Jolly Green Smoothie
I know there’s a big green smoothie wagon going around the health world and we’re all jumping on it, but there’s a good reason for that.
With just a few gulps, you can get most of your day’s vitamin and nutrient needs from this very smoothie.
It’s vegan, it’s healthy, and it’s packed with amazing flavors that don’t make eating your greens gross.
With the vanilla protein powder to top it off, I think we’ve created a tasty smoothie that you’ll actually look forward to, not just one that you know you have to drink.
If you’re a peanut butter fan as much as I am, you’ll love the subtle peanut butter flavor in here because it’s oh-so-delicate, but so dang delicious.
By the way, did you know that peanuts have more protein in a 100g serving than steak does in a 100g serving?
Peanuts contain 25.8g of protein and red meat contains 18.6g in each 100g portion.
So, the common misnomer that vegans don’t get protein is a bunch of hootananny!
In a nutshell (see what I did there?), peanuts and peanut butter — unless you have an allergy — are actually great sources of protein for you protein-hungry worry worts out there.
Now, let’s talk about bananas.
Bananas are chock-full, must-have goodness tubes (again, unless you’re wildly allergic).
According to Medical News Today, one average-sized banana typically contains:
0.5mg of Vitamin B6
0.3mg of Manganese
9mg of Vitamin C
450mg of Potassium
3g of Dietary Fiber
1g of Protein
34mg of Magnesium
25.0mcg of Folate
0.1mg of Riboflavin
0.8mg of Niacin
81 IU of Vitamin A
0.3mg of Iron
A banana a day is usually the perfect serving size, so drop it into this smoothie or eat it up with some peanut butter on toast.
When you get the title “Super food,” you probably get a little cocky, right?
Flaxseeds, the alternative name to linseeds, have been dubbed a super food in their own right.
While you don’t see flaxseeds flexing their nutritional importance all over town, you do usually see them as side-liners to the main show.
They’re used in smoothies (case and point…this article), cakes, muffins, soups, oatmeal, cookies, yogurts, and salads, but rarely, if ever, do people just eat a spoonful of these little buggers.
I’d much rather eat oatmeal or yogurt with flaxseeds in it than shovel it down dry just for the nutritional super value it packs in each tiny seed.
Ground flax or linseeds are easier for your body to digest, which is why we buy the ground version and sprinkle it in our smoothies on a regular basis.
You can barely taste them, but you know your body is getting a ton of goodness when they’re in there.
Some of the nutritional benefits of flaxseeds are high levels of:
Omega-3 fatty acids
Dietary fiber
Magnesium
High-quality protein
Flax seeds can also lower your blood pressure, reduce your chances of developing cancer, and lower your cholesterol levels (if you’re still an animal product consumer). Source.
Let’s quickly talk about turmeric and how powerful it is.
Turmeric is one of the best spices for antioxidant effects on your body.
It also is an incredible anti-inflammatory due to levels of curcumin in its makeup.
According to Healthline, curcumin “blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of your cells and turns on genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases.”
Ultimately, this means that consuming turmeric can help fight inflammation in your body.
The other ingredients in this smoothie, such as ginger, vegan protein powder, spinach, avocado, and kale, all have their own amazing health benefits that make this smoothie a super powerful blend of beneficial health foods.
Here’s a bit about the other ingredients…
Ginger health benefits:
One of the healthiest spices on the planet due to its medicinal properties that help with nausea, muscle pain and soreness, osteoarthritis, high blood sugar, heart disease risk factors, chronic indigestion, menstrual pain, cholesterol levels (for animal-product consumers), cancer prevention. Source.
Vegan protein powder health benefits:
An amazing tool for building muscle and cell restoration, vegan protein powder doesn’t have harmful effects like protein powders with whey in it. Vegan protein powder has a high micronutrient profile and, when paired with a training regimen, can assist in weight loss, lowered blood pressure & cholesterol. Source.
Spinach health benefits:
With another super food on our hands, it’s easy to see why Popeye used to grow stronger whenever he’d down a can of it. Spinach is amazing for skin, hair, and bone health, but it’s also great for diabetes management, cancer & asthma prevention, improving digestion, and lowering blood pressure. Source.
Avocado health benefits:
Not only do avocados taste amazing in guacamole, they also provide some serious nutritional value. Avocados provide more potassium than bananas; they’re full of monounsaturated fatty acids (the good kind); they’re loaded with fiber; and, they can help lower your cholesterol if you’re still an animal product consumer. Source.
Kale health benefits:
This cruciferous vegetable is among the most nutrient dense foods of all time. Ready for these mind-blowing stats from Healthline?
“A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams or 2.4 ounces) contains:
Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
Manganese: 26% of the DV
Calcium: 9% of the DV
Copper: 10% of the DV
Potassium: 9% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus.”
JOLLY GREEN SMOOTHIE
SERVINGS: 2
AMOUNT PER SERVING:
Calories: 306
Fat: 16.8g
Saturated fat: 3.2g
Carbohydrates: 26.4g
Sugar: 8.4g
Sodium: 126mg
Fiber: 7.6g
Protein: 16.1g
INGREDIENTS
1 pint of water
1 large kale leaf (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 handful spinach
1 scoop/30.9g vegan vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 thumb ginger
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp ground flax or linseed
1 banana
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients in blender.
Blend for approximately 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Pour & enjoy!
