smoothie

Vegan Green Vanilla Protein Smoothie

February 6, 2016 by Zizi

We tried something new in our breakfast smoothie. We added pea protein to it to make it more nutritional. Pea protein is a natural vegetable based protein which offers a comprehensive nutritional and amino acid profile. It has over 23g of protein per serving which will contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. It’s also low in fat.

Cashew butter is also great tasting and natural source of healthy protein. Cashew butter is loaded with phosphorus, copper, iron and magnesium, which all present wonderful health benefits both independently and in combined various kinds of food. Cashew butter also contains half less sugar than peanut butter and significantly less additives.

Vegan Green Vanilla Protein Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 3)

– 2 ripe bananas, peeled
– 2 cups hazelnut milk (any other non-dairy milk can be used)
– 4 tablespoons cashew butter
– 2 tablespoons pea protein powder
– 2 tablespoons flax seeds
– 1 tablespoon lucuma powder
– 1 small handful kale, leaves removed and torn into small pieces (spinach and Swiss chard can be used too)
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more hazelnut milk.

Vegan Blackberry Smoothie

August 22, 2013 by Zizi

I never do fruit smoothie with dairy products (i.e. with cow milk products). I read in a few books that mixing fruits and dairy products doesn’t make good to your body (although you think you drink something healthy, don’t you?). Fruits are either sweet or sour but they definitely contain acid and sugar.

“If you add acid to milk, be it from a sweet fruit like strawberry or a sour one like lemon, it will curdle. Weak acids (like those in sweet fruits) don’t instantly curdle the milk but if you let it sit for too long before drinking it, then by the time it gets into your stomach, it will be.

Milk is actually not digested in the stomach, but in the small intestine by the enzyme lactase. When you drink it on its own, its presence in the stomach does not stimulate gastric secretion. Carbohydrates in fruits are also not digested in the stomach – the breakdown starts in your mouth by the salivary amylase and when it gets in to the stomach, digestion is stopped because the enzyme is denatured by the acidity of the gastric juices. The primary function of the stomach is to churn up all the food into a mush, so that when it enters the small intestine (primary site of digestion) it will have a bigger surface area for the digestive enzymes to work on. “

“So milk will curdle when mixed with fruit and will slow digestion, therefore creates stasis and fermentation, which leads to feeling heavy and gassy. The stomach in its normal state contains a small amount of acid, which will curdle the milk on its way down anyway, so fruit juices simply facilitate or supplement the action of the gastric juices.If it curdles too much before you even put it in your mouth, and your gastric condition is not ideal, therefore can’t churn it.” (Source: Notions & Notations of a Novice Cook)

So I’m saying it’s better to make fruit smoothies with non-dairy milks like almond, hemp, rice, oat or soy milk. Let’s give them a try!

Vegan Blackberry Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 250 g blackberry
– 500 ml rice milk (or any other non-dairy milk, like soy, almond or oat)
– 1 banana
– 3 tablespoons almond butter

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more rice milk.

Vegan Banana Green Smoothie

March 4, 2013 by Zizi

Now that my iron level is a bit low I eat a lot of vegetables (spinach, sorrel, parsley, broccoli, Savoy cabbage, sauerkraut, etc.) that have a high level in iron and I take natural iron supplements (like this Feroglobin B12).

The lack of iron can create a low haemoglobin. Signs of being iron deficient can include excessive tiredness, lethargy, lack of motivation and feeling irritable and weak than would normally be expected. Low iron levels do not uniformly cause these symptoms, but do increase the risk for anemia and the risk of becoming symptomatic during periods of emotional or physical stress.

The iron requirements go up significantly when you’re pregnant. Iron is essential for making hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells. During pregnancy, the amount of blood in your body increases until you have almost 50 percent more than usual. And you need more iron to make more hemoglobin for all that additional blood. You also need extra iron for your growing baby and placenta.

I think vegetarians or vegans who eat a varied and well balanced diet are not at any greater risk of iron deficiency anaemia than non-vegetarians. A diet rich in wholegrains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, iron-fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables provides an adequate iron intake. Vitamin C and other organic acids enhance non-haem iron absorption, a process that is carefully regulated by the gut. (More information: here.)

Vegan Banana Green Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 500 ml (2 cups) almond milk (or any other non-dairy milk)
– 1 banana
– 1 big handful of fresh spinach

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more almond milk.

Superfood Breakfast: Almond Butter Toast With Almond Milk Coffee

June 4, 2012 by Zizi

I don’t deny it… We are in love with almond. Roasted almonds, almond butter, almond milk… yum. We found a great producer at the organic farmers market who sells creamy, thick, light beige coloured almond milk that smells like marzipan when you open the bottle.

I know I could make my own almond milk (only need almond and water) but to be honest I’m a bit lazy that’s why I buy it. You can sweeten or make it spicy with vanilla, cinnamon or cardamom. There are great recipes on the internet, I would choose this or this.

Almond butter is a food paste made from almonds; it may be crunchy or smooth. It is high in monounsaturated fats, calcium, potassium, iron and manganese. It’s considered a good source of riboflavin, phosphorus, and copper, and an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber. Almond butter also provides dietary protein. Recipe here and here. It’s excellent to spread it on toasts, use it for baking (cookies, cakes) or eat it as a snack, dipping apple or pear slices in it.

I’m sharing a very easy recipe today. It’s not even a recipe just and idea how to have a nutritious, healthy breakfast. We sprinkled maple syrup on the almond butter toast and put strawberry slices on top (choose whatever fruit you would like). We used roasted grain beverage as a substitute for coffee, sweetened with coconut flower sugar and added almond milk to it. The result was a creamy, silky, light coffee.

Almond Butter Toast with Almond Milk Coffee

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the toast
– a few slices of whole wheat bread
– almond butter
– maple syrup / honey / rice syrup / agave syrup
– fresh strawberry, sliced

For the coffee
– 400 ml almond milk
– 4 teaspoon organic cereal – barley, rye, chicory – beverage (you can use Nescafé too)
– 2 teaspoon cane sugar

Method

Toast the bread slices then spread them with almond butter. Sprinkle with maple syrup and place a few slices of strawberries on top.

In a pan heat almond milk. Put 2 teaspoons of coffee and 1 teaspoon of cane sugar in each cups, add the hot almond milk and stir it until smooth.

Superfood Breakfast: Raspberry Almond Milk Smoothie

May 8, 2012 by Zizi

My newly discovered non-dairy milk is almond milk. I know I could make it easily at home (recipe here and here) but to be honest I’m a bit lazy and buy it at the organic farmers market from a Hungarian farmer. He makes a thick, creamy almond milk that tastes and smells like marzipan. I love it!

Almond milk contains ground almonds and water. It’s a healthy alternative to cow’s milk, and contains more vitamins and minerals (vitamin E, A and D, manganese, selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, fiber, phosphorous and calcium) than soy or rice milks. Unlike animal milk, it doesn’t contain cholesterol or lactose so it’s suitable for lactose intolerants, vegans and vegetarians. It doesn’t contain saturated fats or cholesterol, but it does contain omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s very good for your heart. Almond milk is also high in protein.

Five years ago I had a different breakfast habit than now. I used to have a slice of toast with butter and a cup of tea. I slowly changed my eating habits so my breakfasts changed too. I usually drink a big glass of vegan smoothie (green or fruit) or juice every morning. As I studied at the school of natural therapies fruits in their raw forms are exactly what your body need for energy. They are easy to digest and the sugar from fruits (glucose) are in the form that your body can easily turn into energy. And this is what we need every morning: energy, right?