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)

>> Dr. Terry Simpson: Today, we are talking about appliances on 4Q,

because, let's be honest, it's the things in our

kitchen that makes our life easy or

utterly maddening. Sure, you can grow your own

food, harvest it gently, pluck it at peak

ripeness, then cook it over a fire you built yourself

using ancestral wood. But most of us,

we just want something warm, fast, and not

totally awful. And here's the truth. No

appliance has brought more people into the kitchen than

the air fryer. That little countertop jet

engine turned frozen nuggets into culinary events.

And today, I, um, want to make your kitchen life even

easier.

I am your chief medical explanationist and chef, Dr.

Terry Simpson. And this is Fork U

Fork University, where we make sense of the

madness, bust a few myths, and teach you a little

bit about food, medicine, and making some

actual dishes along the way.

Now, for years, I started my mornings with a, uh,

grind it yourself, Pete's coffee routine.

Major Dickason, pour over time,

bloom water, temp dialed, and in the position

of an interventional cardiologist.

Coffee wasn't a drink. It was a process

and a time waster. But lately,

I've gone soft, depending on you see it or

smart. I switched to Nespresso.

Yep, I was on vacation. I didn't bring

my typical usual coffee junk.

Popped in a capsule at the hotel, not expecting

anything, pressed a button, and boom.

I got an espresso with crema that would make an Italian

nona nod in approval. It's fast,

it's smooth, and it means I'm not sacrificing

time or flavor. And before you ask,

no, I am not sponsored. Not by

Nespresso, not by Big Coffee. Just bringing

you the things to make your morning better.

Which brings me to my blender.

Now, you know I have a ton of smoothie

recipes. I love smoothies. I recommend them, I write

about them. I have written recipes for

years. But for years, they making one felt

like punishment. Why? Two

words. The Vitamix. Now, don't get me

wrong, it is a beast of a machine if

you're making soup for a medieval banquet or

blending a whole coconut tree, sure, but for

one simple smoothie, Lugging it out, cleaning

five separate parts, reassembling it like a NASA

payload. No, thanks. So I stopped

making smoothies. Then one day, on

a whim, I bought a nutribullet. Small,

fast, rinse it, twist it, done. And just like

that, smoothies became a part of my daily

rhythm again. And no, I'm not paid

by NutriBullet either. I just like sharing what actually

helps? So here's one that I'm

obsessed with lately. It's a smoothie that wakes you up

and fuels you, because you deserve both. The

ingredients are simple. One cup of cold brewed

coffee or a double shot of cooled Nespresso.

Scoop of whey protein, vanilla or chocolate.

Half a banana for creaminess and sweetness. Half a

cup of oat milk or your milk of choice. Teaspoon

of peanut butter or almond butter. A dash

of cinnamon or cocoa powder. I, uh, will

also put in about a quarter to a half cup

of Greek yogurt. Throw it

all in the NutriBullet. Boom. Fifteen

seconds, you're done. Pour it out

now. Sometimes I've discovered that tools are the

barrier, not the habit. If your blender is a

workout in itself, or if your coffee shop setup

feels like it's a hostage situation, you're going to skip

it. You'll grab a muffin, you'll convince yourself

that breakfast isn't my thing. But with the

right gear, you'll start building better habits

without friction. And that's the key. Whether

it's medicine, food or fitness,

reduce resistance to the process

and increase consistency.

So whether it's an air fryer, a capsule espresso

machine, or a blender you'll actually use,

let the kitchen work for you, not against

you. And if you want more recipes, more food science,

fewer ads. You know, I have a lot of recipes on terry

simpson.com but you will find this one on

my blog@ either4q.com or

YourDoctorsOrder.com and if

you want to support the show without me selling you toothbrushes or

magic supplements, you can become a paid

subscriber@tsimpson.substack.com

this episode was written and researched by me, Dr. Terri

Simpson, and experimented on in the kitchen by

me. And while I am a triple board certified

physician, let me be clear. I. I am not your

doctor. If you are making changes to your diet or

health routine, please consult your own board certified

physician and a registered dietitian. Not

a chiropractor, not an eastern trained shaman who learned

nutrition by moonlight. All the audio,

magic and podcast distribution is handled by our friends at

Simpler Media and my own personal pod God,

Mr. Evotera.

All right everybody, until next time, I'm Dr.

Terry Simpson, reminding you that the only thing that should be

clunky in your kitchen is is a chunky

peanut butter. Have a good week, everybody.

Hey Ivo, what's your

kitchen appliance hack?

>> Speaker B: Pretty sure my kitchen appliance hack will be stealing

your coffee maker that you had for years.

Pod coffee, Terry. Wait till

I tell the fellas.