Green Protein shakes are my go-to in the mornings. They are an excellent breakfast for busy people like us. They are also a portable breakfast that won't make a mess if you "eat” it on the run, or at your desk. If you make them the night before, you have a "grab and go" breakfast.
Protein is essential in the morning as it kick starts your metabolism, and who has time to cook a high protein breakfast? The Canadian Food guide recommends that you get most of your protein from plant-based sources. Which means that a plant-based smoothie, with a scoop of protein helps you to meet this recommendation.
Protein-rich green smoothies digest easy, so your body doesn't have to use a ton of energy to digest it, ensuring you won't crash and burn, mid-morning.
You can add anything to your shake. I start with protein powder and then add L-Glutamine, some frozen greens and sometimes more protein, by way of hemp seeds. I also add half a frozen banana to make it creamy and cold. And a handful of whatever other frozen fruit I have on hand.
My shake meets a ton of my nutritional needs, as its protein and carbohydrate-rich. The added greens give my body much-needed micronutrients. I sometimes use plant-based unsweetened milk such as almond or cashew milk, but on other occasions, I use about an eighth of a cup of pre-soaked frozen cashews. Cashews when pre-soaked are super soft, and if you have a high-speed blender, they will break up completely in your shake.
Like all foods, protein powders are not created equally. Some are full of sugar and stabilizers; others taste awful and a bit chalky. A lot of brands sell smaller sample packages which I recommend trying before you invest in a large tub of powder.
The following green smoothie recipe has a milder taste and is super easy to make. As is, it has 15.7 grams of protein in it. If you add a scoop of protein powder, you will probably double its protein content. This recipe is from the blog Ilovevegan.com, I have modified it slightly.
Green Smoothie Recipe
1 cup unsweetened almond or any unsweetened nut milk
1–2 handfuls of spinach (frozen breaks down the best)
2 frozen bananas
2–4 soft pitted dates (pre-soak these the night before if you have time).
2 tbsp hemp hearts
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
2 ice cubes
Optional Add-in - 1 scoop protein powder
Instruction
Combine all ingredients, blend on high until smooth and frothy.
Sheree's Hack – Pit, pre-soak overnight, and then freeze Medjool dates for use as a sweetener in smoothies.
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