After years of research, testing, and ingredient development, I’ve identified what I believe is the best and most powerful vegan superfood smoothie. It’s packed with many potent ingredients. The vegan designation means the recipe contains no animal-derived ingredients commonly found in some smoothies, such as animal milk, yogurt, or whey protein powders.
I’ll begin with a few details on how I got to this point.
I was an avid juicing aficionado for many years. I’m keenly aware of the health benefits of juicing, but I never got comfortable with it because of these issues.
- Large amount of wasted fruit and vegetable material.
- Limited in the variety of ingredients that can be used.
- A great deal of time is required to prepare ingredients.
- Cleanup is complicated and time-consuming.
All of the above issues are eliminated with smoothies. Here are the advantages.
- No fruit or vegetable material is wasted.
- Can add a wide variety of ingredients.
- Minimal time to prepare the ingredients.
- Cleanup is simple and takes seconds.
If you’re into efficiency, simplicity, and frugality as I am, then smoothies are the best choice for you. Don’t waste your money on bottled or store-prepared smoothies. They are expensive, high in sugar, and lack many of the superfoods found in a homemade recipe like mine.
I use frozen fruits and vegetables because they are fresher, contain more nutrients, and last much longer. Many “fresh” fruits and veggies are picked before peak ripeness to avoid damage and spoilage during transport and storage. It may take 1-2 weeks, or longer, from harvest to arrival at your store. A significant amount of nutritional value is lost during this period.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at peak ripeness, blanched in hot water to kill bacteria, and then flash-frozen to preserve nutrients.
This vegan superfood smoothie is a…
- Powerful supplement for achieving optimal health.
- Highly nutritious snack after exercise and between meals.
- Healthy meal replacement for weight loss.
The ingredients, most of which are superfoods, are rich in vitamins, omega fatty acids, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, protein, fiber, and more. The health benefits are too numerous to include in this article.
Here are some recipe highlights and recommendations.
- Organic – Use as many organic ingredients as possible. I use 100% organic. Not as expensive as I thought. Took some time to find the best places to buy, but it was worth it.
- Protein – Many of the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds in this recipe contain varying amounts of protein. The edamame is particularly high with 12g. This recipe does not include plant-based protein powders because they often contain artificial or other sugars, and many of the ingredients are refined and highly processed.
- Freeze – Use as many frozen ingredients as possible. I’m at 100% by freezing my own apples, oranges, tomatoes, and more. I also put my nuts, seeds, and other ingredients in the freezer.
- Taste – Although it tastes good, this recipe is not designed to mimic a milkshake, as many store-bought smoothies do, often with unhealthy ingredients. This smoothie is designed for powerful super nutrition. If you need more sweetness, double the amount of sweet fruits. Or add some date sugar.
- Liquid – This recipe requires only 100% purified water. I do not recommend using plant-based milks due to the long list of unfamiliar ingredients.
- Quantity – To make 4-5 medium-sized glasses of this recipe, increase the ingredient amounts below by approximately 4x. Play with the quantities for consistency.
- Bananas – No bananas. Why? The enzyme in bananas can break down beneficial compounds found in berries.
Vegan Superfood Smoothie – Recipe
Download recipe below.
Ingredients (1-2 servings)
- 1 tablespoon frozen kale.
- 1 tablespoon frozen spinach.
- 1 tablespoon frozen shelled edamame.
- 1 frozen broccoli crown.
- 1 frozen cauliflower crown.
- 1 tablespoon rainbow baby carrots. (I freeze them.)
- 1 chunk of frozen mango.
- 1/3 cup frozen mixed berries.
- 1/4 frozen apple. (I cut and freeze them.)
- 1/8 frozen navel orange with peel. (I cut and freeze them.)
- 1 frozen cherry or grape tomato. (I freeze them.)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted walnuts.
- 1 teaspoon unsalted almonds.
- 1/2 teaspoon whole grain rolled oats (raw, uncooked).
- 1/4 teaspoon whole psyllium husk (fiber).
- 1/4 teaspoon hemp heart seeds.
- 1/4 teaspoon flaxseed meal.
- 1/4 teaspoon chia seeds.
- 1 dash cinnamon powder.
- 1 dash turmeric powder.
- 1 dash ground ginger.
- 1 dash fennel seed.
- 1 dash crushed rosemary.
- 1 dash cayenne pepper powder.
- Fill with cold, purified water until ingredients are covered.
Review this article, “Vitamin Supplements: Requires Little, Gives a Lot,” for more information on supplement ingredients.
Warning: Never include fruit pits, as many contain harmful chemicals.
Equipment
- Blender
- Cutting board
- Multi-purpose kitchen knife
Preparation (5-7 minutes)
- Add all the ingredients to your blender in the order listed except the water. Allow the frozen ingredients to defrost for 20-40 minutes before adding the water.
- Add the cold purified water last. To prevent spitting, leave about 2″ empty at the top of the jar. I place a washcloth over the cover to make sure.
- If equipped, select the “smoothie” program. I run it 3 times. If not equipped, pulse for 25-45 seconds, then repeat approximately 3 times. Let the ingredients settle between pulses. Refer to your blender’s manual for the best method.
- Exact measurement of each ingredient is not required. If there are ingredients that you like or don’t like, increase, reduce, or eliminate them.
Recipe Download
Get a copy here: Vegan Superfood Smoothie – Recipe
To your health and fitness.