In the hot summer months, when fresh fruit is abundant, the blender is my go-to appliance. Who can resist a tasty meal that requires no cooking, is ready in a minute, and doesn’t heat the kitchen? Not me! My Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie is always on the menu.
This delectable smoothie contains the best mix of fruit, Super Greens Powder, and protein. It’s sure to get your day off to a good start or give you that mid-afternoon pick-me-up!
Table of Contents
Natural Ways to Boost Energy
As life ebbs and flows, you’re sure to experience an energy slump from time to time. And if you’re like me, this happens at the most inconvenient times! Instead of running into toxic energy drinks or sugary snacks, try boosting your energy naturally with one of these savvy hacks.
Develop Good Sleep Habits
The number one cause of energy slumps is insufficient sleep. Lack of sleep can cripple a person! While some factors are uncontrollable, there are many things you can do to sharpen your sleep habits. Trust me; it’s worth it.
Good sleep habits look different for everyone, based on your specific purpose in life and health needs. Some may need to go to bed earlier or diffuse relaxing essential oils as they hit the hay. Others may need to cut back on screen time, as blue lights are a significant disruptor of circadian rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep.
If you have to use a screen during evening hours, utilize your device’s “bedtime” mode. This setting emits yellow light versus blue. You can also purchase blue-light-blocking glasses.
Of course, there are some seasons in life where sleep is hard to come by, like times of grief or even your baby’s first year. In God’s grace, you will accomplish everything you need to! Snag a power nap, ask for help, and pray.
Eat Nourishing Foods
Products made with sugar and white flour are convenient, but they can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, making you feel depleted. Your energy levels will rise when you fuel your body with nourishing foods!
Stock your kitchen with fresh fruits, crisp veggies, and natural sweeteners. These are tasty options that won’t leave you nodding off. Healthy foods automatically provide your body with energy-boosting nutrients that junk food does not. If your body is deficient in key nutrients, it can feel sluggish.
Include these whole ingredients in your diet whenever you can. We have a slew of nourishing recipes if you need inspiration!
Decrease Caffeine Intake
This hack may have you groaning. How can you decrease caffeine when you’re in survival mode? Many people reach for coffee or energy drinks to give them a boost, not knowing they’re in for an energy crash later on!
Try swapping your coffee for a cup of matcha. Matcha tea includes an amino acid called L-theanine that releases caffeine slowly. This process leaves you feeling level and energized for more extended periods. It’s so much easier on your body!
Of course, you can always ditch caffeine entirely for energizing foods like this energy smoothie.
Healthy Smoothie Ingredients 101
This recipe calls for just 10 ingredients. What makes these ingredients so great? They’re bioactive foods, of course! Bioactive compounds are phytochemicals (plant-based chemicals) that help boost metabolism, prevent disease, and make you feel great! Examples you may be familiar with include fiber, essential oils, carotenoids, polyphenols, and more.
When we consume foods rich in bioactive compounds, we give our bodies fuel for proper health and wellness. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
Purified or Distilled Water: Tap water can contain toxins linked to diabetes, congenital birth disabilities, obesity, and more. We recommend using filtered or distilled water. To make it easy, we installed an in-home water filtration system. This means we always have clean drinking water right from the tap!
Organic Blueberries: Besides being delicious, blueberries have many health benefits! Blueberries are high in antioxidants and gallic acid, which have been linked to mental health and wellness, anti-aging properties, and more.
Organic Bananas: Frozen bananas make this smoothie so creamy! I like to flash-freeze a whole bunch at a time for easy meal prep. To do this yourself, peel the bananas and place them on a cookie sheet. Freeze for an hour or until solid, transfer them to a Ziploc bag, and store them in the freezer. The browner the banana, the sweeter it is! Don’t worry about using pretty produce.
Organic Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and various antioxidants that benefit heart health. Almonds are a delicious alternative we often use, including in our healthy nut snack recipe.
Organic Dates: This ingredient helps sweeten our smoothie naturally. Dates have a high sugar count, and they are the perfect energy boosters. Looking for more ways to use this ingredient? Try our Energy Balls! They’re a great on-the-go snack.
Organic Raw Local Honey: Honey is a fantastic source of carbohydrates, the body’s preferred source of energy. When purchasing this ingredient, be sure to grab organic raw local honey. This variety is minimally processed to remove stray pieces of debris and has the most benefits.
Organic Kale: Kale has healthy benefits galore and adds a lot to this smoothie recipe. In the cruciferous vegetable family, it is a superfood that will boost your immune system, help decrease your risk of cancer, and provide many vitamins and minerals. It is on the Dirty Dozen list, so look for an organic source. If you don’t have kale on hand, you can also use our Super Greens Powder. This fantastic mix is full of cancer-fighting ingredients.
Organic Stevia: Stevia is a great natural sweetener that is cost-effective. You don’t need a lot, as it’s sweeter than sugar! One small bag will give you many treats! Just ¼ teaspoon sweetens this entire smoothie.
Organic Hemp Protein Powder: This plant-based protein is creamy and delicious! It keeps this smoothie dairy-free while giving it the perfect texture. It’s essential to anchor any meal or snack with protein to keep blood sugars stable and keep you lean.
How to Make & Recipe Card
This smoothie comes together in just minutes! It’s easy enough that teens can make it as an after-school snack.
This recipe makes 2-3 servings, so save some for later or share with a friend!
Energy-Boosting Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups purified OR distilled water
- 6 ice cubes
- 1¼ cup organic blueberries
- ½ frozen organic banana
- ¼ cup organic raw pumpkin seeds OR organic raw almonds
- 2 organic dates, pitted
- 1 tablespoon raw organic local honey OR 1 droppersful vanilla OR chocolate-flavored liquid stevia (vegan)
- 1 cup organic spinach
- ¼ teaspoon organic powdered stevia
- 1 serving your favorite protein powder*
- 1 serving your favorite super greens powder*
Supplies
Instructions
- Place the water, ice cubes, blueberries, banana, pumpkin seeds, dates, honey, spinach, stevia, and protein powder in a blender. Blend, starting with the lowest setting and quickly increasing the speed to high, until smooth.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25535358/
- https://matcha.com/blogs/news/l-theanine-tea-trumps-coffee
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6528712
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15510909/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18949591
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8116550/
