Blueberry Oat Power and The Big Green with Barre3 Yakima

I’m a big believer in looking at health and fitness from a perspective of balance. Not that I have any tips to offer on how to actually achieve so called ‘balance’ but it’s certainly one of the things I love most about Barre3. When I walk through the doors of the studio (or begrudgingly open Zoom on my laptop), I am filled up with wonderful life-giving energy. The workouts, which not only challenge me and have my sweating like crazy make me feel so good. And they help launch me into the rest of my day and week feeling strong, healthy and perfectly sore in the best possible way.

And when it comes to food, I’m looking for that same kind of perspective. I want the food I feed myself and my family to be nutritiously dense AND actually taste good. I don’t want to miss out on the best parts of life (hello wine, cheese and chocolate but that’s just me) but I also want to fuel my body with real food that gives me the energy and vitality I’m looking for.

After many years of a love-hate relationship with smoothies, I’ve finally stumbled on a couple recipes that embrace the balance of nutrition and taste in a way I can get behind. The blueberry oat smoothie is creamy and sweet. A little peanut butter has the fat you need while the oats, chia seeds and blueberries provide good-for-you carbohydrates, antioxidants and vitamins our bodies crave.

The big green has been an almost daily breakfast for nearly a year now. I love having this smoothie before I head to the barre studio and often make it for my kids as a snack after school. If I don’t have the satsuma orange the recipe calls for, I just skip that ingredient and add an extra 1/4 cup of frozen fruit. You could also add a splash of orange juice or half of a navel orange if you prefer. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Blueberry Oat Power Smoothie:

• 1 small banana

• 1/4 rolled oats

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

• 3/4 cup frozen blueberries

• 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (whey or plant based)

• 3-4 ice cubes

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Combine banana, oats, peanut butter, chia seeds and protein powder with almond milk. Blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture is smooth. Add frozen blueberries and ice, adding an extra ice cube if you prefer a thicker texture. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy. For an extra treat, sprinkle 1/4 cup of your favorite granola over top the smoothie.

The Big Green:

• 1 small banana

• 1 satsuma orange

• 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves

• 1/2 cup frozen mango

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (or sub with unflavored collagen peptides)

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Combine banana, spinach and satsuma orange with one cup almond milk and blend until spinach is completely broken down and blended with the banana. Turn off blender and add protein powder and frozen fruit. Blend again with an additional 1/4 cup almond milk if needed. Blend until smooth. Pour smoothie into a glass and enjoy.