I used to do this thing when I was younger where, as soon as movie credits started cascading down the screen, I’d pretend I had transformed into my favorite character from the film (badass gymnast Haley Graham in Stick It, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen). That’s why I was slightly disappointed when I didn’t magically emulate tennis powerhouse Naomi Osaka after I gave her post-workout smoothie a taste test. I mean, I’d done the prep work and everything. I even lifted my way through an early-morning 30-minute strength sesh before hitting the court.
Alas, I didn’t gain the agility, speed, and competitiveness that Osaka showcases on the court. Nor did said tennis court have a trophy waiting for me by the net. What I did get, though, was a pretty damn good smoothie 😉
After Osaka sweats it out, she makes her post-workout smoothie that consists of spinach, cucumber, ginger, pineapple or apples (or both), lemon juice, BodyArmor Lyte Tropical Coconut water, and, of course, protein powder.
For you ladies who hate green smoothies, you really can’t taste the greens. There’s just a tropical vibe from the pineapple and BodyArmor Lyte Coconut water. Additionally, there’s a modest kick from the ginger. But there was something really “off.”
Through the crispness came an unidentifiable aftertaste (not horrible, but not wonderful). I later figured out that the aftertaste was a result of the vanilla bean protein powder I had mixed in. The vanilla bean flavor was the best option I had for this recipe. My other choice was a chocolate flavor… can you imagine?!
So, I went out and got some Garden of Life flavorless protein powder and made the smoothie again. This time, it turned out UH-MA-ZING. Yes, I could tell that there was protein powder, but barely. The freshness of the fruits and veggies stood out WAY more.
While I can’t play Slam-worthy tennis like Naomi, I sure can recover after a workout like her with this post-workout smoothie🙂.
Naomi Osaka’s Post-Workout Smoothie
Naomi Osaka's Post-Workout Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach, washed the more the better
- 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into chunks
- 1 handful apples slices or pineapple chunks or half a handful of each
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
- 8 oz BodyArmor Lyte Coconut or Tropical Coconut
- 1 scoop protein powder fruit-flavored is best
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger
- 2 - 3 ice cubes
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Cut up the cucumber, apples, and pineapples and place them in the blender.
- Add ginger (I just cut off a piece of raw ginger and used that without the skin) and spinach.
- Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon, and add the BodyArmor and protein powder. Lastly, add ice.
- Blend everything until combined evenly.
- Enjoy!