NourishMint Wellness Smoothie Template
Everything you need to know for building your favorite smoothie!
Step 1: Choose your liquid
Pro tip: Always choose unsweetened milks.
Ripple Milk: this is a pea protein milk that actually tastes pretty good. 8 oz has 8g protein.
Coconut milk: I prefer the canned organic Thai coconut milk. This is the best nutrient dense milk you can find.
Hemp Milk. This has a stronger flaver, but some people love it for smoothies. I like the brand Pacific Foods and 8 oz includes 4 g of protein.
Almond Milk: Milk flavor everyone seems to love. Be sure to get the organic unsweetened kind.
Step 2: Choose your fruit
Pro Tip: Your smoothie doesn’t have to include fruit, but most people prefer them with a hint of sweetness! I suggest choosing the fruit you love, but keeping it to ½ cup total.
Example. ½ banana + ¼ cup blueberries
Step 3: Choose your veggies
Pro tip: You can sneak a lot of veggie in a smoothie! This is a great place to get in your greens. I suggest one or two of the below suggestions.
1 cup spinach
I cup kale
1-2 carrots
1-3 stocks celery
1 avocado (this will make any smoothie super creamy and delicious)
Step 4: Choose your protein
Pro Tip: There are lots of protein powders on the market that are great (and plenty that aren’t so great.) Watch for artificial sweeteners! Quality matters. For starters, always look for organic. If you know your food sensitivities, be sure to read labels. The popular types of protein include pea, brown rice, whey, egg white and soy. I recommend getting about 25-30 grams of total protein in your smoothie.
Here is a list of my favorites:
Brown Rice/Pea protein. Tastes good. Combo of pea/ brown rice /chiaprotein. 1 serving = 21 grams of protein. Recommended Brand: Orgain (available online and at Costco)
Collagen. No flavor. Great for hair/skin/nails and GI health. Very easy to digest. 1 T = 6 g protein.
Recommended brand: Vital Proteins Collagen (costco) or Grate Lakes (online)
Your Super Protein. Clean. Tastes good. Made with hemp and rice and pea protein. They have a great line of super foods that I highly recommend. www.yoursuper.com
Step 5: Supercharge with superfoods!
Pro tip: This is where you can really customize and pack in the superfoods in your smoothie
Cacao:
Tastes amazing!! This is one of the foods highest in antioxidants on the planet containing one of the highest dietary sources of magnesium.
Chia Seeds:
Love these due to their excellent source of healthy omega fatty acids – 700% more than salmon. It’s also an excellent source of dietary fiber with 6 g and contains 20% of easily digestible protein.
Sesame Seeds:
Fun fact- sesame seeds contain more calcium than any other food on the planet! They are also excellent antioxidant and helps to reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol
Goji Berries:
Tasty, bright and beautiful. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more vitamin C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots. They contain all 18 amino acids (six times higher than bee pollen) as well as huge amounts of vitamin A, B’s and E
Maca:
One of my favorite hormone adaptogens. It can increase everything from stamina and energy to sexual function. It has the ability to naturally balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, reduce cramping or PMS symptoms, and increase bone strength.
Coconut:
A super versatile food – it can used as coconut water, milk, oil, butter, or flesh. I love coconut because they are high in fiber and in saturated medium chain fatty acids. The oil from the coconut contains antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties along with an ability to build the hormones testosterone and progesterone. The water in young coconuts is one of the highest natural sources of electrolytes of any food.
Spirulina:
Spirulina is highly digestible, protects the immune system, can help reduce cholesterol, can aid with weight loss. Spirulina is also loaded with zeaxanthin and lutein, antioxidants are extremely important for good vision and overall eye health. A fun spin is to use a blue spirulina and turn your entire smoothie a beautiful blue!
Avocado:
Loaded with vitamin E which may help reduce cognitive delay in the elderly and improve coordination and balance. They help to decrease oxidative stress – a main culprit in brain related diseases.
Powerful antioxidant known to block over 30 different carcinogens
Tumeric/ Curcumin:
A now popular superfood that eases aches and inflammation and has been used for thousands of years to treat arthritis and other ailments. It can also help relieve some symptoms of joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis. Note, this will turn your blender orange!
Mushrooms (powdered mushroom blends) There are lots of awesome brands on the market. Brand recommendation: Om Master Blend: This is a blend of mushrooms that adds a huge punch to your smoothie when it comes to immune support. It is packed with adaptogens supporting overall hormone balance and vitality.
Himalayan Salt:
It contains 84 minerals, and matches the mineral profile of our blood exactly and unrefined, unprocessed, raw promotes stable pH balance in cells, is good for the skin and controls water levels in the body. It also aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption.
Egg Yolks: Be sure to source local farm fresh eggs. Egg yolks are packed with nutrients (considered one of nature’s most perfect foods) and include between 2-3 grams of protein per yolk.
MCT oil:
Natural energy and metabolism booster. MCT’s can help your body’s ability to burn body fat as energy and boost natural energy, metabolism, mental clarity, and cognitive function for low-carb diets.
Nuts/Seeds:
This is a good way to sneak some more protein into your smoothie! My favorite nuts/seeds to add in are:
Seeds and protein content:
Pumpkin seeds :2 T = 5 grams
Almond butter: 2 T = 4 grams
Peanut butter: 2 T = 8 grams
Cashews: 2 T (about 18 nuts) 5 grams.
Brazil nuts: (6 nuts) 4 grams. These are also high in selenium making them a smart food for thyroid health.
Hemp Seeds: 2-3 T = 11 grams
Step 6: Blend!
I prefer smoothies blended with ice- but it’s up to you! I suggest using a vitamix.
More smoothie pro tips:
Loading your blender in this order typically works best – liquid, not frozen veggies or fruits, greens if you are adding any, then the frozen fruits and veggies, and finally, any powders.
Don’t have time to make a smoothie!? Try adding all of these ingredients to your blender the night before. When you wake up- add a scoop of ice and blend! Breakfast in about 7 seconds.
If the taste is too bitter, add a date, 1 tsp maple syrup, pineapple, orange, or banana.
If you love putting yogurt in smoothies, try these alternatives: coconut yogurt or cashew yogurt
Em’s top 3 favorite recipes
NourishMint Minty Green
1 cup almond milk
1 cup spinach
2 T almond butter
2 T cacao nibs
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
5 leaves of mint or 2 drops peppermint extract
Ice
Tropical Greens Smoothie
1 handful of spinach
1/2 avocado
1 handful of mint
1/2 cup of pineapple
1/4 of a mango
1 can full fat coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
*blue or green spirulina optional
This recipe is from Glo Recipes for Inner Radiance by my dear friend Megan Ulrichs
NourishMint Daily Smoothie
1c nut milk of choice or coconut milk
½ c mixed berries or choice
½ banana
½ avocado (optional)
2 T grass fed collagen powder
1 T hemp seeds or chia seeds
1 T coconut oil
1 large handful baby kale or spinach
