The Vegan Protein Smoothie Formula! (Plus Five Variations)

Learn how to make the perfect vegan protein smoothie every time using this formula. There are five variations on the theme: oatmeal raisin cookie; peanut butter cup; beet cherry; green energy; and pumpkin pie! If your smoothie routine is getting a little stale, shake things up and make a different smoothie every day of the week!

If you are vegan, you have probably made more than one smoothie in your life. A smoothie is an incredibly simple way to flood your body with lots of health-promoting nutrients without really having to think about it. Smoothies also offer a lot of versatility, and depending on your mood, you can make them ultra green and earthy tasting, or you can make something that tastes utterly indulgent using nut butter, cocoa, and banana.

If you are new to eating plant-based, it can be hard to remember the importance of adding sufficient protein and fat to a smoothie. I like to look at a smoothie as a balanced mini meal, one that offers enough protein, fat, carbohydrates, and micronutrients to power you through at least a couple of hours. Often times, I use a few tablespoons of hemp hearts as the protein in my smoothies: 3 tablespoons boasts 10 grams of protein! But over the past couple of years, I’ve been working at a health food store where I’ve had the opportunity to try a number of vegan protein powders. Thus, I’ve been able to experiment with adding protein powder to my smoothies, and I must say that I do notice a difference in my post-workout recovery and energy when I take in a bit of extra protein in my smoothie.

I recognize that it is easy to go overboard with protein–I do think that most people can get all of the protein that they need through a balanced plant-based diet that includes plenty of beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds–but if you are an athlete who does a lot of intense physical activity, you can probably stand to benefit from the inclusion of a good quality organic vegan protein powder in a smoothie from time to time. I’m not urging you to go overboard with protein powder: like any supplement, it should be used to supplement an otherwise healthy diet from time to time. What I am saying is that it’s fun to experiment with how the body responds to different foods after a workout, and you might notice an improvement in recovery and performance if you are including a good quality vegan protein powder in your diet.

The Vegan Protein Smoothie Formula

So, on to the vegan protein smoothie formula! As someone who often feels a bit scatterbrained, I was surprised at how this idea just popped into my head one day. I wanted to create a recipe formula that you could print out and stick on your fridge for easy access every day of the week. Something that provides some fun, colour, and variety at a time of the year when winter is starting to feel a bit, well, blah!

The vegan protein smoothie formula starts with a basic vanilla protein smoothie. Using this base, you can make five different variations: oatmeal raisin cookie; peanut butter cup; spinach and avocado; pumpkin pie; and beet cherry.

How to Select a Vegan Protein Powder

• My favourite vegan protein powder is Genuine Health Organic Fermented Vegan Protein. It’s made with seven different organic protein sources: pea, brown rice, hemp, mung bean, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, and spirulina. I find that it is smooth, not overly sweet, and very easy to digest. It boasts 20 grams of protein per scoop, plus an impressive 35 percent of your recommended daily intake of iron. Combined with the vitamin C in a typical smoothie, you’ll absorb an impressive amount of iron. Another brand that I have enjoyed previously is Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein in Vanilla.

• When selecting a vegan protein powder, look for a combination of protein sources. If possible, use a protein powder that has both grain and legume protein (i.e. brown rice and pea) to ensure that you are getting all of the amino acids that you need to form a complete protein.

• Another thing to look for is a protein powder that is certified organic. Remember that because protein powder is highly concentrated, pesticides can also be found in high levels in non-organic protein powder.

how to make the vegan protein smoothies

Each smoothie starts with the same base:

-1 scant cup of plant milk
-1 large frozen banana
-1 tbsp of ground flax
-1 scoop of vegan vanilla flavoured protein powder

The five variations are as follows:

• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

To make this one, you’ll add 1/4 cup of rolled oats, 1 tbsp of raisins, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 tbsp of cashew butter to the basic smoothie. Garnish with a few more raisins, if desired.

• Peanut Butter Cup

As the name suggests, it’s like a liquid peanut butter cup! Heaven. To make this one, you’ll add 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder and 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter to the basic recipe.

• Spinach and Avocado (aka Green Energy)

This one will really give you some clean burning energy! To the basic recipe, you’ll add 1 cup of spinach, 1 tsp of maca, and 2 tbsp of avocado.

• Pumpkin Pie

Who said pumpkin pie is for Thanksgiving only? To make this one, you’ll add 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 2 tbsp rolled oats to the basic recipe.

• Beet Cherry

This is healthy for everyone, especially endurance athletes: beets are said to enhance stamina, and tart cherries reduce inflammation. To make this one, you’ll add 1/3 cup finely chopped beet and 1/2 cup frozen cherries to the base recipe.

And there you have it! The perfect vegan protein smoothie formula, giving you five smoothies for five days. This formula is perfect if you get bored easily, or if you have kids/family with vastly different flavour preferences. I would say that the peanut butter cup and the pumpkin pie smoothies are the most kid-approved, while the green, oatmeal raisin cookie, and beet cherry are for more sophisticated palates (unless your kids love raisins, that is!).

If you love these recipes, you might also like:

• Almond Butter, Maca, and Espresso Smoothie
• Energizing Beet Grapefruit Juice
• Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte with MCT Oil

Below, you can find a printable recipe card for ease of use! I hope that you love these recipes. If you make any of them, please leave a comment and rating below, and post a photo of your creations to Instagram using @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen!

Enjoy!

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I hope that you find this formula helpful and delicious! I’ll be back very soon with a new recipe.

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