sara’s seasonal smoothie

I realized a few weeks ago that I’ve been drinking the same basic smoothie several times a week for probably over a decade. As someone who hates routines and gets bored with the same thing over and over again, my relationship with my smoothie “formula” might be longest running commitment next to my marriage. I’ve tweaked a few things over the years, and I change things up a little based on the season/what needs to be used up in the freezer. Here is my formula, along with the reasoning behind it:

Some frozen berries – at least a cup or so

Berries are packed with nutrition and beneficial to brain health – and I can use all of the help I can get in that department. In the summer months, we freeze gallons and gallons of local berries (strawberries from Spencer’s, blueberries from northern Indiana, black raspberries and mulberries foraged from Funky Farms). When/if we run out of those, I buy the wild blueberries at Costco.

A big handful of greens

We all probably need to eat more dark, leafy greens, and there is no easier way to get more servings of veg in than to throw at least a couple servings in your smoothie.

We grow a bed of kale and Swiss chard and freeze a ton of it in gallon-sized bags. You can’t taste the kale at all. The chard has a bit more of a taste, but I don’t really notice it once everything else gets in there. Spinach is a good choice too, but I’ve never had great luck growing it. When I run out of our freezer stash, I buy the organic baby greens at Costco and throw those in the freezer or buy from a few local farms via MarketWagon.com when they have availability in the winter months.

Flax or chia seeds

After my c-section with Maeve, I had some intestinal stuff associated with the surgery that has caused me to be much more aware of my fiber intake, so I always add some flax or chia to my smoothies – I just eyeball it, but I would guess about 2-3 tablespoons. We all likely need more fiber. I prefer flax because I tend to store up too much estrogen (which my doctor discovered after ordering me one of these tests), and flax can boost my body’s ability flush out estrogen. I get organic chia and flax in bulk at Costco.

A splash of fruit juice

Bananas are great for some extra sweetness and fiber in your smoothies, but we try to limit our banana buying (and to be honest, they’re typically too sweet for my taste, but you do you!). Instead for some extra sweetness, I add a splash of 100 percent fruit juice. I alternate between tart cherry (said to help you sleep more deeply and reduce inflammation) and pomegranate (has anti-aging properties) juice. Again, I just estimate the amount, but I would guess it is about two tablespoons – just a splash.

Pine pollen

As this article says, “When one of the most spiritually aware and medically advanced ancient cultures on the planet reveres an herb for thousands of years, there’s usually good reason to believe there is something special about it.” Read on for many of the benefits of pine pollen. Most importantly for me is that it is classified as an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it restores balance to our systems. Adapotogens are used widely in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. With the stress of modern culture, we probably could all use more adaptogens.

I’ve been buying Surthrival or this brand, but we have tons of pine trees on our property, so I plan to harvest our own local pine pollen this year!

Mushroom extract powder

I first started drinking the yummy Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee and hot chocolate mixes for afternoon pick-me-ups, but then I went down the mushroom rabbit hole after reading Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind (my thoughts here). This mix that I use has six mushroom extracts – all with their own unique – and amazing – benefits (reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, turkey tail).

Hemp protein

If I’m going to have a protein powder, I prefer it of the plant-based variety, and I love hemp’s nutritional profile (plus fiber again!). We keep this brand on hand. Grant likes the Orgain brand that we get at Costco.

Hemp is a complete protein, and one serving of my hemp powder has 15 grams of protein. If I double that up, I start off the morning with 30ish grams of protein which is proven to keep you fuller during the day. I don’t care too much about that (or at least I try not to), but I do appreciate how I don’t typically feel like snacking on smoothie days.

The hemp can be a bit strong tasting, so I like to add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, which has a whole host of benefits on its own. I especially like it for magnesium, which I’m always trying to get more of in food forms.

Grass-fed collagen

This is a more recent addition (the last year or so), but I do think I notice a different in my skin and hair especially when I’m consistently getting more collagen in my smoothies. In addition to the more superficial benefits, it is supposed to be balancing to our hormones and help our joints. We make our own stock, so we’re getting lots of collagen in that way too. We buy this version from Vital Proteins.

Just the recipe

1 cup-ish berries
1 big handful of greens (or one-inch slice if frozen like this) – about 1.5 cups
2-3 tbsp flax or chia
2 tbsp tart cherry or pomegranate juice
1 tbsp cocoa powder if desired
Serving sizes of pine pollen, mushroom extract, collagen, and protein (all of those come with scoops that correspond to their serving size)
Top off with about 1-1.5 cups of water depending on desired consistency (alternatively, you could use a nut milk, but I prefer water)

So that’s my go-to smoothie. If I’m making for the kids, I double the amounts listed above (the kids split a serving basically). If I’m making for the kids and Grant, I triple the amounts.

I think of my smoothie formula as an insurance policy: it ensures that I’m getting lots of good stuff even if I might not hit my daily veggie goals or something similar. To me, it’s like vitamins: I don’t take supplements to feel better today necessarily (although that happens sometimes of course). I “take my vitamins” to feel better for the long haul and for the sake of my long-term well-being. And the same goes for my smoothie.

What’s in your go-to smoothie recipe?!