In this week's episode of In My Plant-Based Kitchen we're talking about smoothies!

I talk about reasons to include them, tips for making them nutritious AND delicious, including suggestions for easy power-packed additions and more. AND I share the GO-TO Smoothie Recipe I use very often, based on Dr. Brooke Goldner's  green smoothie formula.

Find the formula, more recipe ideas and some smoothie tips below:

GO-TO Smoothie Formula:

Fill your blender with

• 75% leafy greens (power greens mix/kale/beet greens/spinach, etc) -- I used a mixture of beet greens, mint and a power green mix

• fill to the top of greens with water (or you can use a chilled tea - I used green tea)

• 1-2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (or you can use chia)

• 25% frozen fruit (I used bananas and an orange)

• my addition: 1 tsp of a power boost ingredient (I used shatavari powder)

Blend it up well and sip throughout the day!

Other smoothie ideas to get you started:

Green Ginger Pear Joy (serves 2)

2 cups water/coconut water/cooled green tea
1 tbsp ginger, chopped fine
2 oranges
2 pitted dates
2 cups frozen pear slices (or fresh with 2 ice cubes)
4 cups spinach

Green Morning Monster (serves 1)

1 orange, peeled
1 cup pure orange juice or water (oj makes it a little sweeter)
1 stalk celery
1 lime, peeled (but you can include a bit of the zest if you like)
large handful spinach/kale (spinach is milder – so use it if you are not used to green yet)
handful of fresh mint (optional)
¼ tsp turmeric
3-4 ice cubes

Pineapple Cucumber Mint Refresher (serves 2)

2 cups coconut water
1 cup pineapple
1 cup mint leaves
2 frozen bananas
½ cup frozen cucumber

Simple Berry Smoothie (serves 2)

2 cups almond milk
a couple of leaves of purple cabbage OR a handful of spinach/other leafy greens
1 frozen banana
1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries/blackberries/mixed berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp maca powder (optional)

Breakfast Oatmeal Smoothie (serves 1-2)

1 cup almond milk
1-2 tbsp rolled oats
½ -1 frozen banana
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 ice cubes
1-2 dates
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp molasses

Melon Madness (serves 2)

1 cup coconut water
½ small melon, skinned and cubed
½ cucumber
1 handful spinach/kale
4 ice cubes
1 handful mint

Skip the Flu Season Smoothie (serves 2)

2 cups chilled green tea (de-caf if you like)/water/coconut water
2 large handfuls chopped kale
2 frozen bananas
2 tbsp chia seeds OR 2 tbsp white beans
2 cups blackberries

GREAT SMOOTHIE ADDITIONS

TO MAKE THEM MORE FILLING DO ONE OF THESE THINGS:

• Add 1-2 tbsp nut/seed butter or raw, unsalted nuts/seeds – like peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter etc

• Add 1 tbsp superfood seeds, such as ground flax, chia, hemp hearts

• Add 1-2 tbsp uncooked oats

• Add ¼ cup white beans or chickpeas

NOTE: you may have to add more liquid if you do one of these things, so the smoothie is not too thick

TO BOOST THE ANTIOXIDANT POWER ADD ONE OF THESE SUPERFOODS:

• Add a tbsp of goji berries or a tsp of goji berry powder

• Add 1 tsp amla powder

• Add 1 tsp matcha powder