Plant based smoothies should be a staple in your diet. Have them as a quick and easy breakfast loaded with nutrients, or a healthy refreshing snack. It’s a great way to get a serving or 2 of (your 5) fruits and vegetables per day, plus you can use frozen fruit to make sure you always have something available for a smoothie.
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Plant Based Smoothies
Have fun with your plant based smoothies and try new mixtures! Bananas are a great base for smoothies, offering great taste and a creamy texture. Mix fruits and greens, add in seeds and your liquid of choice. Be sure to rotate your fruits and veggies to get a wide variety of everything your body needs, but create a few of your favorite go-to’s and make sure you’ve got the ingredients on hand for easy access.
What You’ll Need:
- Blender – The Ninja is my favorite and comes with cups and a food processor add on!
- A Portable Cordless Blender is also really nice to have for on the go!
Ingredients for Plant Based Smoothies
The best ingredients for plant based smoothies are ingredients that serve you well, make you feel good, and make you excited for your smoothie. Some ingredients like celery and kale have great nutrients, but the flavors can be overpowering. Start with your favorite fruits and vegetables and add in a bit of something new to try – a smaller amount can sometimes go unnoticed in taste yet still supply sufficient vitamins!
Fruits Commonly Used in Smoothies
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Watermelon
- Pineapple
- Dragon Fruit
- Apples
- Peaches
Vegetables Commonly Used in Smoothies
- Spinach
- Cucumber
- Beets
- Broccoli Stems
- Kale
- Chard
- Arugula
- Collard Greens
- Wheatgrass
- Carrot
Add-ins for Smoothies
- Non-Dairy Milk (Or Water, for Liquid)
- Chia Seeds (High in Fiber & Omega 3s)
- Lemon Juice (Vitamin C + Citrus Flavor)
- Coconut Water (Hydration)
- Nut Butter (Healthy Fats + Protein)
- Plant-Based Yogurt (Creamy Texture)
- Coconut Oil (MTCs – Medium-Chain Triglycerides)
- Pumpkin Seeds (Magnesium, Zinc, Protein)
- Flax Seeds (High in Fiber & Omega 3s)
Try using in-season fruits and vegetables for the highest quality and most nutrient-packed options. Frozen fruits and vegetables also work well and keep your smoothie cold and frosty. There are tons of ways to make smoothies with these ingredients. Here are a few easy classics:
Berry Smoothie
1 Cup of Frozen Mixed Berries
1/2 Banana
1 Cup of Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Almond Yogurt
Blend, Add Water or Ice to Make Your Preferred Consistency
Green Smoothie
1/2 Cup Frozen Mango
1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple
1/2 Banana
2 Cups Frozen Spinach
1.5 Cups Almond Milk
1tsp Chia Seeds
Apple, Kiwi, & Kale
No Banana!
1 Cup Kale
1 Kiwi
1 Apple (anything crisp, sweet)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Coconut Water
1 Cup Ice
After a few tries, you’ll figure out what flavors you like together and what consistency you like best. Keep trying out different combinations. A Good rule of thumb is to start with a cup of a fruit from the list, a cup of a vegetables from the list, and 2 picks from the add-in list. Adjust your ratios as you prefer, and have fun with garnishes like orange slices, mint, and coconut flakes.
Best Smoothies for Gut Health
Sometimes we just need a good smoothie for a healthy reset. For gut health and digestive issues, smoothies can be incredibly useful. Plant based milks like almond milk, oat milk, and hemp milk are easier on the stomach, as well as fruits and vegetables low in FODMAPS.
Banana Almond Smoothie
- 1 Small Frozen Banana
- 2 tbsp Almond Butter
- 1 cup of Almond Milk
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Add ice and blend until desired consistency and enjoy!
Gut-Friendly Green Smoothie
- 1 Cup of Kale
- 1 Cup of Spinach
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1 Small Banana
- 1.5 Cups Coconut Milk
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Chia Seeds
- 1 tbsp Honey
- Ice
Best Vegan Protein Powder
When starting a plant based diet, many struggle with getting enough protein. So, if you’re looking to amp up your protein intake along with your fruits and vegetables, add a scoop of vegan protein powder to your smoothie. There are even a few that actually taste good!
- Arbonne Protein Powder is my favorite in taste. It has 20g of pea protein along with 24 vitamins and minerals and 13g of carbs. It’s expensive, but really does taste the best! I have no affiliation with them, but my neighbor sells Arbonne and got me hooked! Due to the price though, I have ventured out to trying others.
- Vega Sport Protein Powder is my runner-up. It does taste good and offers 30g of protein with only 4g of carbs. I can also find decent deals on it at Bjs sometimes, so in between Arbonne orders, this one is my go-to.
- Orgain Vegan Protein Powder is my 3rd favorite. I feel it’s pretty similar to the Vega Sport Protein. They all have different tastes that you kind of just have to get used to (except Arbonne which just tastes good!) This one has 21g of plant protein and 7 carbs.
There are other vegan protein powders out there, but once I found a few I reasonably liked, I didn’t feel the need to try more. They all mix well and blend with what I want, so I’m happy. The blender I have comes with cups, but I also invested in some Shaker Bottles for walks or hikes – it helps break up the fruits and protein powder if it’s been sitting and mixes it all together again!
Fruit Smoothie VS Vegan Protein Shake
Typically, fruit smoothies consist of mainly fruits and veggies, yogurt, milk, seeds, etc. as described in this article. They can generally be used as a meal replacement since they are pretty well-balanced. Due to this, they usually have a thicker consistency.
Vegan protein shakes can consist of just protein powder and liquid (water or any kind of plant milk), so they are much thinner in consistency and focus mainly on the protein intake.
While a smoothie is used more as a breakfast meal or healthy snack, a protein shake is used more before or after a workout to help build and repair muscles, supply energy, and help you to feel full longer.
However, there’s no reason why you can’t combine the two! Simply add a serving of protein powder to your fruit smoothie (and adjust the ice or liquid so it’s not chalky) and boom. You’ll have the best of both worlds.
Vegan Protein Smoothie
- 1 Cup of Frozen Berries
- 1 Serving Vegan Protein Powder
- 1.5 Cups Protein Almond Milk
- 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
- Blend Well, Add Ice or Liquid if Needed
Vegan Protein Shake
- 1 Serving Vegan Protein Powder
- 1.5 Cups Ice Cold Water or Protein Almond Milk
- Handful of Ice
- Blend Well
- Pour Into a Shaker Bottle
A Healthy Journey
A healthy journey starts with taking care of yourself. Getting in your fruits and vegetables, eating clean, and getting protein to build muscles with exercise are all so important to this journey. Give yourself a fighting chance and make some positive changes in your life. Even if it’s just starting your day with a plant based fruit smoothie or adding a vegan protein shake into your diet, you’re doing something new to take care of your body.
The best part is – it’s so much easier today with healthy options readily available. There are Smoothie Shops near you no matter what city you’re in, tons of options for vegan protein powder to order straight to your home, and blenders that can do so much more than just blend! Take advantage of this simple way to increase your fruit and veggie intake and start feeling confident about what you’re putting into your body. Enjoy the healthy journey!
