Episode 83
Smoothie Mornings Made Easy with Two Simple Appliances
The Smoothie That Changed My Mornings (And the Appliances That Helped)
Let’s talk about kitchen appliances.
Yes, those gadgets sitting on your counter—or hiding in a cabinet—can either make your life easier... or drive you nuts. Today, I want to share how two small appliances completely changed my mornings. And no, I’m not paid to say any of this.
It Started With the Air Fryer
First, let’s be honest: nothing has brought more people back into the kitchen than the air fryer. It’s fast, easy, and makes food crispy without all the oil. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, the air fryer has become one of the most popular kitchen tools in America in the last few years.¹
This got me thinking—what other simple appliances could actually make healthy habits easier?
My Complicated Coffee Routine
For years, I had a fancy coffee routine. I ground my beans fresh. I did pour-overs. I used a timer and scale like I did chemistry. The coffee was great, but the process? Not so much.
Then one day, I tried Nespresso. Just pop in a capsule, push a button, and you get a strong, rich espresso with foam on top. It was so easy that I started enjoying my mornings again.
No, I’m not sponsored by Nespresso—I just like sharing what works.
The Smoothie Problem
Next, let’s talk about smoothies.
I have tons of smoothie recipes. I’ve written them, shared them, and even made videos about them. But honestly? I stopped making them for a long time.
Why? Because of one thing: my Vitamix blender.
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s a powerful machine. It can crush anything. But it’s big. It’s loud. It has too many parts. Just getting it out of the cabinet felt like a workout. And cleaning it? Forget it.
So even though I wanted to make smoothies, I kept skipping them. It was just easier to grab a banana and move on with my day.
The Nutribullet Fix
Then everything changed.
I bought a Nutribullet.
It’s small, easy to use, and quick to clean. I keep it on the counter. It takes about 30 seconds to rinse after using. And because of that, I’ve started making smoothies again—almost every day.
Just like that, a healthy habit became simple.
And no—I’m not paid by Nutribullet either. But I believe in sharing the tools that actually help.
My Favorite Morning Smoothie
Here’s the one I make the most right now. It gives you a little caffeine, some protein, and tastes like a treat.
☕️ Coffee Whey Protein Smoothie
You’ll need:
- 1 cup cold-brewed coffee (or cooled Nespresso)
- 1 scoop whey protein (vanilla or chocolate)
- ½ banana
- ½ cup almond milk or any milk
- 1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (optional)
- 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt
- Dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder
Optional extras:
- 1–2 dates
- 1 tsp chia or flax seeds
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Put everything in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy!
The Big Idea
Sometimes, the hardest part of a healthy habit isn’t the food—it’s the tool. If your blender is too much work, you won’t use it. If your coffee takes 20 minutes to make, you’ll skip breakfast.
But with the right appliance? You remove the stress. And that makes the habit stick.
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to eat better, start by making your kitchen easier to use. Keep the tools you love on the counter. Ditch the ones that frustrate you.
And if you're changing your diet in a serious way? Talk to a registered dietitian and a board-certified doctor, not a chiropractor or some “wellness guru” who learned nutrition on YouTube.
You can find more of my recipes at terrysimpson.com. And if you want more food science and fewer fads, check out my newsletter on Substack at tsimpson.substack.com.
Until then, keep it simple, keep it smart, and keep the peanut butter chunky.
—
Reference:
¹ Consumer Reports – “Why Air Fryers Are Still Flying Off the Shelves” (2023)
Transcript
>> Dr. Terry Simpson: Today, we are talking about appliances on 4Q,
Speaker:because, let's be honest, it's the things in our
Speaker:kitchen that makes our life easy or
Speaker:utterly maddening. Sure, you can grow your own
Speaker:food, harvest it gently, pluck it at peak
Speaker:ripeness, then cook it over a fire you built yourself
Speaker:using ancestral wood. But most of us,
Speaker:we just want something warm, fast, and not
Speaker:totally awful. And here's the truth. No
Speaker:appliance has brought more people into the kitchen than
Speaker:the air fryer. That little countertop jet
Speaker:engine turned frozen nuggets into culinary events.
Speaker:And today, I, um, want to make your kitchen life even
Speaker:easier.
Speaker:I am your chief medical explanationist and chef, Dr.
Speaker:Terry Simpson. And this is Fork U
Speaker:Fork University, where we make sense of the
Speaker:madness, bust a few myths, and teach you a little
Speaker:bit about food, medicine, and making some
Speaker:actual dishes along the way.
Speaker:Now, for years, I started my mornings with a, uh,
Speaker:grind it yourself, Pete's coffee routine.
Speaker:Major Dickason, pour over time,
Speaker:bloom water, temp dialed, and in the position
Speaker:of an interventional cardiologist.
Speaker:Coffee wasn't a drink. It was a process
Speaker:and a time waster. But lately,
Speaker:I've gone soft, depending on you see it or
Speaker:smart. I switched to Nespresso.
Speaker:Yep, I was on vacation. I didn't bring
Speaker:my typical usual coffee junk.
Speaker:Popped in a capsule at the hotel, not expecting
Speaker:anything, pressed a button, and boom.
Speaker:I got an espresso with crema that would make an Italian
Speaker:nona nod in approval. It's fast,
Speaker:it's smooth, and it means I'm not sacrificing
Speaker:time or flavor. And before you ask,
Speaker:no, I am not sponsored. Not by
Speaker:Nespresso, not by Big Coffee. Just bringing
Speaker:you the things to make your morning better.
Speaker:Which brings me to my blender.
Speaker:Now, you know I have a ton of smoothie
Speaker:recipes. I love smoothies. I recommend them, I write
Speaker:about them. I have written recipes for
Speaker:years. But for years, they making one felt
Speaker:like punishment. Why? Two
Speaker:words. The Vitamix. Now, don't get me
Speaker:wrong, it is a beast of a machine if
Speaker:you're making soup for a medieval banquet or
Speaker:blending a whole coconut tree, sure, but for
Speaker:one simple smoothie, Lugging it out, cleaning
Speaker:five separate parts, reassembling it like a NASA
Speaker:payload. No, thanks. So I stopped
Speaker:making smoothies. Then one day, on
Speaker:a whim, I bought a nutribullet. Small,
Speaker:fast, rinse it, twist it, done. And just like
Speaker:that, smoothies became a part of my daily
Speaker:rhythm again. And no, I'm not paid
Speaker:by NutriBullet either. I just like sharing what actually
Speaker:helps? So here's one that I'm
Speaker:obsessed with lately. It's a smoothie that wakes you up
Speaker:and fuels you, because you deserve both. The
Speaker:ingredients are simple. One cup of cold brewed
Speaker:coffee or a double shot of cooled Nespresso.
Speaker:Scoop of whey protein, vanilla or chocolate.
Speaker:Half a banana for creaminess and sweetness. Half a
Speaker:cup of oat milk or your milk of choice. Teaspoon
Speaker:of peanut butter or almond butter. A dash
Speaker:of cinnamon or cocoa powder. I, uh, will
Speaker:also put in about a quarter to a half cup
Speaker:of Greek yogurt. Throw it
Speaker:all in the NutriBullet. Boom. Fifteen
Speaker:seconds, you're done. Pour it out
Speaker:now. Sometimes I've discovered that tools are the
Speaker:barrier, not the habit. If your blender is a
Speaker:workout in itself, or if your coffee shop setup
Speaker:feels like it's a hostage situation, you're going to skip
Speaker:it. You'll grab a muffin, you'll convince yourself
Speaker:that breakfast isn't my thing. But with the
Speaker:right gear, you'll start building better habits
Speaker:without friction. And that's the key. Whether
Speaker:it's medicine, food or fitness,
Speaker:reduce resistance to the process
Speaker:and increase consistency.
Speaker:So whether it's an air fryer, a capsule espresso
Speaker:machine, or a blender you'll actually use,
Speaker:let the kitchen work for you, not against
Speaker:you. And if you want more recipes, more food science,
Speaker:fewer ads. You know, I have a lot of recipes on terry
Speaker:simpson.com but you will find this one on
Speaker:my blog@ either4q.com or
Speaker:YourDoctorsOrder.com and if
Speaker:you want to support the show without me selling you toothbrushes or
Speaker:magic supplements, you can become a paid
Speaker:subscriber@tsimpson.substack.com
Speaker:this episode was written and researched by me, Dr. Terri
Speaker:Simpson, and experimented on in the kitchen by
Speaker:me. And while I am a triple board certified
Speaker:physician, let me be clear. I. I am not your
Speaker:doctor. If you are making changes to your diet or
Speaker:health routine, please consult your own board certified
Speaker:physician and a registered dietitian. Not
Speaker:a chiropractor, not an eastern trained shaman who learned
Speaker:nutrition by moonlight. All the audio,
Speaker:magic and podcast distribution is handled by our friends at
Speaker:Simpler Media and my own personal pod God,
Speaker:Mr. Evotera.
Speaker:All right everybody, until next time, I'm Dr.
Speaker:Terry Simpson, reminding you that the only thing that should be
Speaker:clunky in your kitchen is is a chunky
Speaker:peanut butter. Have a good week, everybody.
Speaker:Hey Ivo, what's your
Speaker:kitchen appliance hack?
Speaker:>> Speaker B: Pretty sure my kitchen appliance hack will be stealing
Speaker:your coffee maker that you had for years.
Speaker:Pod coffee, Terry. Wait till
Speaker:I tell the fellas.
