*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post with Kura Smoothie Powder, however all opinions, experiences and enjoyment of this product are my own!

When you're constantly on-the-go, it's easy to turn to foods that are not the healthiest. When feelings of stress overwhelm us and we're tired from all that life is demanding from us, our food choices are impacted. Have you ever heard anyone craving kale or a big bowl of fruit when they're feeling pressured? Stress affects the kinds of foods we desire, hence the food-and-mood relationship is a real thing! (Read this Harvard Health Healthbeat article about stress and overeating.)

Although we cannot control all the stressors that come flying our way, we can control the foods we surround ourselves with. When I speak with clients who are looking to improve their health by making smarter food choices, I ask them a) what they eat in a typical day and b) who cooks and grocery shops for the household. Who is buying those cookies and chips you can't resist and are they sitting on the countertop? Whether we're stressed or not, it's extra difficult to resist tempting foods when they're staring us right in the face! If you want to eat well, surround yourself with foods that foster good health.

I was recently approached by Latina Bloggers Connect (LBC) to try out a product that I had heard about but have never tried. LBC has partnered with Kura protein smoothie powders and these can be easily added into your average smoothie for lots of extra flavor and nutrition! Smoothies are a convenient way to add a healthy combination of foods into your day, if you're using the right ingredients. Start with milk (animal or plant-based) or yogurt, fresh fruit and even vegetables, and you're off to the right start! Alone, these foods offer lots of nutrition like immune-boosting vitamins, minerals as well as gut-friendly and satisfying fiber...but what if you could kick-things-up several notches? With Kura, you can.

Straight from the farms in New Zealand, Kura protein powders not only pack in 14 grams of protein per servings from grass-fed dairy cows, this product has 4 billion CFU probiotics* that can help improve digestion, immunity, mood and even weight! Kura also contains omega-3 fats that have shown to help fight inflammation and support brain health. Add this smoothie powder to an already healthy mixture of whole food ingredients and you've got yourself a nutrient-rich and delicious smoothie! (*CFU stands for colony-forming units and it's a measurement of the good bacteria and yeasts. This is the amount of CFUs in Kura measured at the time of manufacturing.)

I tried out all three of Kura's smoothie starters and came up with these easy recipes. Make a smoothie in the morning with a side of whole grain bread topped with nut butter or with a single serving of crunchy almonds or walnuts, or whip one up a smoothie after a workout. My simple Cherry Vanilla Kura Smoothie hit the spot after my long bike ride this weekend! You can try these recipes out by using the coupon code to receive $5 off any Kura item purchased on Amazon! (Valid until 4/30/16): KURAKURA 

Don't wait to get your health on-track. Feel better now by establishing healthy and sustainable eating habits. Surround yourself with nourishing foods and, hey, throw some into your blender and #StartYourSmoothieYA with Kura! Enjoy!

Cherry Vanilla Kura Smoothie

Recipes by: Christy Wilson, RD
Serves: One smoothie
Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen cherries
  • 1/2 banana 
  • 8 ounces light vanilla soy milk (or any milk of your choice)
  • 1 scoop (1.4 ounce) of Kura Vanilla Protein Smoothie Powder

Directions

  1. Add frozen cherries, banana and milk into a blender and blend ingredients until combined to desired consistency. 
  2. Add 1 scoop of Kura Vanilla Protein Smoothie Powder to mixture and blend until fully combined. 
  3. Serve into a glass and enjoy!

Berry Delight Kura Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries (combo of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
  • 1/2 banana
  • 4 fresh or frozen whole strawberries
  • Handful of fresh spinach (optional)
  • 8 ounces unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of choice) 
  • 1 scoop (1.4 ounces) of Kura Berry Protein Smoothie Powder
  1. Add frozen mixed berries, banana, fresh strawberries, spinach and milk into a blender and blend ingredients until combined to desired consistency.
  2. Add 1 scoop of Kura Berry Protein Smoothie Powder to mixture and blend until fully combined. 
  3. Serve into a glass and enjoy!

Choco-Berry Kura Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 5 strawberries
  • 1/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 5 raspberries
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 8 ounces skim milk (or any milk of choice) 
  • 1 scoop (1.4 ounces) Kura Chocolate Protein Smoothie Powder
  1. Add strawberries, frozen wild blueberries, raspberries, cinnamon, honey and milk into a blender and blend ingredients until combined to desired consistency.
  2. Add 1 scoop of Kura Chocolate Protein Smoothie Powder to mixture and blend until fully combined. 
  3. Serve into a glass and enjoy!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kura. The opinions and text are all mine.

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