2014 must be the year of the smoothie.

Everywhere I turn, friends, coworkers and friends of friends are talking about whipping up concoctions to drink their daily quota of fruit and vegetables.I even jumped on the bandwagon and so far, I'm enjoying playing the "mad scientist" in the kitchen.I have to admit, I'm not a fruit and veggie eater; so it was appealing to be able to get some of the fruits and vegetables that I needed for a day by drinking them.And if you add seeds, such as chia seeds or flaxseed; as well as complex carbs such as oatmeal, and protein such as Greek yogurt, the smoothie can become a meal in itself.To help cut down on needing ice for the smoothies, I used frozen fruit. It gives the mix a nice smooth consistency; while still being ice cold.I've found the following smoothies that I blended together to be filling and satisfying; and use them as an on-the-run breakfast.Note: the recipe amounts are based on the big blending cup of the Nutribullet (approximately 2-3 cups) and should be decreased or increased according to the size of your blender if you don't have a Nutribullet. You can also add water if the mix isn't thin enough for you to drink.One ingredient in many of the following recipes may sound a little odd. And for good reason.Do you remember Chia pets those ceramic animal molds that grew grass hair? And do you remember the seeds you spread on the pet?Those seeds, called chia seeds, are one of my main ingredients.The health benefits of these little seeds are far reaching and include being a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber; as well as aid in stabilizing blood sugar, digestion and lowering cholesterol. You don't have to take a lot of them to benefit either. Just one tablespoon a day will do.Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie1 handful of fresh spinach (about a 1/2 cup)1 medium ripe banana1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt1 cup dark chocolate almond or soy milk1 tablespoon chia seeds1/2 cup old fashioned oats1 cup water1 cup crushed iceLayer spinach, banana, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds, almond or soy milk and water. Blend until smooth.Add crushed ice and blend a few more seconds, until ice is incorporated into mixture.Vanilla Berry Smoothiecup frozen cherries1/2 cup frozen blueberries1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt1 cup vanilla almond milk1 tablespoon chia seeds1/2 cup old fashioned oatsLayer berries, Greek yogurt and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds and almond milk. Blend until smooth.Tropical SmoothieA handful of fresh spinach (about cup)cup frozen mango chunks1 medium bananacup frozen peaches1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt1 cup low calorie mango blend juice1 cup waterLayer spinach, frozen fruit, banana and Greek yogurt in the blender cup. Add juice and water. Blend until smooth.Hot Chocolate Berry Smoothiecup frozen blueberriescup frozen raspberries1 cup vanilla or dark chocolate almond milk1 cup water1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt2 tablespoons hot chocolate mixLayer berries and Greek yogurt in the blender cup. Add almond milk, water and hot chocolate mix. Blend until smooth.You can also use chocolate protein powder instead of hot chocolate mix.Berries and Oats Smoothiecup frozen cherriescup frozen raspberries1 handful of fresh spinach (about a 1/2 cup)1 medium banana (optional)1/2 cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt1/2 cup vanilla almond or soy milk1/2 cup dark chocolate almond or soy milk1/2 cup old fashioned oats1 tablespoon chia seeds1 cup waterLayer spinach, cherries, raspberries, banana, Greek yogurt and oats in the blender cup. Add chia seeds, almond or soy milk and water. Blend until smooth.You can also add other berries, such as strawberries or blueberries.Peaches and Cream Smoothiecup frozen peachescup frozen mango chunks1/2 cup old fashioned oats1 tablespoon chia seeds1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt1 cup vanilla almond milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup waterLayer peaches, mangos, Greek yogurt, oats and chia seeds in the blender cup.Add almond milk, vanilla extract and water. Blend until smooth.