I started making smoothies after reading Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance, Which I highly recommend reading whether or not you are a vegan athlete like me. As I wrote in another post, reading this book was pivotal in changing the way I ate and thought about food.

To make a next level smoothie (in terms of nutrition) I like to add some special ingredients. For me a smoothie should provide a high amount of nutrients and enzymes, enough so that it could be considered a meal.

To make a basic smoothie I use raw hemp seeds as the protein. Hemp seeds are a complete protein and are packed with live enzymes to help with digestion and absorption of the protein within them. I also always use fresh ground flaxseeds which have omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as lignans and fiber. Then, I just add any fresh or frozen fruit and/or nut butter I want.

Here are some of my favorite smoothies that I make regularly. These are all adapted from Thrive.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND SMOOTHIE

1 banana

1 tbsp agave nectar 

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup ice

2 tbsp raw almond butter (or 1/4 cup almonds)

1 tbsp hemp seeds or hemp protein powder

1 tbsp ground flaxseed (flax meal is not the same thing)

1 tbsp raw cocao nibs (or cocoa powder if I don’t have those on hand) 

Makes 2 servings

 

GINGER PEAR SMOOTHIE

1 banana

1/2 pear, cored

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup ice

1 tbsp hemp seeds or hemp protein powder

1 tbsp ground flaxseed 

1 tbsp grated ginger

Makes 2 large servings

 

BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE

1 banana 

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup ice

1/2 cup blueberries 

1 tbsp hemp seeds or hemp protein powder

1 tbsp ground flaxseed 

1 tbsp agave nectar 

2 tsp ground rooibos

Makes 2 large servings

 

IRON-RICH  SMOOTHIE

1 banana

1 orange, peeled

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup ice

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds or hemp protein powder

1 tbsp ground flaxseed 

1 tbsp agave nectar 

Makes 2 large servings

 

NEVER-GET-SICK-SMOOTHIE

Juice of 1 lime

1 banana

1 mango, seeded

1/2 jalapeno (sometime I do a whole one but it’s spicyyyy) 

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup ice

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds or hemp protein powder

1 tbsp ground flaxseed 

1 tbsp agave nectar

Makes 2 large servings

 

Link to some excellent Green Smoothies from The Lunch Box Bunch 

Holiday Smoothies from The Lunch Box Bunch

 

ENJOY!