The Best Morning Smoo' | RECIPE

I swear this smoothie will make you get out of bed in the morning. It's my go-to smoothie and I have it almost every day. But I'm warning you, you might get addicted. So make sure you stock up on these ingredients!

I usually shoot for having two smoothies a day, one in the morning and often a green one as a snack later in the day. This yummy morning one is jam-packed with fruit, superfoods, protein, and a little bit of fat which will keep you comfortably full, energized, and ready to start the day.

It's so good (did I emphasize that already?), and it will make you feel amazing.

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Ingredients (1 serving)

• 1 cup chopped frozen ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (about a large handful)

• 1/2 cup plant milk

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbs ground flaxseeds

• 1 tbs hemp protein powder

• 2 tsp maca powder

• 1 tbs peanut butter or almond butter (optional, I just love the taste and the fact that it keeps me full for longer!)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend away and enjoy!

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You can change the amounts to as much or as little as you want (though I recommend sticking to this amount of each of the powders). Feel free to add more water if you'd like it less thick.

As you may have seen in my last post, I like to use frozen bananas in my smoothies because they are super creamy when blended. Prior to freezing, I make sure they are nice and ripe with spots all over them. Anything before this stage of ripeness is binding for your digestive system and can cause constipation (sorry, not the nicest topic to talk about when making a delicious smoothie, but it's true!).

As for the blueberries, I like to use frozen ones because I can stock up on a lot at one time, as opposed to buying fresh ones that might go bad quickly. My favorite are organic wild berries, because I find they are more flavorful, sweet, and juicy.

I'm living in Copenhagen, Denmark, so this is the hemp protein powder I use here by Nyborggaard. Some hemp products have a strong taste, but I love how this one goes unnoticed in a smoothie. You can find it at most health food stores in Denmark or online.

I use hemp protein because I like to get some protein in the morning to keep me satisfied (it is the best vegan protein in my opinion). According to Dr. Axe, hemp protein has 20 amino acids including the 9 essential ones that your body is unable to produce on its own and must obtain from food sources. It is also full of omegas and fiber (something you can't find in animal-based protein powder!).

Hemp protein also helps fight fatigue, boots your metabolism, and improves immunity. It's great for your nervous system and cardiovascular system.

Maca is a type of root vegetable found in the Andes of Peru. It has adaptogenic-like qualities, which means that it helps the body protect itself against stress.

According to Dr. Axe, maca consists of important micronutrients and is loaded with antioxidants. In addition, it has been shown to improve sexual health, balance hormone levels, improve energy, and cognitive functions like mood and memory. It's an excellent ingredient to add to help jumpstart your morning!

It has a nutty flavor and tastes really good in smoothies! Give it a try.

I highly recommend The Maca Team maca powder. I get it on Amazon or when I'm in the US. The flavor is amongst the best and the dosage ratios work well for me. I highly, highly, highly recommend getting the gelatinized one (same goes for any other maca brand) because most bodies digest it the best. It doesn't mean it has gelatin in it, it just means that the maca root has been partially cooked which is the easiest on the stomach. Sometimes raw maca can be intense. You can always see what works best for you, though!

If you've read my last post, you'd see that I love this stuff and always keep it in the kitchen. According to Dr. Greger of nutritionfacts.org, flaxseeds are one of the richest sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids and have around one hundred times more cancer-fighting lignans than other foods. They have demonstrated to help fight breast and prostate cancers, control cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood sugar levels, as well as reduce inflammation and successfully treat constipation.

It's best to use ground flaxseeds over whole flaxseeds because they blend and digest way better!

I use half plant milk and half water in this smoothie because with the already creamy bananas, the liquid doesn't have to be that rich. I absolutely love the light taste and smooth consistency of Oatly oat milk (particularly the iKaffe kind), so that's why I use it.

It's great for people who may have a soy or nut allergy.

Last but certainly not least, to top the smoothie off, I add a nice glob of peanut butter... because... what isn't good with this stuff?! You can add almond butter instead, which is just as decadent and flavorful as its peanut cousin. Both greatly compliment the other ingredients, especially the maca.

Adding a nut butter will also keep you more full for longer, which is what we want if this smoothie is going to be your breakfast. When I add some good ol' pb, this smoothie keeps me full until lunch.

Slurp away and enjoy, friends!