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I’m a fan of packing my breakfast with nutrient dense ingredients that will fuel me for hours.
The easiest way to do it?
A delicious protein smoothie.
I’m always on the lookout for new plant-based protein powders that don’t taste like chalk (you know what I mean?!)
My most recent discovery is OLLY’s new Super Foods Smoothie.
It has a full serving of fruits and veggies from six superfoods, along with fiber, probiotics, enzymes, protein (a blend of pea and flax seed) and a meal’s worth of vitamins from organic fruits and veggies.
Why is protein (in this case, plant protein) such an important component of a healthy breakfast?
Consider this: 20% of our bodies are made up of protein. Which makes it an essential nutrient to help every cell function properly.
Protein combined with healthy fats in your breakfast slows down the digestion and the release of glucose in the bloodstream, allowing for that desirable steady glucose delivery to the brain. Protein is not stored in the body, so it’s important to make sure that you consume it with every meal. That ensures that your body has the necessary amino acids for healthy cells, tissues and muscles, plus strong immunity.
Healthy adults should consume at least 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. So if you weigh 145 lbs, it’s recommended that you consume 52 grams of protein every day.
A nutrient rich protein smoothie will cover about 1/3 of your daily intake – for example, one serving of OLLY Super Foods Smoothie has 15 grams of protein.
Note to all workout geeks: it’s especially important to make sure you consume a protein-rich meal after a workout to help rebuild and tone muscle.
I’ve also become a fan of their Creamy Strawberry Probiotic Smoothie. One of my favorite things to do is blending it with strawberries (it’s almost strawberry season here in New York!), coconut cream and mint. There’s also a hidden vegetable ingredient – zucchini! Trust me, you won’t even notice. I’m a big fan of sneaking greens and veggies into my smoothies (like in this açaí and cauliflower smoothie). I’ve also become fond of using kombucha as my smoothie base, and the fermented, probiotic-rich drink works perfectly in this recipe.
OLLY Smoothies are a perfect base for smoothie bowl art or a complete on-the-go meal that delivers essential amino acids, omega-3s, digestive support, and about 25% (!) daily value of Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, Folate and Biotin.
Strawberry Coconut Protein Smoothie Recipe
*make it a bowls or drink it as a smoothie*
Make it as is or experiment with adding your favorite berries (like frozen blueberries or açaí), replacing coconut cream with almond or cashew butter, and switching maple/coconut water for nut milk of your choice. The delicious possibilities are endless!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries or mixed berries
- 1/2 cup peeled and chopped zucchini (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 2 scoops OLLY Super Foods Smoothie or OLLY Creamy Strawberry Probiotic Smoothie Digestion Protein Blend
- 2 TBSP. coconut cream
- 2 TBSP. fresh chopped mint
- 2 cups maple water or coconut water (optional: 1 cup maple/coconut water and 1 cup kombucha. Sounds strange but tastes amazing and adds healthy probiotics!)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. For toppings, I recommend one or all of these options: strawberries, mint, coconut shreds, bee pollen, and pistachios or gluten free granola for the crunch.
This post features sponsored products and is in collaboration with OLLY. All opinions, as always, are my own.