Wake up, work out, smoothie. It’s my morning routine 95% of the time and I’m hooked! Not to be dramatic, but this smoothie holds all the secrets to having great skin, sustained energy, and that all-around healthy-girl glow. True to its name, this protein-packed, and nutritionally balanced smoothie has been a longtime *glow-to* in my smoothie rotation. At one point, I was definitely making it almost every day, and I swear it’s been a key factor in helping to maintain a healthy glow in my skin. You have to make it at least once!
This one is a definite winner in my book.
SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE
So I know the Hailey Bieber “glazed donut” skin is all the rage these days, and I won’t lie to you… I’m fully on board. It’s her subtle, lit-from-within look that I’m after, and putting this smoothie on repeat is only going to help me get there. I’ll just sit back and let the superfoods work their magic. Let’s go through the full run-down on this absolutely stacked superfood roster:
- Blueberries are one of the best natural sources of antioxidants, are rich in vitamin K (which helps promote heart health), and supports blood sugar control.
- Spinach is a great addition to any smoothie because it contains high levels of iron, vitamins C & E, magnesium & potassium, and doesn’t detract from the overall taste (I promise nobody will even suspect the greens in this recipe!).
- Flaxseeds are a great source of many nutrients including fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Ceylon cinnamon is one of my most used spices in my cabinet, hands down. It contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Cinnamon can help reduce blood sugar levels after eating. Some studies have even shown that the effects of cinnamon can help with skin regeneration through stimulating enzymes that promote cell growth and repair (hellooo glazed donut skin!).
- Cacao is full of antioxidants, flavonoids and polyphenols – which have been found to promote calmness and decrease stress-levels.
- Protein is a key macronutrient that helps build & repair muscle, and provides a great source of sustained energy. You can check out my favorite protein powders in this post: My 5 Favorite Protein Powders
WHAT IS CEYLON CINNAMON?
The two most widely available varieties of cinnamon include Ceylon and Cassia. Ceylon, or “true cinnamon”, is native to Sri Lanka and southern parts of India, is tan/brown in color and has a delicate, mildly sweet flavor. Cassia cinnamon originated in southern China, tends to be a dark red/brown color and has a stronger, spicier flavor. Both are delicious and share the superfood qualities that we love!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
- Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Ice Cubes
- Frozen Blueberries
- Frozen Spinach
- Ground Flaxseed
- Cacao Powder
- Protein Powder
- Cacao Nibs
- Ceylon Cinnamon
- Coconut Oil
HOW TO MAKE THE EVERYDAY GLOW-TO SMOOTHIE
If you’re like me and prefer your smoothies at a colder temperature, I recommend freezing your blueberries and spinach the night before or simply buying already-frozen from the grocery store. Otherwise, straight from the fridge works too!
Start by adding unsweetened almond milk, ice cubes, frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, ground flaxseed, cacao powder, protein powder, cacao nibs, Ceylon cinnamon, and coconut oil to your blender. Blend on high until smooth.
Pour the smoothie into your cup and top with a sprinkling of cacao nibs or my Easy 20-Minute Paleo Granola and start sipping your way to smooth skin!
ARE HOMEMADE SMOOTHIES HEALTHY TO DRINK EVERYDAY?
Yes! As long as you’re making a balanced smoothie packed with key nutrients like protein, fat and fiber, a smoothie a day can be a great meal replacement, snack or pre/post-workout. It can be especially great for picky eaters to get some nutrients and greens in their diet that they otherwise might not get. Take my word for it!
SMOOTHIE NECESSITIES
IS FRESH OR FROZEN SPINACH BETTER FOR A SMOOTHIE?
I prefer frozen spinach (I typically just buy two bags organic spinach at the store and toss one straight in the freezer for my smoothies. It keeps great!) because I find it hides the flavor better, it adds coldness to the smoothie & it blends better. Try it out! If you don’t have frozen spinach on hand, fresh will work fine too.
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
Feel free to use your favorite milk (I typically prefer an unsweetened, non-dairy to avoid excess sugar) instead of the unsweetened almond milk listed here. Also, you can omit the flaxseeds and/or the cacao nibs if you don’t have them, but I’d recommend making sure you at least include cacao powder for the taste (& superfood benefits!).
LOVE THIS RECIPE? TRY MORE RGE SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES:
My Glow-To Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 handful ice cubes
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 serving plant protein, (I’ve been loving Nutraorganics– their Coconut Chocolate flavor is amazing)
- 1 tbsp cacao nibs
- 1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients & top with cacao or granola. Enjoy!
Tried this today have Cceliac this is great thank you
Oh WOW. I just made this and I am SHOCKED at how amazing it is. I don’t know if its the cacao powder or the little shake of cinnamon, but this totally curved my sugar cravings. I am currently doing the 7 day (added) sugar detox (on day 5!) and I was so excited that there was only 1/3 cup of fruit in it. This totally transformed my life and also made me realize that I having been putting an unnecessary amount of fruit in my smoothies.
Stumbled upon this recipe last night and tried it this morning. It is SO good! I was getting tired of my usual morning smoothie, so this is definitely going to be a new staple. Thank you!
Can I use cacao powder instead of nibs?
Hey Rachael! Your recipes, workouts, smoothies—love it all! So, I just found out recently I can’t have chocolate or cacao…such a bummer! I have a huge bag of cacao powder! Is there anything you recommend as a replacement??
Thank you!
Doesn’t taste horrible but doesn’t really taste like anything. I made it exactly as described but put vital proteins collagen peptides (unflavored) in as the protein.
Danielle– the unflavored collagen peptides is probably the reason why 🙂 The chocolate protein really adds a lot of the flavor.. try it with that if you’re able to find at the store next time! xx
I have been making this and just purchased your 7 Day Sugar Detox. What other plant proteins do you recommend? Nutraorganics is still not on Amazon and every other one I have tried has been grainy and gross. Also, with the 7 day sugar plan, most have some type of added sweetener like stevia. Is this ok? Thank you!
So yummy!!