Tips for a Healthy 4th of July Holiday and a Red, White and Blue Power Protein Smoothie Recipe

Celebrating a holiday doesn’t have to mean overindulging in sweets or giving up your healthy habits. Start your 4th of July off right with your normal workout and a powerful protein smoothie to give you lots of energy for the festive day ahead.

By making time for your workout and protein smoothie in the morning, you get it out of the way before things get hectic; then the focus is on having a good time for the rest of the day. Another benefit of drinking your protein smoothie before that big cookout? Protein is filling, so you’ll be less tempted to go for huge portions at the dessert table.

Keep the focus on a smart balance of food, activity and fun by getting active in the morning, snacking on something healthy before the party, and these other tips:

• Take a look at what’s on the party buffet before you fill up your plate. Take a few things you want, none of what you don’t love, and be sure to balance things out with fruits and veggies.
• Eat slowly and don’t stuff yourself. Summer cookouts and holidays usually mean food is around for snacking for hours on end, so just eat enough to feel comfortably full. There will always be more if you get hungry again.
• Bring a healthy dish to the cookout, so you know you’ll always have something to eat that works within your personal dietary guidelines.

  Red, White and Blue Power Protein Smoothie

  Yield: Serves 3
  Author: Hamilton Beach Test Kitchen

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup cranberry-raspberry juice
  • 1/2 cup (2 scoops) vanilla protein powder
  • 1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 3/4 cup (4 ounces) blueberries
  • 1 medium ripe banana, cut into large chunks
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 15 ice cubes

  Instructions

  1. 1. Place ingredients in blender jar in order listed.
  2. 2. Cover and blend on AUTO SMOOTHIE setting or PULSE a few times, then blend on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds.

  Notes

  For a Single-Serve Blender, use 1/2 cup juice, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup yogurt and 4 ice cubes.

  

Hamilton Beach® Single-Serve Blenders feature durable stainless steel blades that blend your favorite drinks, sauces or dressings in seconds. Use the travel cup to blend drinks to go anytime, or fill the whole jar with fresh ingredients for family and friends. Cleanup couldn’t be simpler — place the cup or blending jar right in the dishwasher.