat anymore due to fear of what’s gonna happen …some people put oats in their smoothies .
I’ve never tried coconut flour! That’s interesting, though. I do think the almond meal thickens it up a bit.
I always make strawberry and banana smoothies, very boring, this has given me so many more ideas – thanks x
healthy smoothie recipes recently posted…Lamb Lettuce Green Smoothie Recipe