Pregnancy Cravings and Smoothie Recipes

During my pregnancy, I fully expected to fall victim to some bizarre food cravings. With the infamous ice cream and pickles pairing in mind, I was curious to discover what crazy combinations I'd crave, concoct, and eagerly devour.

So far, my stomach has proven to be unimaginative. There have been sporadic sandwich cravings and a few unhealthy indulgences, but the only thing I have consistently and intensely craved (as in, I want it right this instant) is fruit. Fresh or frozen, whole or sliced, blended together in a smoothie or paired with yogurt and granola - I just can't get enough. It started early in my pregnancy, when a fresh orange was the only thing that calmed my morning sickness. After my obsession with oranges grew tart, smoothies became a daily staple in my diet, and I may or may not be guilty of eating entire watermelons and baskets of local strawberries by myself.


Since I've become quite the smoothie connoisseur, I wanted to share the recipes for two of my homemade favorites: strawberry banana and orange mango. Strawberry banana smoothies have been apart of my life since childhood, but orange mango smoothies are a fairly recent discovery. On my first trip to Starbucks since becoming pregnant, I scanned the menu for something caffeine-free. As a girl with a fierce addiction to espresso, it pained me to glance over "Iced White Chocolate Mocha" and "Caramel Frappuccino," but my eyes eventually rested on "Orange Mango Vivanno Smoothie." Um, yum? It may be the pregnancy hormones talking, but it was delicious, and I immediately wanted more. Since I can't justify spending nearly $5 a day on a smoothie, I knew I had to concoct my own version at home.

I never measure a single ingredient when making my smoothies (it's so much more fun to just experiment and hope for the best), so please know that all measurements are estimated and can be tweaked to fit your own personal taste and desired consistency.


Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 banana, fresh or frozen, cut into chunks
1 heaping cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup milk
Handful of ice
Optional: A drizzle of honey or 1 Tbsp. of your favorite sweetener for added sweetness

Directions: Combine all ingredients in your blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional honey/sweetener, if desired. Pour into glasses, serve, and enjoy!

Note: If you're looking for an extra boost to any smoothie, you can also add in one scoop of whey protein, flaxseed, or uncooked oats.


Orange Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup mango juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup milk
1 large banana, fresh or frozen, cut into chunks
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
Handful of ice

Directions: Combine all ingredients in your blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Note: If desired, you can use fresh or frozen mango chunks in place of or in addition to the mango juice.

If you're a smoothie lover like me, what are your favorite ingredients or recipes?