For the next five or so minutes, I just want you to forget about anything and everything related to Coronavirus. It’s clogging your mental space and social media feeds and guess what? You don’t need any more of that here (and neither do I)! So today, let’s turn to something much more refreshing: smoothies and healthy shakes!
I don’t know if you’re a smoothie person to begin with, but me personally, I’ve taken a liking to them because of 1) how versatile they are, and 2) how much of a time-saver they are. During the week I’m pretty lazy about breakfast, which is why I’ve resorted to ONE protein bars and egg and cheese sandwiches from Dunkin’ Donuts a few times a week. But when I started to think about the processed stuff I was putting in my body, it made me feel a bit icky 😐
Before you read any further, there’s one BIG thing you need to know: the kind of blender you use is the #1 KEY to a perfect smoothie!!
After having been through a standard/average blender and a cheap single-serve Hamilton Beach Blender, I think I finally found bliss in the NutriBullet, which my parents bought me for Christmas this past year.
SERIOUSLY. IT. IS. MAGIC. Like literally, you’ll never have a gritty, chunky, pithy smoothie or shake ever again! With my old blenders, I had to constantly stop, take off the lid, stir, add more liquid, and repeat, which was not only annoying, but also quite a time suck. With the NutriBullet, I don’t have to do any of that—it’s done in under a minute!
A smoothie or healthy shake is also my go-to fuel if I’m running errands on the weekend or something like that. The amount you spend on a 20-ouncer in New York City can be a little ridiculous, but I just remind myself that I’d probably be paying the same for a sandwich at a bodega. I try to pick something that isn’t all fruit (too much sugar + very quick digestion= won’t be full for long) or overly caloric (somewhere in the 300-450 cal range if this will be my breakfast or lunch). I want it to hit each of the macro categories so I stay full and nourished!
Here are some of my favorite smoothie spots in NYC and what I like to order:
Juice Generation (multiple locations)
Rise n Grind
What’s inside // cold brew coffee, almond butter, banana, chocolate plant protein powder, frozen coconut milk
PB & Joe
What’s inside // almond milk, banana, cacao nibs, cold brew coffee, peanut butter
For whatever reason, Juice Generation makes me feel like the healthiest person in the world as soon as I walk in the door. I don’t think I’ve tried any of their juices before, but I need to on my next trip there!
GreenBlend (387 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001)
Coco-Banan Shake
What’s inside // coconut milk, blueberries, almond butter, banana, organic chocolate protein powder
Hidden Green Shake
What’s inside // soy milk, kale, spinach, almond butter, banana, cinnamon and vanilla whey protein powder
GreenBlend is just a few blocks from Penn Station, and I should note that their expansive food menu makes it a spectacular, casual lunch spot. I believe they offer reward punch cards too!
Hawa Smoothies and Bubble Tea (multiple locations)
The Hawa I went to in Chelsea was tiny on the inside, but I didn’t need to sit down anyway. If you go to that location, I highly recommend carving out a little time to walk around the neighborhood and imagine what it would be like to live amongst your boujee, stylish neighbors.
Have you tried any of these spots before or do you recommend any that didn’t make the list? Let me know in the comments!
Fit by the Fork 