Sometimes you just get a craving for certain flavors. Whether you are in need of something sweeter or need some extra greens in your daily diet, look to smoothies to make your dreams come true. Well, that might be an overstatement, but smoothies truly are a great way to help kick-start your day.

Before we give you the actual smoothie recipes, we have a couple smoothie tips to help with the blending process. If you have a VitaMix, you can disregard the following information. Those blenders are monsters and can tackle anything. If you have a regular blender, add the ingredients and liquid to the blender and pulse away. Then add the ice or frozen ingredients and blend until you get a smooth consistency.

Sometimes adding protein powder to a smoothie can result in chalky clumps. To avoid this, mix the powder with your liquid of choice in the blender first and then add the rest of the smoothie ingredients. If you are one of those people who like to use almond milk in smoothies, it is best to make your own. Most commercial almond milks contain processed ingredients or added sugars. Use the video below to learn how to make your own.

Fruity Smoothies

Orange Mango Smoothie

No need to use any store-bought orange juice for this recipe; just hit the produce aisle and make some of that homemade almond milk.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of homemade almond milk
• 1 cup mango
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 banana, frozen overnight
• 1 date

Hazelnut Oats & Blueberries

If you aren’t in the mood to eat some hot oatmeal, blend some oats in your smoothie. This is a great way to fill up and get a sweet, nuttiness to your smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 banana, frozen overnight
• 1 cup homemade almond milk
• 1 tablespoon hazelnuts
• ¼ cup steel cut oats

Wake Up With Sweetness

There is no more classic smoothie combination than strawberries and bananas. They make any smoothie taste good. Add in the raw coconut flakes and goji berries and you’ve got yourself a superfood smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries
• ½ cup banana, frozen and sliced
• 2 tablespoons goji berries
• 3 tablespoons raw coconut flakes
• 1 cup homemade almond milk

Green Smoothies

Protein & Greens

While you will be getting some plant-based protein from the spinach, you can add more, if you want, by using a plant-based powder. If you are opposed to protein powder, you can use some hempseeds or flaxseeds.

Ingredients:

• ½ cucumber
• 1 cup homemade almond milk
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 banana, frozen overnight
• 1 scoop Dherbs CocoHemp powder, or 2 tablespoons hempseeds

Green Machine

This isn’t your regular green smoothie. The cucumber in the smoothie gives it a refreshing taste and makes it a little lighter. It’s definitely packed with some nutrients!

Ingredients:

• ½ banana
• 2 romaine leaves
• 1 apple, cored
• ½ cucumber
• 1 cup organic, unsweetened coconut water

Minty Tropical Smoothie

Did you know that mint is great for calming your stomach? Additionally, the pineapple in this smoothie helps to regulate digestion and boost metabolism.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple
• ½ banana
• ½ cup mint
• 2 kale leaves, stems removed
• 1 cup organic, unsweetened coconut water

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A lot of people are under the impression that animal protein is better than plant-based protein. This relates to protein powders and general protein sources alike. The reason people believe that animal protein is superior probably has something to do with the fact that plants don’t seem as strong as a big animal. Well, we need not forget that most of those big animals (e.g. elephants, giraffes, cows, buffalo, horses, and rhinos) only eat plants.

People don’t take into account that vegan protein powders help you achieve your desired results better than animal protein powders. Here are some interesting facts about vegan protein powders.

Here Are Some Pros

High Fiber

Vegan protein powders are typically rich in fiber because they are derived from plants. Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Non-vegan based protein powders can often cause digestive discomfort and require added fiber to help smooth out digestion or relieve constipation.

Easily Digested

To stay in the digestion vein, vegan protein powders are easily digested and absorbed by the body. Animal-based protein powders can often bring about digestive consequences, so make it easy on your body and switch to vegan protein powders.

It Is Complete Protein

Incomplete protein powders do not carry the nine essential amino acids, which the body cannot make on its own; complete proteins do have those amino acids. Vegan protein powders often get viewed as incomplete, but almost all of them are complete and contain those nine amino acids in varying levels. Not every vegan protein powder is comprised of complete protein, so make sure you are avidly reading ingredient lists when you buy your protein.

Healthy Fats

Animal-based protein powders often have extra calories and added fats, whereas vegan protein powders have healthy fats that assist bodily functions. Vegan protein powders are usually rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for cardiovascular and brain health.

Here Are Some Cons

Some Contain A Lot Of Sugar

People occasionally buy plant-based protein powders without reading the nutrition labels. Getting the right flavor profile can be tricky when using plant-based foods. For instance, you might have an easier time achieving a vanilla flavor when using sweeteners, syrups, “natural flavors,” or concentrates. It is also easy to achieve these flavors by using a lot of sugar and added flavors. We aren’t saying that plant-based protein powders should taste bad, but we are saying that the “natural flavors” you read on the nutrition label may not be all that natural.

Some Contain Maltodextrin

A lot of protein companies use this common, highly processed food additive. It is primarily made from genetically modified corn and it is put in protein powders to help them mix easier.

High Heat Method

Not every plant-based protein company uses this method to make protein powders, but some do. Certain high temperature processing methods essentially destroy the nutrients in plants and make it difficult for your body to process the protein powder.

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