My Green Superfood Protein Drink
This is my plant based supercharger drink that I try to consume daily. Sometimes, when I have a lot of energy my class participants ask if i’ve “had that green drink again.” Usually I have. Here is the recipe!
I get most of my whole-food health supplements from this company, HealthForce, off their website. I have been using them regularly now for about a year and a half. And not consistently for a little longer. The products are also available in Whole Foods, but I think it is more expensive that way. I like these products because the company, led by Dr. Jameth Sheridan, adds herbal synergists as well as lots of enzymes and probiotic supplementation to most formulas. If you have ever tried to buy probiotics and enzymes on their own, as they are important supplements, you understand that this is a lot of added value to these products. Dr. Sheridan is also a health nut, so everything is packaged non-toxically, in dark containers without BPA, or in glass. Everything is enhanced homeopathically and energetically. All are raw and vegan and beyond organic. I highly recommend these products, but you can also swap them out for different brands.
This is a great idea if you are just trying to get in all your vitamins and minerals and superfoods in a day, or if you want a clean, body-friendly protein drink. The benefits of these products go well beyond the scope of this post, which I choose not to rant about this time, but it is my understanding that the benefits are far reaching. I also recommend the Earth product, but not in this smoothie, to balance the greens here and complete your nutritional daily intake of nutrients.
The Recipe:
2 Tablespoons Warrior Food Extreme Vanilla Plus by HealthForce (Hemp and Sprouted Brown Rice protein powder)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Spice MacaForce by HealthForce (Raw Maca Powder)
1 Tablespoon Vitamineral Green by HealthForce Green Powder (the idea of this is that it, combined with the Earth Product, is all the nutrition you need in a day- like a multivitamin. Don’t put Earth in this smoothie though, it will be yucky! This product is loaded with grasses, seaweed, herbs, etc.)
1 Tablespoon Spirulina Manna (or Azteca) by HealthForce (Spirulina has the highest protein content of any food in the world! True story!)
2 Tablespoons of Raw Chocolate powder (Arriba Nacional is a more nutritious heirloom variety from what I understand, available in Whole Foods). Another great option is to use 1 tablespoon of Raw Carob powder to replace 1 Tbs of cacao, to balance the magenesium in the chocolate with calcium. I have been doing this with delicious results lately!
(Up to 25g protein so far in just the above ingredients, nutrition facts available on healthforce.com)
1 Tablespoon or more of Raw Organic Hemp Seeds Approx. 3.6g protein (I often use Nutiva brand). Amazing source of Omega-3s.
1 Tablespoon of Bee Pollen from either New Zealand or local. (Although I wouldn’t get any from where a lot of GMO’s are grown or where pesticides are used a lot.) 3g protein.
(31.6 g protein total so far)
About 1 Tablespoon of (Raw) Coconut Oil (this makes things really sweet and creamy, and saturated fat from coconut oil is extremely good for you and promotes weight loss. My cholesterol is perfect and I eat loads of it, but I do eat very few animal products)
Stevia to Taste, or Raw Local Honey, or Coconut Nectar (I use Stevia exclusively, usually, to keep it low glycemic)
Cinnamon to taste, and/or other spices: Pumpkin Pie Spice (I have been using this lately with delicious results!), cayenne pepper, ginger + cardamom and cayenne, and whatever else you can come up with!
Using the Original unsweetened Rice Milk (2 Cups=2 more g’s protein) or unsweetened coconut milk makes the drink especially creamy and delish, but there are more carbs. I have also used fresh nut milks, but I try not to use Boxed nut milks anymore, as the packaging is suspicious. I use about 2 Cups of Liquid (many times I use just water) with this drink.
To make things more interesting, sometimes I add a fresh or frozen banana. The frozen banana is amazing and tastes like ice cream, but banana in general is higher glycemic and therefore I use it less, or sometimes half a banana. But still nutritious!
When I am not using a frozen banana or cold milk, or even if I am, I usually add 1/2 Cup of ice. I also usually add a dash of Celtic Sea Salt (I NEVER USE TABLE SALT!!), which mysteriously makes all sweet things taste better.
I also will sometimes want a more satisfying smoothie, so you can add a TBS or 2 of organic roasted peanut butter (with sea salt only!) for another 4g’s of protein per TBS for that extra thickness. Of course, peanuts are a huge allergy and aflatoxin concern and technically I avoid them usually, so I will also use Raw Almond Butter. I do try to stick with hemp only though to make the Omega 3 content higher than the Omega 6 content, which helps you to stay energized and slim.
Try adding fresh raw greens for a real superfood kick! Spinach usually has very little taste. I usually don’t do this, but I am going to try it out soon.
Lastly, I blend it all in my beauteous high-speed blender, the Vitamix for a minute on high. I have used a regular blender for this and somehow it came out tasting more powdery and not as good. You can still try it though. My sister still says it tastes powdery regardless, so if you are like her and uninterested in health food, reduce the greens at first until you become more accustomed to the taste (which I find yummy at this point.)
Enjoy!
Cassandra
UPDATES: Now I have been doing fresh greens in the smoothie! One handful to two handfuls per person. Warning, some greens are WAY strong, like Kale is almost too strong for me- but spinach, romaine lettuce, watercress, are sweeter and those work better than bitter varieties. I have also routinely started adding 1/4- 1/2 a cup per person of frozen organic blueberries and cherries, which are low glycemic. The cherries make it SOOO Delicious! If you want it extra tasty or are a beginner, add a half a banana also to the berries, though it is higher glycemic. Frozen bananas are mysteriously much more tasty than fresh ones in a smoothie. I also now add an extra 1/2 a tablespoon of Vitamineral Green, and Only a 1/4 TBS of Spirulina per person. I also now do 1/2 and 1/2 cacao/carob powder. So I do 1 TBS cacao and 1 TBS raw carob powder per person. I usually double this recipe now for my boyfriend and I. We also do 2 tbs each of Hemp. Finally, to make it more hydrating, we have been using coconut water powder from the health food store, which is cheaper than buying regular coconut water, and add 1 TBS per serving/person. When I don’t do this, I notice myself very thirsty at night as I teach yoga for a living. If you are on a budget, do less bee pollen and maca, like a half of a tablespoon, per smoothie. Or leave out the Vitamineral Green and just do fresh greens. (But only if you have to!) 🙂