Summer Fertility Smoothies

Great for Summer time and Balancing Hormones

Smoothies are ideal in the summer when it is so hot and you want to cool down plus not heat up the kitchen with cooking! They can also be incredibly helpful while on the fertility journey as a means to get in your extra fiber rich veggies and antioxidant rich fruits! 

Wondering how to build the perfect smoothie so that you stay satiated until your next meal?
Ideally smoothies are a quick breakfast that should be very balanced with protein, fat and fiber. Unfortunately most of the smoothies out there are loaded with too much fruit and end up being a sugar bomb that do not keep you feeling full, cause your blood sugar to crash and leave you “hangry” in an hour or two.

Follow these tips to build the most nutrient dense smoothies that will keep you full and load you up with all the right nutrients. Every smoothie should be balanced with protein, fat and fiber. 

Protein- Ideally you want to aim for 20-30 grams of protein with each meal and smoothies are no exception! Most protein powders on the market are filled with lots of preservatives and unnatural ‘flavorings’ causing inflammation when the whole point of a smoothie is to increase your antioxidants from vitamins and minerals found in fruit and veggies. So be on the lookout for a clean protein powder such as Equip which is grass fed and finished beef protein powder. One scoop is 21 grams of protein. They also have very clean flavored ones such as chocolate, strawberry and peanut butter. Hemp hearts are another great source of protein as 2 tablespoons equals 10 grams of protein and loaded with beneficial omegas. Try adding in nut butters like almond, cashew, walnut etc for a creamy consistency and added protein along with good fats. Or pumpkin seeds, flax and chia seeds for great fiber, zinc, fat, and added protein. 

Fat- aim for at least 2 tablespoons of fat per meal and per smoothie. Fat is incredibly helpful for your sex hormones as well as brain cognition. Without enough fat per meal your hormones will tank and you may start to develop brain fog. Do not skip the fat as fat is flavor! You want to get in quality fat such as nut butters like Artisana or Coconut Butter also known as Coconut Manna like Nutiva. Other sources of quality fat would be half an avocado to a whole avocado. Nuts and seeds like flax seeds, chia, hemp hearts, MCT oil and quality yogurt like Skyr which is rich in probiotics, or kefir if you tolerate dairy. 

Fiber- this is where the fruit and veggies will shine! Aim for ½ cup fruit to no more than 1 cup of fruit. Too many recipes call for crazy amounts of fruit which will really set your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride when it is not properly balanced with enough protein and fat. 1 cup of veggies to 1.5 cup is great. For more neutral veggies try spinach, celery, frozen chopped cauliflower which can double down as your ice and does leave a strong taste at all in your smoothie. For a more green taste you can add in liver loving herbs such as parsley and cilantro and when mixed with things like lime can really be tasty. For fruit stick to organic berries or frozen organic berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Bananas make the smoothie creamy but one is enough as tropical fruits are higher in sugars. Mango, coconut and dragon fruit are all delicious as well, just be mindful of sticking to no more than 1 cup of fruit. Fiber will aid in great digestion and bowel movements. The fruit and veggies are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. 

Superfoods- in addition to the basic ratio above you can add in superfoods such as bee pollen which is great for the immune system and anti-inflammatory. Try Beekeeprs Naturals as a really reputable brand. Other adaptogenic herbs can be added such as Maca which can be beneficial for hormones, flax seeds, hemp hearts, spirulina and acerola cherry which is high in vitamin C. Dates can be added for a touch of sweetness, along with vanilla extract, cocoa powder cinnamon for different flavors. 

Liquids- for your liquids you can just use water and ice or opt for a very clean nut milk such as Malk, or good quality cows milk, coconut milk, coconut water, squeeze of lemon, lime or orange. Don’t forget to read the ingredients on those processed ‘milks’ as they can often have unwanted ingredients which cause more harm than good.

Recipes:

Chocolate Smoothie

1 banana

1 cup spinach

1 scoop protein powder

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

2 Tbs of almond butter

½ cup water

Strawberry Milkshake Smoothie

1 cup strawberries

1 avocado

1 cup frozen cauliflower

½ cup water plus ice

1 scoop protein powder 

1tsp vanilla 

½ cup yogurt

Chocolate Peanut Butter

1 banana

2 tsp cocoa powder

2 Tbs of nut butter

1 cup spinach

1 scoop protein powder

Pinch sea salt

1Tbs of coconut butter

½ cup of water- more or less to thin to your desired consistency

Tropical Green Smoothie

1 cup pineapple

1 cup spinach

½ cup coconut cream

2 Tbs hemp hearts

½  cup water plus ice

1 scoop protein powder

½ cup cilantro

Orange Creamsicle

1 orange

2 Tbs almond butter

1 cup  frozen cauliflower

1 banana

1 scoop protein powder

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2c water