About Recipe:

This is a classic berry smoothie! Fruity with a little nutty hint to it. This is great option to have for breakfast, a snack, or post workout. It’s filled with berries, greens, protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.

Tips and Tricks:

There aren’t too many tips and tricks to this smoothie, you just put all the ingredients in a blender, and blend! I personally am a fan of thick smoothies, so I’ll provide a few ways that I keep my smoothies thicckk!

Add ice cubes: I’ve found that adding 3-4 ice cubes really does the trick. To keep it creamy, try freezing nut milk in an ice cube container, and using frozen nut milk.

Use less milk: Using less nut milk will give you a thicker consistency. Sometimes I find I end up using so little milk that it becomes hard to blend, but if you have a mixer stick with your blender, use this to help push your ingredients together till they are smooth.

Key Nutritional Players:

Smoothies are a great way to start the day with fiber, fat protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. The fiber, fats and protein can help to slow the digestion and maintain a steady blood sugar, all while keeping you full and satisfied!

Berries: berries are rich in antioxidants, and phytonutrients called anthocyaninis. Anthocyanins confer a number of health benefits. Research demonstrates “that anthocyanidins and anthocyanins possess antioxidative and antimicrobial activities, improve visual and neurological health, and protect against various non-communicable diseases.” (Khoo et. al, 2017) Berries are also a low glycemic fruit, so they do not raise blood sugar as quickly compared to other fruits.

Flax meal is a rich source of plant based omega 3 fatty acids. Flax is rich in alpha-linolenic-acid, which has been tied to cardiovascular protection and a decreased incidence of myocardial infarction. (Rodrigues-Levya, 2010)

Spinach Greens: Dark leafy greens are an excellent addition to smoothies! They add fiber, and also add a plethora of nutrients. Spinach in particular is rich in Vitamin A, C, K, folate, potassium and iron (non-heme). Adding in a couple handfuls of dark leafy greens is a simple way to increase your daily veggie intake!

References:

Khoo, H. E., Azlan, A., Tang, S. T., & Lim, S. M. (2017). Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food & nutrition research, 61(1), 1361779. https://doi.org/10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779

Lila M. A. (2004). Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology, 2004(5), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1155/S111072430440401X

Rodriguez-Leyva, D., Dupasquier, C. M., McCullough, R., & Pierce, G. N. (2010). The cardiovascular effects of flaxseed and its omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. The Canadian journal of cardiology, 26(9), 489–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0828-282x(10)70455-4