This post is c/o Yasso.
Everyone loves a cold, icy treat in the summer. How to stretch that tasty goodness into the cooler months and beyond? I’ve been using ridiculously creamy, low calorie Greek yogurt bars to increase protein intake in my smoothies featuring Yasso yogurt bars, all while enjoying a nutritious treat. I’m going to share how I’ve been transforming the way our family consumes Yasso Greek Yogurt bars to add additional protein, flavor, and fun to our smoothies. And my kids love them! All I have to say is “Yasso bar” and they know I am whipping them up something tasty in the blender.
I’ll also share some additional ingredients I like to add to my smoothie to further increase protein value. I’m not a nutritionist, though I do spend time researching how to increase nutritional value in meals and snacks. Sometimes this means swapping ingredients out for healthier options, or adding something extra for those benefits. There are a few items I’m sharing below that are staples in our pantry and are super easy to add to meals that I’m already preparing. They boost their nutritional value immensely.
Yasso Yogurt Bars are Versatile
First, let me give you additional details about Yasso Greek yogurt bars, and why they are a good addition to a smoothie. At just 60-170 calories per bar, Yasso bars satisfy a craving for sweet in a ridiculously creamy way! Yasso bars contain 4-7 grams of protein per bar, and contain no high intensity sweeteners. There are also many flavors to choose from, including black raspberry chip, cookie, dough, chocolate fudge, chocolate peanut butter chip, fudge brownie, mint chocolate chip, and my favorite, sea salt caramel. For our smoothies, I find the best flavor to be classic chocolate fudge.
How to Increase Protein Intake Featuring Yasso Yogurt Bars
Here is how to increase protein intake featuring Yasso Yogurt Bars! Simply remove them from the package and break them off the stick into your ready to go blender full of fresh and healthy produce. Sounds simple right? It is, though many of my friends have been surprised at this way we alternatively consume the bars. Who would have thought? My kids love it, and with the great flavors, they don’t even notice I’ve crammed the blender full of kale and spinach.
The creaminess and flavor of the Greek yogurt really smooths out the bitterness of greens, so stuff your blender full of them! Add half an avocado for some additional healthy fats, and then half a cucumber. The mild flavor doesn’t interfere with taste of the smoothie, and adds some extra hydration since cucumbers are largely composed of water.
Add Additional Protein Packing and Nutritious Ingredients
For a protein packed and nutritious smoothie, consider adding some of these additional ingredients to your mixture. Please n0te that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information shared below comes from the recommended products. All of these products are staples in our pantry. We use them all in a variety of ways to add extra nutriti0n to our meals. I especially love to sprinkle these items on salads, in addition to adding them to smoothies.
Hemp seeds go well with so many things. One of my favorite ways to consume them is sprinkled on top of my salad. They contain 10g of protein per serving, and it’s important to note, that’s plant protein. Impressive! They also offer Omega 3s and have less than 1g of carbs per serving. The benefits of hemp seeds include a variety of minerals like iron, niacin, magnesium and zinc, while also containing Vitamin B6 and Folate.
Flax is also another nutritional supplement that is great for adding to smoothies. We like this brand since it’s organic, contains no preservatives, and is non-GMO certified. Flax doesn’t have as much protein, with just under 2g per tablespoon, though it adds fiber to the diet and is rich in Omega-3 fats. It has a slightly nutty taste, can be used in lieu of breadcrumbs, and are great for adding to granola bar recipes. Flax bakes well into most baked goods, in addition to being a good additive to morning yogurt.
I’ll often add a handful of nuts to my smoothie to add additional beneficial fats and protein. For example, a handful of nuts adds good fats and protein. Do you have any favorite nuts? Cashews, walnuts, and almonds are my favorite for their flavor and health benefits. Costco sells great quality bags of nuts in bulk. Store them in the fridge, as they can go rancid if left in a heated area, and this keeps them fresher longer. These whole, raw almonds are a great find on Amazon, which brings me to another point about nuts. If you’re not really into whole nuts, add a splash of unsweetened almond milk to your smoothie. You don’t need much due to the moisture from the Yasso bar, and perhaps the cucumber, though it’s a nice way to add a little extra nutrition.
Chia seeds are another favorite item to add to a smoothie. We like our chia seeds like the rest of our items, organic and Non-GMO. Try this brand! Chia seeds provide 2g of protein per serving and they have some good PR behind them, they’re named after the Mayan word for “strength”. Expect to gain the benefits of Omega-3s, which are anti-inflammatory, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron.
Do you enjoy making smoothies? I hope this post helped provide inspiration on how to increase protein intake featuring Yasso yogurt bars. An unexpected treat while doing the body good!
Looking for another tasty treat that’s healthy and easy to whip up? Try this Watermelon Pizza!
