I’ve embarrassingly found myself in a horrible eating pattern during my time in quarantine. My days begin very promising; for breakfast, I start with a cup of hot water and lemon and either avocado toast or a quick JUSTEgg scramble with plant-based cheese and mushrooms. Okay, that's not so bad. But then the snacking begins.

This snacking behavior leads me down the wrong path: A handful of walnuts, some dark chocolate, then for savory snacks, veggie straws, pita chips, vegan grilled cheese sandwiches with kettle chips. All before lunch. Then more dark chocolate, until I am too full to eat any dinner.

This morning, I was so grateful to find in my inbox an email from the Beet with a 'Smoothie of the Day' recipe. I plan to make a smoothie each day in hopes of streamlining my horrible snacking habit. Today, I am going full steam ahead and testing out three of these smoothies to let you all know if they are Caitee-approved.

Note: I had a cameo from Dad, who walks in and tastes the smoothie, and then says: Great mid-morning snack. He gets up at 3 am, so his "mid-morning" snack is my start of the day.

Smoothie of the Day Sign-Up

Smoothie #1: Katie Lee's Immune-Boosting Energy Smoothie

Get your morning fruit fix with Katie Lee's antioxidant-rich energy smoothie, and add chia seeds for their powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and the fact that they boost immunity. (See The 13 Best Foods to Boost Immunity for more ways to load up on healthy immune-helpers.) The vitamin C in the pineapple and orange juice gives your body the immune help it needs.

Ingredients

Blueberry
Strawberry
Pineapple
Mango
Banana
Orange Juice
Soy Milk
Chia Seeds
one mint sprig

Instructions

1. Add ingredients into a blender until smooth. Pour over ice or straight up.
2. Add a sprig of mint as a garnish.

Why I made it: I made Katie Lee’s Immune Boosting Energy smoothie because the title alone is two things that we all need the most of right now in quarantine: a strong immune system and lots of energy to not lay in bed all day.

What I love about it: I love how fruit-forward this smoothie is. It was especially great that this recipe called for ingredients that I already had around the freezer and in my pantry. All the plants are beginning to bloom in Napa Valley, so I was excited to juice my own orange juice for this recipe.

What I would modify: Instead of Chia Seeds, I switched them out for hemp seeds because they are high in vitamin E, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Who would I serve it to: I made this smoothie for my dad; he loves orange juice as well as blueberries and strawberries.

Would I make it again: I would make this smoothie again, it was delicious and makes about two smoothies, which is great for sharing.

Smoothie #2: Mango Matcha Smoothie

Matcha has incredible health benefits, especially when we are all trying to stay healthy and germ-free right now. Matcha is a powerful source of Vitamin C and Zinc, which are both powerful immune boosters (Zinc knocks out anything in its path while C builds up your defenses). Everything you need to know about matcha can be found here. This smoothie is also packed with antioxidants and helps prevent bloating. You can increase your protein intake by adding seeds to your smoothie mixes like flax, chia, hemp, and more.

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
1 tsp matcha powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk/lite coconut milk
1/2 avocado
1 cup of frozen mango
1 scoop vanilla Vega protein powder, (or other vanilla protein powder)
Optional
kiwi or other fruit

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in your blender (minus the kiwi or other fruit used to garnish) and blend until smooth
You can simply enjoy it this way OR you can then pour coconut milk into desired glasses, then pour the matcha shake over top and mix with a straw to get that swirly tie-dye look

Why I made it: I made the Mango Matcha smoothie because it's packed with vitamin C which is an essential nutrient in helping our bodies remain healthy and boosting our immune system.

What I love about it: I love the tropical flavors of this smoothie because it transports you to the island vacation you didn’t get to go on this spring and the matcha is a great source of natural energy.

What I would modify: I added a little extra almond milk to the recipe because the consistency of this smoothie was a little too thick for my liking.

Who would I serve it to: I made this smoothie for my mom because she has been so busy working for home and I figured she could use a little natural energy boost.

Would I make it again: Yes, I loved this smoothie and would make it again! It called for simple ingredients and was delicious and nutritious.

Smoothie #3: Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie

Keep it simple and limited to these elements without adding any protein or fat. As it cleanses and detoxifies your system, the GGS will give you sustained energy, glowing skin, and optimal digestion. It also fosters a focused, clear mind. The GGS is here to support us daily on our life’s journey and is an integral part of my morning practice.

Ingredients

2 cups of cold filtered water
1 bunch spinach
2 or 4 celery stalks, halved
1 head of romaine lettuce
Small bunch cilantro, thick stems cut off (optional)
Small bunch parsley, thick stems cut off (optional)
1 apple, cored, seeded, and quartered
1 pear, cored, seeded, and quartered
1 banana
½ fresh lemon, peeled and seeded

Instructions

Place the water, spinach, celery, romaine, and herbs, if using, into a Vitamix or other blender in the order listed, and secure the lid.
Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase the speed and blend until smooth.
Add the apple, pear, banana, and lemon and blend until smooth.

Why I made it: I made Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie because I figured I needed a little green detox in my life to offset the vegan comfort food I’ve been eating.

What I love about it: I am usually not the hugest fan of a total green smoothie, especially one that means business and calls for both romaine and celery, but it was honestly tasted delicious.

What I would modify: I opted out of using cilantro in this smoothie because I can't stand the taste of it. Also, this smoothie requited more blending than any of the other smoothies I made: it really makes a difference to blend it for that extra couple of minutes.

Who would I serve it to: I made this smoothie for me; I am working on adding more green into my diet and this was the perfect way to do it.

Would I make it again: I would make this smoothie again, it was high in vitamin A from the romaine, Vitamin K from the celery, and contain essential antioxidants from the apples and pears.