In this special smoothie recipe roundup, I am hoping it demonstrates just how easy it is to eat super healthy, and eat a rainbow every day. To bring you mouth-watering meal ideas, I've scrolled one of my favourite fellow recipe creators, Anna Lindberg for the most colourful smoothie recipes--and trust me, I needed several napkins to do it. Her recipes are all wholefood based and beautifully presented.
There is good reason why smoothies have remained such a popular food item for so long. Blending fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and protein powders together makes for a densely nutritious meal with many health benefits. Unlike juicing, smoothies retain the dietary fibre of the ingredients you add, providing a gut-friendly meal in addition to a wide variety or essential vitamins, minerals and macros.
SHOP MEAL PLANS
Smoothies In Seconds
I'm sure you will agree, nothing beats a smoothie for a super fast and easy nourishing meal. They are made in a matter of seconds, and with all the nutrients you need to kick off your morning, they provide the perfect combo of natural energy and wholefood nutrition.
MY BASIC SMOOTHIE RECIPE
250ml milk (I use oat or almond, unsweetened)
1/2 banana (frozen is best and creates a creamy texture)
1-2 scoop of protein powder (I use @AussieBodies 'Nourish' which is dairy-free)
1-2 tsp chai seeds (these provide trace minerals and heaps of fibre)
You can add just about anything else to this base including fresh or frozen fruit, greens, veggies (yes I said veggies. I use raw cauliflower, cooked sweet potato and raw broccoli to name a few). Blitz on high in a Nutri-Bullet for 30 seconds and enjoy over ice or as a smoothie bowl.
The following recipe roundup will give you a heap of drool-worthy inspiration to devour the rainbow this coming week. I promise these recipes are not too complicated nor do they require great culinary skills. All you need is a good, quality blender. Ready? Let's get blending...
A delicious blend of crimson-red raspberries and cheerful red strawberries gives this smoothie recipe a sweetly tart flavour. Berries are an excellent addition to smoothies and provide a healing serving of essential dietary fibre, vitamin-A, C and K, as well as manganese and zinc.
MY BERRI-DELICOUS SMOOTHIE RECIPE
250ml almond milk, unsweetened
1/2 banana (frozen creates a creamy texture)
1/2 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 raspberries, fresh or frozen
1-2 scoop of protein powder (I use @AussieBodies 'Nourish' dairy-free)
1/2 tsp ground Dutch cinnamon
2 tbsp psyllium husk, finely ground
Add everything to a high-powered blender and blitz on high for 30 seconds. Spoon into a bowl (it'll be thick) and enjoy with your favourite toppings.
SHOP MEAL PLANS
Banana is one of the most popular base ingredients for smoothie recipes giving the blended fruit and veggies a thick, creamy almost soft serve-like texture. Add a handful of ice, and you've got yourself a totally dairy-free ice cream. If you have never tried that, click here.
What a gorgeous golden yellow hue this smoothie recipe is; don't you think it looks like a sunbeam caught in a bowl? I sure do. Made with only two ingredients; the tropical tang of pineapple and creaminess of coconut milk. Delicious!
MY PINEAPPLE TROPICANA SMOOTHIE RECIPE
250ml coconut milk, unsweetened
1/2 banana (frozen creates a creamy texture)
1/2 cup fresh, ripe pineapple (makes a difference if ripe or not)
1/2 cup chopped papaya, (I grow my own organically on my patio)
1/2 tsp ground Dutch cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed ice
Add everything to a high-powered blender and blitz on high for 30 seconds. Spoon the thick smoothie into a fancy serving glass or bowl, and enjoy with tropical toppings like roasted coconut flakes, chopped pineapple, kiwi slices, and mango.
SHOP MEAL PLANS
You read that correctly. Cauliflower is naturally high in dietary fibre and B-vitamins and is a key ingredient in this smoothie recipe. I promise you won't taste it, the trick is to pre-steam it and let is cool before you add to your blender.
MY CAULFLOWER-BERRY SMOOTHIE RECIPE
250ml almond milk, unsweetened
1 banana (frozen creates a creamy texture)
1/2 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup cauliflower, steamed and cooled
1-2 scoop of protein powder (I use @AussieBodies 'Nourish' (dairy-free)
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup crushed ice (optional)
Add everything to a high-powered blender and blitz on high for 30 seconds. Spoon into a bowl and enjoy with berries, nuts and seeds as your toppings.
You know I am a huge advocate for getting enough greens in your diet every day, so hopefully this smoothie recipe will become a fast favour, like it is mine. With a combination of mango and banana providing a creamy, sweet base, I promise you won't even notice the leafy greens in this dish other than by the rich green colour.
SHOP MEAL PLANS
Kale is an absolute nutrition superstar vegetable providing excellent amounts of vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese in its crinkly leaves. Many people find it super tough, but if you blanch it or shred it finely, you'll neve notice it in your smoothie recipes.
MY MERMAID KALE SMOOTHIE RECIPE
250ml almond milk, unsweetened
1 banana (frozen creates a creamy texture)
1/2 cup fresh, ripe pineapple (makes a difference if ripe or not)
1 tbsp blue butterfly pea powder or blue spirulina powder
1/2 cup finely shredded kale leaves
1/4 cup shredded spinach leaves
1/2 cup crushed ice
Add everything to a high-powered blender and blitz on high for 30 seconds. Spoon the thick smoothie into a coconut bowl. Top as you wish with granola, nuts, seeds, and berries.
SHOP MEAL PLANS
No I am not a pond fish, but I am a regular algae consumer, totally love it! Why? Well, spirulina is a potent source of wholefood nutrients. the green-blue substance contains a powerful plant-based protein called phycocyanin and grows in fresh water ponds.
Research has shown spirulina to have antioxidant, pain-relief, anti-inflammatory, and brain-protective properties. Many antioxidants in spirulina have anti-inflammatory effects in the body making it an excellent, wholefood supplement for someone like myself in remission from breast cancer.
There are two types of spirulina, blue and green. Green spirulina is a wholefood whereas blue spirulina is an extract. Naturally, green spirulina is richer in nutrients than the blue variety. Green spirulina smells and tastes very strong whereas blue spirulina is pretty mild.
When you eat healthy all the time, you can afford to little treat now and again. So, yes, there are a few sneaky mini Oreos hidden in this smoothie bowl. Made with densely nutritious acai berries, blueberries, mango and banana a nibble of a bickie won't matter next to all the dietary fibre, antioxidants and vitamins you'll be consuming. Açaí berries are one of the best sources of antioxidant polyphenols which provide as much as 10 times more antioxidants than blueberries. Slurp up the goodness!
Who would of thought chocolate and acai berry would be a pairing made in heaven, but it most certainly is in my book. Both chocolate and acai are a rich source of antioxidants especially if you use raw cacao or dark chocolate.
Eat A Rainbow Every Day
Sounds lovely, doesn't it? And now you can see how easy it is by tossing a few key ingredients in the blender and whipping up all natural smoothies bursting with colour and nutrients. What rainbow recipe will you make for your breakfast today?
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
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