Don’t be fooled by this smoothie’s rather innocent-looking pale green hue. There’s a lot more nutrition under the hood than this picture might have you believe.
You see, this smoothie is a lean, mean, brain-boosting, fat-busting smoothie of surprising proportions. Unlike the majority of smoothies many of us make, this one is not very sweet.
It is luxuriously creamy because of the avocado and offers a somewhat pronounced, nutty taste from the hemp seeds. It’s really more of a savoury smoothie than a sweet one. And it’s delicious! That is, if you like green smoothies. Lean, mean, not-so-sweet smoothies, I mean. (And in case it wasn’t clear: this is not a smoothie for wimps. Ha!)
You’ll notice that hemp seeds play a starring role in this green smoothie. With their high quantity of omega 3 fatty acids, hemp seeds are excellent for both the young and the young-at-heart.
They are considered “essential” fatty acids because they have to come from our diets; they aren’t produced within the body. They are essential for many, many conditions. (I talked about Omega 3s in more depth in this recent post).
Hemp seeds are also a superstar when it comes to plant-based protein. One tablespoon of hemp seeds has an impressive 5-6 grams of protein, so this smoothie has between 20-24 grams of protein based on my recipe. One note: hemp seeds do have a distinctive flavour so feel free to adjust how much of them you use. Feel free to split this with a friend or drink it all down if you don’t feel like sharing!
Here’s the recipe for my Lean, Mean Peaches & Green Smoothie:
Lean, Mean Peaches & Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach
- 1 cup frozen peaches*
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 1 small ripe avocado
- ½ small orange if you’re even more of a green smoothie fan, you can leave this out
- * You can also make this with fresh peaches. If so reduce to ½ cup of fruit and add ½ cup ice cubes.
Instructions
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Blend all ingredints in a high-powdered water.
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Add more water if you prefer a thinner smoothie.
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Serve with a slice of peach or extra hemp seeds if you’re hardcore like that!
Now tell me: do you love green smoothies or do you try to avoid them at all costs?
Life is a plate… Eat up!
Ashleigh
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