I must admit, during the summer, smoothies are one of my favourite breakfast choices! There’s nothing better than starting a hot summer day with a refreshing, cold smoothie or smoothie bowl. As COVID restrictions begin to lift and summer activities are in full swing, there are a few things I look for in making a smoothie – I want it to be flavourful, refreshing, nutrient dense, and most of all, easy to make!
I know for most of my clients, making health a convenient, easy addition to their routine is usually the most important factor in determining how likely they are to reach their health goals. This is something we greatly focus on in my group 7 Day Holistic Cleanse and exactly why I love adding smoothies as an alternative to incorporate into my client’s routines. Smoothies are a great way to add several nutrient-dense whole foods into your diet that you may not be eating otherwise.
There are so many different smoothie recipes out there but the key formula I recommend to my clients has a few staple ingredients. Many smoothie recipes may be full of fruits and leafy grains, but missing protein and fat, and thus, aren’t going to be as satiating or keep you full for longer than 30 minutes. This is why it’s SO IMPORTANT to make a smoothie that contains both protein and fat, is full of other micro nutrients, has no added sugar, and will, thus, keep you full for hours instead of minutes.
To help give you some ideas in creating your perfect Summer smoothie/ smoothie bowl, I’ve created a list of essential ingredients:
- Fats – avocado or nut/seed butter or MCT oil. Adding healthy fats will help your body break down sugar carbs and slow the digestion process, making your smoothie satisfying for longer.
- Protein – hemp seeds, protein powder, coconut/oat yogurt. Protein helps to balance your blood sugar, minimize your cravings and keep you fueled and full for hours to come.
- Fruit – strawberries, blueberries, mango, banana. Fruits are what makes the smoothie delicious and a great way to add extra antioxidants to your smoothie. If you want that creamy texture to your smoothie, choose frozen fruits.
- Greens – spinach, kale, parsley, celery. Power-packed green veggies are a great way to add fiber, zinc, vitamins, folate, calcium to your smoothie.
- Superfoods – spirulina, baobab, collagen, turmeric, chia seeds, flax seeds. They are nutrient-dense ingredients, loaded with essential health-enhancing, disease-fighting properties that will heal your gut, improve skin and many more.
- Liquid- coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk. Choosing the correct liquid will ensure that all ingredients are well-blended and that the texture is smooth and creamy.
I invite you to get creative with choosing the ingredients for your perfect smoothie! In the meantime, enjoy this delicious, nutrient dense recipe for a Glowing Green Smoothie Bowl.
This recipe includes one of the most powerful superfoods – Spirulina. Spirulina is a popular supplement that not only adds a beautiful deep green colour to anything you make with it, but is also so, so good for your body:
Some of the benefits of Spirulina include:
- This tiny alga is packed with nutrients and a single tablespoon (7 grams) of dried spirulina powder contains:
- Protein: 4 grams
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 11% of the RDA
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 15% of the RDA
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): 4% of the RDA
- Copper: 21% of the RDA
- Iron: 11% of the RDA
- Decent amounts of magnesium, potassium and manganese and small amounts of almost every other nutrient that you need.
- Boosts your metabolism
- Powerful Antioxidant with Anti-Inflammatory Properties
- Improves gut health
- Lowers cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improves Symptoms of Environmental Allergens (such as pollen, animal hair or even wheat dust)
- Improves Muscle Strength and Endurance
- Lowers blood sugar levels
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup nut milk
- 1 tsp spirulina (@organika)
- 1 Scoop protein powder of choice
- Half frozen banana
- 4-6 ice cubes
- 1 tbsp honey
Optional: Pinch of cinnamon, ginger or vanilla
Toppings: cinnamon, hemp seeds (@togetherhemp), granola (@rawcology), fresh berries, coconut flakes. If the texture seems too runny then add more ice, if too thick add a teeny bit more liquid. Consistency is key here!
This is just one of the many delicious recipes included in the recipe book for my 7 Day Holistic Cleanse starting July 19th. You can register here and receive 15% off using the code EARLYBIRD15 when you register by June 30th!