The year of the smoothie

2014 must be the year of the smoothie.

Everywhere I turn, friends, coworkers and friends of friends are talking about whipping up concoctions to drink their daily quota of fruit and vegetables.

I even jumped on the bandwagon and so far, I'm enjoying playing the "mad scientist" in the kitchen.

I have to admit, I'm not a fruit and veggie eater; so it was appealing to be able to get some of the fruits and vegetables that I needed for a day by drinking them.

And if you add seeds, such as chia seeds or flaxseed; as well as complex carbs such as oatmeal, and protein such as Greek yogurt, the smoothie can become a meal in itself.

To help cut down on needing ice for the smoothies, I used frozen fruit. It gives the mix a nice smooth consistency; while still being ice cold.

I've found the following smoothies that I blended together to be filling and satisfying; and use them as an on-the-run breakfast.

Note: the recipe amounts are based on the big blending cup of the Nutribullet (approximately 2-3 cups) and should be decreased or increased according to the size of your blender if you don't have a Nutribullet. You can also add water if the mix isn't thin enough for you to drink.

One ingredient in many of the following recipes may sound a little odd. And for good reason.

Do you remember Chia pets those ceramic animal molds that grew grass hair? And do you remember the seeds you spread on the pet?

Those seeds, called chia seeds, are one of my main ingredients.

The health benefits of these little seeds are far reaching and include being a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber; as well as aid in stabilizing blood sugar, digestion and lowering cholesterol. You don't have to take a lot of them to benefit either. Just one tablespoon a day will do.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 handful of fresh spinach (about a 1/2 cup)

1 medium ripe banana

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt

1 cup dark chocolate almond or soy milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup water

1 cup crushed ice

Layer spinach, banana, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds, almond or soy milk and water. Blend until smooth.

Add crushed ice and blend a few more seconds, until ice is incorporated into mixture.

Vanilla Berry Smoothie

cup frozen cherries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Layer berries, Greek yogurt and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds and almond milk. Blend until smooth.

Tropical Smoothie

A handful of fresh spinach (about cup)

cup frozen mango chunks

1 medium banana

cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

1 cup low calorie mango blend juice

1 cup water

Layer spinach, frozen fruit, banana and Greek yogurt in the blender cup. Add juice and water. Blend until smooth.

Hot Chocolate Berry Smoothie

cup frozen blueberries

cup frozen raspberries

1 cup vanilla or dark chocolate almond milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons hot chocolate mix

Layer berries and Greek yogurt in the blender cup. Add almond milk, water and hot chocolate mix. Blend until smooth.

You can also use chocolate protein powder instead of hot chocolate mix.

Berries and Oats Smoothie

cup frozen cherries

cup frozen raspberries

1 handful of fresh spinach (about a 1/2 cup)

1 medium banana (optional)

1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup vanilla almond or soy milk

1/2 cup dark chocolate almond or soy milk

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 cup water

Layer spinach, cherries, raspberries, banana, Greek yogurt and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds, almond or soy milk and water. Blend until smooth.

You can also add other berries, such as strawberries or blueberries.

Peaches and Cream Smoothie

cup frozen peaches

cup frozen mango chunks

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup water

Layer peaches, mangos, Greek yogurt, oats and chia seeds in the blender cup.

Add almond milk, vanilla extract and water. Blend until smooth.