High-Protein Vanilla Crème Smoothie Recipe
- Emma Lisa
- Mar 21, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 24
Want a high-protein smoothie that tastes good enough to be a dessert? Well, this High-Protein Vanilla Crème Smoothie Recipe provides this in spades. Honestly, it pours like soft-serve ice cream and is equally as good without all the sugar and empty calories. I've even included the most delicious low-carb version for my low-carb girles. Blenders ready? Let's start make yummy smoothies together.
Smoothies have been a long-time favourite of mine for their ease of making super healthy blended meals in a matter of minutes. You can easily take a basic smoothie recipe and add so many delicious, wholefood ingredients to create new flavours and recipes without much fuss. This works great for those with dietary requirements or food sensitivities; find your base and just rotate the flavours and ingredients.
Why You'll Enjoy This On Repeat
tastes like dessert for breakfast: sweet without being overpowering, and a treat to look forward to
quick & easy: this recipe comes together in less than 5 minutes with a minimal prep work
high protein, clean eating: it's an easy high protein, low carb recipe to make
you can make it endless ways: swap your toppings for variety and an easy recipe on repeat
This High-Protein Vanilla Crème Smoothie Recipe is another protein-powered recipe from my clean eating cookbooks, and I hope you'll love it as much I do. It's not just the vanilla flavour and creaminess that makes this smoothie recipe breakfast a winner, its the protein content. Here let me explain...
Healthy High-Protein Smoothies
Protein-packed smoothies are an excellent way to fuel your body and satisfy your taste buds whether you enjoy them with dairy or without. They're perfect for post-workout recovery, those pear-shaped mornings when you need quick nourishment for a busy day, or as a quick afternoon pick-me-up. Smoothies are quick and easy to prepare and a great way to nourish your body.
You can easily turn any smoothie into high-protein just by adding a scoop or two of good quality whey or plantbased protein powder. A little raw nut butter, nuts and seeds, Greek yogurt or silken tofu work well to up the protein to any smoothie recipe. This will create a filling and delicious smoothie that will keep you feeling fuller for hours while balancing your blood sugar levels and supporting muscle building and repair. So, ditch those sugary protein shakes and blend up a homemade high-protein smoothie for a healthy and delicious on-the-go option.
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How To Make High-Protein Smoothies
Quick & Easy Clean Eating
Adding extra protein to smoothies is an easy hack to help boost your macro intake by mixing your favourite protein powder with fresh or frozen fruit, greens, nuts and seeds to make a highly nutritious meal. A high-protein smoothie can be made as simple as including a 30g scoop of protein powder to your blender ingredients, or by purposely including high-protein foods such as the following:
Easy High-Protein Ingredients For Smoothies
chia seeds: densely nutritious and an excellent plantbased source of clean protein and dietary fibre.
flaxseeds: a powerhouse of nutrients and a plantbased source of protein for smoothies.
Greek yogurt: a natural source of clean protein and also probiotics.
nut butters: provide healthy fats and protein in smoothies; use the runny, all natural kind
protein powder: from whey, casein, or plantbased (pea/brown rice) provides a healthy hit of protein
rolled oats: provide smaller dose and are an excellent high-fibre ingredient for smoothies
silken tofu: a plantbased or vegan source of clean protein powder and makes for a creamy texture.
As you can see, there are so many easy ways to increase the nutrition and protein content in your smoothies. A breakfast that includes a good serving of clean protein is one of the best ways to start off the day and help reduce food and sugar cravings later in the day. Try it for a week straight and see how you feel!
Quick Tips For Making The Best Smoothies
The best way to make smoothies is to meal prep the ingredients you plan to use so get the most nutrition and taste from each one. Pop on over to my Meal Planning blog for heaps of quick and easy meal prep tips and click here how to make my famous "smoothie drops" for smoothies on the run.
freeze overripe bananas: whenever you have bananas that are almost past their best, freeze the bananas either in their peel, or pre-chop into chunks and pop into a container. You can then add them right into smoothies for a that delicious creamy texture and flavour
make it thick: adding frozen banana creates a lovely, soft-serve texture to smoothies; also try a handful of ice, avocados, steamed cauliflower or sweet potato.
skip the protein powder: adding protein powder to smoothies gives them an extra energy boost, but you can make this drink without if you prefer.
use a high speed blender: this will get the ingredients nice and smooth. If you don’t have a high speed blender, you may need to stir it a few times, and blend for slightly longer til all of the banana has broken down.
Smoothies For Those Allergic To Dairy
Experiment with coconut, cashew, soy or other non-dairy milk to find one that provides you with the best smoothie consistency. Personally, I find a nice, unsweetened almond or even just water to be the best dairy-free option. You can also try coconut water (just watch for added sugars).
High-Protein Smoothies For Diabetics
Balancing your blood sugar is super important to your well-being as a diabetic. You can definitely enjoy this high-protein smoothie recipe (and many of my other recipes) by focusing on using low carb, high fibre fruits like blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, and healthy fats from avocado, nut butter, almonds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Swap out the banana in any smoothie recipe for vanilla-infused cauliflower instead; its an low-carb fix and good fibre. Then choose a protein powder that is very low in sugar (less than 3g per serving), and focus on creating smoothie recipes that build off the healthy fats and protein. This'll help keep your blood sugar levels in check.
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High-Protein Vanilla Crème Smoothie
Get ready for dessert in a blender because that's exactly how creamy this one turns out, like gourmet dessert. The frozen banana combined with coconut milk gives you that divine thick, creamy texture which is made even more fluffy if you add the ice. I've also included a low-carb version of this smoothie recipe for those who are diabetic or on a low-carb eating plan. This low carb version is equally as good, and loaded with dietary fibre to balance that blood sugar!
High-Protein Vanilla Crème Smoothie |
Ingredients |
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Low Carb Option: |
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Method |
In a high-powered blender, add all the ingredients. If using the Low Carb Option, wait until the cauliflower has fully cooled before blending. Blend on high until all the ingredients are well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Spoon or pour into a serving bowl and top with your favourite crunchy and fruit toppings. |
NUTRITION: Protein: 25.4 g Fibre: 7.1 g Fat: 8.8 g Net Carbs: 28.1 g (Cauliflower recipe) |
Batch Cooking & Meal Prep
This is so worth the effort, and by "effort" I mean, the 5-7 minutes it'll take you to dump a few scoops of smoothie in a 4-6 serving jars and chuck some fruit on top. If you are always in a mad rush in the mornings and are trying to prioritise clean eating, this is going to be your go to hack. Use some of the ideas above and mix and match ingredients, superfoods and toppings to make a delicious collection to high-protein recipe and meals you'll be looking forward to eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best protein to use in smoothies?
This really depends on your macro goals and dietary needs. For those who consume dairy, go for unsweetened Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese, organic, grass-fed whey protein power or ones derived from both pea and brown rice if choosing vegan. For other plant-based options, try hemp, soy or a clean vegan protein powder. As always, just check the label, the fewer the ingredients, the better.
Can I make a high-protein smoothie without protein powder?
Yes, absolutely! Building a well-balanced smoothie without relying on protein powder, is a great way to nourish and eat a variety of macros. Choose wholefood ingredients from organic or top quality sources such as plain Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, non-GMO silken tofu, chia seeds, hemp hearts, or raw, organic nut butters. These of these tasty ingredients add protein naturally, no powder needed.
How much protein should a smoothie have?
Less is more. The human body can only absorb so much protein at one given time, so aim for a mid-range serving of 30g from clean, organic whey or vegan protein powder or combined ingredients. This doesn't matter if you are using smoothies for a main meal, mid-afternoon snack or post-workout fuel. Stick to 30g per serving and consume only enough to suit your individual macro goals.
Are high-protein smoothies good for weight loss?
Yes they can be if you keep a few things in mind. Protein helps with satiety and reduces cravings, so when paired with dietary fibre and healthy fats, a high-protein smoothie can work well to control your appetite throughout the day. A balanced appetite can help you reduce your calorie intake and support healthy weight loss and energy for workouts.
Can I prep protein smoothies ahead of time?
You can! Just store the pre-made smoothie mixture in an airtight jar and give it a good shake or blend again before serving. For the best texture, I recommend that you keep the liquid and dry ingredients separate until you're ready to drink. If you really want to make quick work of having pre-made smoothies on hand, head over to my Meal Planning blog for heaps of quick and easy meal prep tips and how to make my famous "smoothie drops" for perfect smoothies on the run.
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Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
Great recipe ideas for high protein smoothies! Thanks for sharing:-)