BEST-EVER HIGH PROTEIN PLANT BASED SMOOTHIE

     The other benefit to this high protein plant based smoothie is that once you grab a bag of each of the ingredients, all you need on hand is a banana & some plant-based milk (which are staples for me every grocery trip). My go-to is almond milk, but you could go with soy, cashew, hemp, oat, hazelnut… I could go on and on (but that’s for another post!) So while buying a bag of hemp protein might cost $20 initially, you’re looking at 45 servings, which roughly equates to .44 cents per serving of 11g of protein! (This smoothie is also my go-to when I don’t have much on hand, but I still have my staples). 

So let’s take a look at these High-Protein Plant-Based ingredients a little more closely

Hemp Protein

• Hemp is an amazing nutrient-dense, sustainable, whole-foods protein option. Hemp protein is a great source of amino acids, fatty acids, fiber, edestin (a bioactive globulin protein that’s easy to digest, & protein.
• It’s suitable for vegetarian, vegan, raw, whole food, paleo, ketogenic, and gluten-free diets.
• Easily digestible.
• 3tbls of hemp protein powder has just 80 calories, 1g of sugar, & 4g of fat, but provides 7% DV of potassium, 12g of fiber, 11g of protein, 25% DV iron, 15% DV of zinc, and 35% DV of magnesium. As well as a huge profile of bioavailable amino acids!

I personally love this Nutiva brand. You can buy a huge bag for $20 that lasts for months, and its organic, non-GMO, and the company is committed to sustainability. Yeah, this plant-based protein is not the most delicious; but it is bare-bones, nothing added, and it is the best for you. Not to mention its very easy to cover up the earthy taste (for those of you unfamiliar with hemp protein) by adding chocolate or lots of berries, which leads me to my next ingredient.. 

Cocoa Powder

• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder (depending on the brand) has just 20 calories, less than 1g of fat, 2g of fiber, and 1g of protein!
• Cocoa powder also has 4% of your DV of iron, 2% DV calcium, & 6% DV magnesium (a nice little bonus!)
• Cocoa powder also has two powerful flavonoids – epicatechin and catechin. These are known to prevent inflammation and lower blood pressure!

While any normal cocoa powder will do, I recommend going with a ‘dark’ version (which has more antioxidants), or checking outmy personal favorite organic, non-GMO cocoa powder. Another option would be to go with Raw Cacao Nibs or Cacao powder – which is a less processed version of cocoa that hasn’t been roasted. Since it is raw, it is higher in antioxidants. 

Chia Seeds

• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds has only 60 calories and 3g of fat but packs in 5g of fiber, & 3g of protein!
• In 1tbls, you get 6% your DV of iron, 8% DV calcium, 10% DV magnesium, and 2% DV potassium!
• This nutritious seed is also an excellent plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential minerals & antioxidants!

This is my favorite brand of chia seeds . Again, going back to that Nutiva brand – love their products because they are committed to non-GMO, organic, and sustainable practices!

Want more chia seed recipes?
Check out our Chia Seed Pudding recipes!

Peanut Butter

• One serving (2tbls) packs in 8g of protein, 3g of fiber, and 4% of your DV of iron, with roughly 200 calories & 15g of fat. 
• Yes, peanut butter does have a lot of fat – just like any other nut – so eat in moderation! However, the fats in nuts have a healthy fat profile — including mono- and polyunsaturated fats. They are rich in antioxidants, contain nutrients like potassium that help maintain a healthy blood pressure, are rich in fiber, and help keep you satiated longer.

I highly recommend buying an organic, non-GMO peanut butter from a reputable company! If you start looking at nutrition labels on peanut butters at the grocery store, you’ll notice that a lot of them contain lots of added sugar and preservatives – which you absolutely don’t need! Yes, you may need to refrigerate and will have to stir up the jar once you get it, but the benefits of buying peanut butter that is peanuts only, far outweighs the inconvenience, in my opinion! Beware of labels saying the peanut butter is ‘natural’ – this doesn’t mean anything! You want to see the label that says ‘organic’.

For those of you avoiding peanuts, or have an allergy, you can easily substitute any other nut butter, like cashew, almond, sunflower, etc. These will all be high in fat, but also high in protein. Just keep an eye out to make sure you’re buying a brand that doesn’t have added sugars, preservatives, or thickeners!

Maca Powder (Amazing Superfood)

• Maca powder is not a high-protein food, but it does make an amazing addition to this smoothie! Maca comes from a root vegetable that has proven to increase energy, mood, and memory, increase sex drive, improve fertility, and balance hormones. (I am a huge supporter of Maca powder because it has helped immensely with my horrible PMS, and I take it whenever I need an energy boost!)
• Maca powder also acts as a natural antioxidant – it is a true superfood!

This is an option add-in, but I highly recommend it, especially for menstruating women who suffer from PMS symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. I have used this brand before, as well as  this brand, and recommend them both highly. 

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