Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie

High protein smoothie without protein powder

As an avid weightlifter, I am always looking for ways to pack my diet full of protein. Of course everyone you meet will recommend a protein shake made with protein powder that can cost upwards of $30 for a container, and usually it’s not very good. I’ve tried a wide range of protein powders, and while I’ve found some edible, I’ve never really enjoyed them. So instead, I turned to my most trusted source of protein: Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, and if you get a lower fat content version, it’s light on calories. Add some fruit and a small amount of fruit juice, and you’ve got yourself a high protein smoothie without protein powder!

If you’re looking for another fun way to eat yogurt for breakfast, check out this smoothie bowl.

Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie: An easy, quick workout snack

The best part about this Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie (aside from its protein benefits) is that it’s super easy to make! I pour my fruit into the blender first. Then with the same measuring cup, I measure out my Greek yogurt and spoon that into the blender on top of the fruit. And finally, using the same measuring cup, I measure my orange juice and pour that into the blender too. For my Ninja blender, I find this order makes for the easiest blending, since the blades can start tearing into the yogurt while the liquid of the orange juice helps bring the fruit down into the yogurt. And just like that, you have your Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie.

I also have a recipe for a Vanilla Fruit Smoothie Bowl.  Its another fun way to eat yogurt for breakfast.

So many customizations

As written, this recipe will make a delicious Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie. But, maybe you don’t like blueberries or apples. Maybe all you have in the freezer is a bag of mixed fruit. The good news is that there are a number of ways to tailor this recipe to your preferences.

1. Use any fruit that you like, just be aware of the calorie counts if you are tracking calories. Some fruits, like banana or mango, have enough calories that it will add up in your final smoothie. I recommend apples, peaches, or any mixed fruit bag with a suitable calorie count.
2. Don’t be afraid to add veggies to your smoothie. Greens like kale and spinach go very well in this recipe. Both add very few calories, a lot of vitamins, and you’ll get a beautiful green smoothie!
3. I like to keep fruit available for snacking at all times in my house. But two people can only go through fruit so quickly, meaning I always end up with extra at the end of the week. As long as the fruit hasn’t spoiled, I like to cube and freeze the fruit for use in smoothies next week.
4. Don’t be afraid to try some uncommon fruit pairings. One of my favorite pairings has become watermelon and apple, two fruits I never would have put together before. So far I haven’t found a single fruit pairing that didn’t create a delicious smoothie.

Tips about orange juice:

Here are a few tips about the orange juice in this recipe.

1. Quality: My favorite orange juice for this recipe is Trop 50 (recently rebranded to Tropicana Light). It’s only 50 calories per cup and it tastes very close to regular orange juice. I have found store brand light orange juice (from Kroger) that has the same number of calories, but I find it doesn’t taste as good.
2. Quantity: I recommend using ½ cup of orange juice, because that will always produce a nice smoothie. However, you can use as little as ¼  cup for a thicker smoothie, or up to ¾ cup if you prefer a thin smoothie.
3. Substitution: You can substitute the orange juice with milk for added protein. Or you could substitute it for any other fruit juice that you like, considering calories of course.
4. Clean up: I always use a 1 cup measuring cup to measure my yogurt, so I just re-use it when I add the orange juice. It saves a dish and  helps to pull out any leftover yogurt.

How to make a Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie

Greek Yogurt Protein Smoothie

A high protein breakfast without protein powder

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 1 Smoothie

Calories 122 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Blender

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Frozen Fruit (I used a half cup of cubed apples and a half cup of blueberries)
• 3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients into your blender, in this order: fruit, yogurt, then orange juice.
• Blend until smooth (approximately 1.5 minutes on my blender)
• Serve and enjoy 🙂

Keyword fruit, high protein, yogurt