The Hungry Skier: Fall Single-Serving Smoothies

The recipes below come from Runner’s World’s “Runner-Friendly Fall Smoothies,” but these nutritious-and-seasonal “fall mixers” work just fine for skiers, too. Have favorite healthy recipes of your own? Send them to info@fasterskier.com with the subject line: ‘Recipe’.

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Blending tips:

For best results, put liquids in blender or food processor first, then soft items (i.e. yogurt, fresh berries), then firm produce, and lastly, the frozen stuff. Start at low speed and gradually speed up to high. And make sure the lid is on tight!

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For Breakfast: Apple Crisp

High in protein with Greek yogurt to keep you full and oats that provide Beta-glucan, a fiber that may improve running (and skiing) endurance.

Ingredients: 
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup 2% vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 Tbsp. pecans
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup ice cubes

Nutrition per serving: 
Calories: 409
Carbs: 62 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 13 g
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Sodium: 89 mg

Snack: Gingered Winter Greens

With just 188 calories per serving, this is a more snackable smoothie. Winter greens, such as kales, “contain compounds called glucosinolates that have potential anticancer properties,” writes Runner’s World’s Matthew Kadey, M.S., R.D.

Ingredients: 
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 kiwi, peeled
1 large kale leaf, center rib removed
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. honey
Pinch of salt
1 cup ice cubes

Nutrition per serving: 
Calories: 188
Carbs: 38 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 8 g
Total Fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Sodium: 272 mg

Pre-workout: Cranberry Beet

Contains fewer than 100 calories for energy without feeling full. “Beets and spinach contain nitrates that boost oxygen delivery and improve muscle functioning,” Kadey writes.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 small beet, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup spinach
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup ice cubes

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 79
Carbs: 19 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 2 g
Total Fat: 0 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Sodium: 81 mg

Post-workout: Maple Ricotta Cream

Get creamy goodness from the ricotta, which also provides a dose of whey protein — ideal for recovery. “Pear and banana supply carbs to replace spent energy stores.”

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 ripe pear
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 frozen banana, chopped

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 387
Carbs: 60 g
Fiber: 10 g
Protein: 18 g
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated fat: 4.5 g
Sodium: 486 mg

The list goes on … For more fall smoothie ideas, visit RunnersWorld.com.