Cleansing and refreshing, this smoothie is a perfect breakfast accompaniment or morning snack. Almond milk and peanut butter make it deliciously satisfying, whilst wheat grass, green tea, maca and more give your body the boost it needs.
Health supplements or anything like that haven’t really been anything I’ve gone in for before but I’ve been finding lately that my body has been feeling a bit sluggish and kind of full. A lot of this is likely down to spending a large portion of the day sat at my desk in a poorly ventilated office. It’s not so pleasant.
Getting out and about enjoying the spring weather (look out for plenty of Yorkshire-oriented posts coming up!) certainly helps but I’ve felt like I needed something a bit more. There seems to have been a lot of amazing-looking green smoothie recipes popping up in my WordPress feed recently, which is more than enough to convince me to give a green superfood supplement a go.
This peanut butter smoothie is my first go at branching out from simply mixing it with almond milk (also delicious!) but here are some more adventurous options on my to-try wishlist:
- Avocado & Banana Green Smoothie from April at Simplify Your Health
- Super Green Smoothie Bowl from Emma at She can’t eat what?!
- Mint Choc-Chop Smoothie from Thandi at Thandi Eats Vegan
It’s hard to believe the third one isn’t a dessert… I feel like it could be!
The powder I have used contains a mix of various superfoods but you could substitute with any green mix of your choice or just one superfood powder. The ingredients each boast their own health benefits:
- Wheat Grass – cleansing, increases energy levels
- Green Tea Leaf – full of antioxidants
- Ashwagandha – promotes wellness, calming effects
- Hulled Hemp Seeds – improves digestion, reduces cravings for sugar and junk food, source of essential fats
- Flaxseed – source of fibre, lowers cholesterol levels
- Chia Seeds – controls hunger levels, high in fibre, rich in omega
- Maca Root – balances and improves mood, aids in healthy skin, increases energy levels
- Spirulina – increases energy levels, High in B-12, aids in healthy skin.
Now onto the recipe… you could easily whip this up in a blender in a few seconds. However, if you don’t really fancy giving yourself that sort of washing up in the morning try the method below.
10g green superfood powder
1tbsp no-added sugar peanut butter (I used Whole Earth)
250ml almond milk
- 1. Add the peanut butter, green powder and a small splash of the milk to a large glass
- Using a fork, mix together to form a smooth paste
- Add the remaining milk, mixing well as you pour it in
- Enjoy!
Have you made green smoothies before? Do you think they have noticeable health benefits? Share your recipes below!
Thanks for including me on your post Natalie! I am glad to inspire you. I really love green smoothies, they’re my alternative to vitamin supplements for sure! I just studied supplements on my Plant Based Nutrition course, while some offer some short term benefits, nothing beats real food!! Your recipe looks great too :) I always get a bit of extra energy if I add some kind of green powder to mine- usually a micro algae.
You’re very welcome :) Avocado is the next thing I want to try out in a smoothie. I think I’m sold on them as an alternative to vitamin supplements too. It feels a lot more like you know what is in them than a pill and it’s good to hear that’s been proven!
Green smoothies are always a thing I’ve been curious about but never really got into because they don’t seem to FIT anywhere in my day-to-day existence – I usually want to chew my meals, so smoothies don’t work there… and they don’t work as just a drink/snack either because they’re usually too hefty XD I have the same problem with soup…
It’s great for me that you’ve put this post up now – literally this morning I felt like a change and tried this recipe http://thevegancookiefairy.com/2014/05/09/cashew-and-almond-butter-chocolate-smoothie-bowls-2-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-3454 for breakfast, and to my surprise it was very satisfying as well as refreshing! So next time I don’t feel like chewing in the morning I may just branch out and try one of these ^^ Is your powder store-bought, and if so, what brand is it?
I know exactly what you mean actually. I can’t live without a coffee in the mornings so don’t always want a drink to go with my drink for breakfast! Green powders are great though in that they do also mix well with water so you can have them like that between meals without being filled up. This mix also tasted much better than I expected it to, basically like a nutty green tea if you can imagine that. The brand I used is Super Eleven’s Super Green and you can buy it online.
Ohh I saw that recipe yesterday and it’s also on my to-make list. Glad to hear it comes highly recommended. Let me know what you think if you try out any green powders and discover/create any good recipes :)
I have my green smoothies as a post workout alternative to the protein shakes I used to believe were good for me! I keep an eye on the calorie levels so they aren’t too heavy ie I use water, not milk and am careful about adding too much extras. I also often have a second one before dinner with hubby, I eat less this way- I guess it’s like a starter 😃
They’re both very good suggestions for fitting them in during the day. Over winter my portion sizes tend to grow and grow… usually the warmer weather balances me back out again but not this year so a smoothie starter may be just the thing!
Hey Natalie! Thanks so much for including me in your post :) I’ve been doing green smoothies for a while but only recently included a superfood powder. It takes a little getting used to but you definitely feel the difference energy-wise.
You’re very welcome :) I absolutely love the look of your smoothie and will be making it very soon! It’s also the perfect inspiration for being more creative with smoothies.
The superfood powder certainly tasted better than I expected it to and it’s good to hear they do have a noticeable impact over time.
Smoothies are a good way to get fruit and veg. I have started having smoothies regularly including vital green in them. Wheat Grass may be good for you but I hate the taste. Great post Lucy x
Definitely :) Luckily the dominant flavour of the powder I have is green tea which both masks the less tasty ingredients and is a flavour I like. Thanks for stopping by!
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