Every so often, I get on these mean green daily smoothie kicks that, in all honesty, can get a little TOO green over time. The kick starts with delicious well-balanced smoothies, but as the days go on, I start cutting corners. I add too much liquid so that the blender will blend fast, leaving me with a watery smoothie. And speaking of water, that’s what I use when I run out of almond milk. I add ice in the name of “thickness,” and I start skipping all ingredients that actually add flavor. What I (we) are left with to drink first thing in the morning is basically a Kale Icy. I know that sounds like it might be good and healthy, but it’s really not – we gulp down these leafy drinks and are hungry a few hours later. But, now that it’s summer, I’ve decided to re-up on my smoothie game – these new recipes are SO delicious, and they’re inspired by four of my favorite summer treats: blueberry muffins, peaches & cream, PB&J sandwiches, and mint chip ice cream. In other words – smoothies worth waking up for! For this post, I’ve teamed up with Whole Foods Market to try out some new plant-based protein powders. Their supplements are often on sale, click here to check out the sales flyer for your local store!
First up: Blueberry Muffin Smoothie
This smoothie is the next-best thing to cake for breakfast! Its muffin-like flavor and thickness come from whole rolled oats. It’s naturally sweetened with dates and a pinch of cinnamon. I used Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein, which makes this a well-balanced breakfast full of plant protein (pea protein, cranberry protein, and hemp seed protein). It also has a little pick-me-up from the green coffee bean and green tea extracts that are in the powder. I snuck a handful of spinach into this smoothie too – it’s pretty undetectable.
Peaches & Cream Pecan Smoothie
I love peaches more than any other fruit on the planet, so this is by far my favorite smoothie. When I first made it, I tasted it and said, “this is ice cream!” It works with almond milk or coconut milk, and the pecans make it rich and creamy. The Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein adds nice vanilla and cinnamon flavor along with its protein boost. I like to make this one really thick and eat it with a spoon. Beyond breakfast, I’ll eat this smoothie for dessert any day.
Last week while making these, I basically raided the Whole Foods supplement aisle to test out the protein powders that would best compliment my summer smoothies. In the end, I chose 2 favorites – both are both fantastic plant-based protein options that have great texture and complimentary and/or neutral flavors. Whole Foods Market™ Plant-Based Fit Protein works especially well in the Blueberry Muffin and Peaches & Cream Pecan smoothies. 365 Pea Protein is great in these last 2 smoothies – Strawberry PB&J and Mint Chip – because its flavor is so neutral.
Strawberry PB&J
Berries and peanut butter (or almond butter) is a go-to smoothie combo for me, but I never get sick of it. It always reminds me of a PB&J sandwich, and it always leaves me full until lunch. To thicken this smoothie, I used chia seeds and 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein. I added a bit of spinach to this one as well – just enough to keep it pink. If you add too much spinach it will turn brown, but it’s still delicious.
Mint Chip Smoothies
This smoothie reminds me of summer as a kid because my sister always ordered mint chocolate chip ice cream (I was a cookies & cream girl). To make it creamy, I used coconut milk frozen into ice cubes, dates, and 365 Everyday Value® Pea Protein. Its green color comes from a few handfuls of spinach and a good handful of mint. In lieu of chocolate, cacao nibs make this a healthy breakfast treat.
Want more smoothie ideas? Try this smoothie bowl or this coffee smoothie!
