Photo by: Courtney Boyd Myers
Let’s face it – smoothies are kind of boring. And most times – they can only be so filling. Slurping up your fruity concoction sometimes just isn’t satisfying enough.
Don’t you think it’s a time for a little upgrade? Smoothie bowls are the way to go!
Smoothie bowls are just as easy to create, but can be so much more satiating. Plus, you can throw in some extra fruits, green veggies, nuts and more on top for that extra crunchy “oooh aaah” sensation.
Today, we have two green-powered smoothie bowl recipes to help keep you full, while also allowing you to indulge!
The Easy Essential
It can be a little hard to get in your daily fruits + veggies, but this recipe will help you get there!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1-2 servings of Pure Planet’s Best of Greens (or another green blend)
- 1 banana (1 handful of frozen bananas could work too, use any extras for toppings)
- 1/2 cup – 1 1/2 cup of berries for smoothie mix and toppings (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, whatever works for you)
- 1 handful of chopped kale (remove the large stems)
- 1 handful of spinach
- Flaxseeds or granola (for some fiber)
- Almonds, Coconut shreds, hemp seeds or cacao nibs (for topping)
- Kiwis for topping (for taste)
- 1 – 1/2 cup of almond or coconut milk (you can adjust for your own consistency –> more milk means a more liquidy finish)
Instructions
- Throw Pure Planet Best of Greens, the banana, half of of your berries, kale, spinach and your milk into a blender. Blend and adjust to your own desired consistency. Add more milk to thin things out if you need.
- Pour out your smoothie into a bowl.
- Top with desired toppings.
- Instagram it and tag us! (Not necessary, but come on, why not?)
The Dessert That’s Not Actually Dessert
What’s the only thing that is better than dessert? A dessert that is actually good for you! If you’re not a green foodie, then this chocolatey-smooth recipe is key to sneak in some vital nutrition.
What You’ll Need:
- 1-2 servings of Pure Planet Chocomint Spirulina
- 1/3 – 1 cup of plant-based milk (depending on your desired consistency)
- 1/3 – 1 whole banana (or one handful of bananas)
- 1 tablespoon of almond butter or hazlenut spread
- One handful of chia seeds, cacao nibs, and shredded coconut for topping
- A small handful of spinach (optional)
- Extra cacao powder (optional)
Instructions:
- Throw the Pure Planet product, banana, milk and almond butter/hazulnet spread into a blender. Mix in optional extras.
- Blend until you’re happy with the consistency.
- Pour out your treat in a bowl.
- Top with chia seeds, cacao nibs and shredded coconuts
Snack on!
Lemon, Ginger Cookies
If you’re looking for a snack with a a little twang, these babies will hit the spot. The moment we saw this Loving it Vegan recipe, we just knew we had to put our own spin on it.
Just feast your eyes (and your mouth) on this recipe. Who can say that your cookie has digestive-boosting ingredients, like ginger and apple cider vinegar? You can after you give this a try!
What You’ll Need:
- 1-2 teaspoons or 1 scoop of Pure Planet Apple Cider Vinegar – Probiotic*
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 3/4 cup of coconut sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp lemon zest for more lemon taste
- 2 tbsp almond milk (more if needed for consistency if needed)
* You may want an additional 1-2 teaspoons or 1 scoop for a stronger, bolder taste.
Directions
Add the ingredients together.
- Mix the vegan butter and coconut sugar together until it is creamy. This may be easier if you use a mixer of some sort, but your hand and spoon work too!
- Mix in 1-2 teaspoons of Pure Planet ACV.
- Add baking soda and extra lemon or ACV if desired. Mix.
- Mix in almond milk.
- Separate your dough into small ball-sized pieces and flatten for thinner cookies.
- Put in the oven at 350°F for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Chocolate, Cherry Cookies
This sweet treat is sure to please if you love cherry and chocolate. Plus, you get the added bonus of enjoying something delicious and nutritious! We adapted a recipe from Detoxinista to include one of our favorite alkalizing blends, which includes cherry, beets and ACV!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons or 1 scoop of our Apple Cider Vinegar – Alkalizer mix*
- 2 cups of almond flour
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (try ours here)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or our 1-2 teaspoon of our Chocomint Spirulina mix
*You may want an additional 1-2 teaspoons or 1 scoop for a stronger, bolder taste.
Directions
- Mix the almond flour and coconut oil together in a bowl.
- Add in Pure Planet ACV, maple syrup and baking soda. Mix well.
- Fold in chocolate chips (basically, just make sure you mix the chocolate chips in gently, but firmly with your hands or a spoon-they might melt if you’re not careful)
- Heat in the oven at 250ºF for 20 to 30 minutes or 15 minutes at 350ºF.
- Enjoy after cooling.
Show and Tell
Did you try our recipe? Do you have an apple cider vinegar recipe of your own? Let us know in the comments or on our Instagram!
4 Green Smoothie Recipes That Actually Taste Good: Matcha, Chocolate + More
March 22, 2019
We all know eating veggies promotes good health benefits, but we also know how hard it can be get your daily servings. Maybe you don’t have time to do all the prep work that it takes to eat raw, organic greens every day (let’s be real, who does!?). Or, perhaps you just don’t like the taste of it.
Well, we’re happy if you fall into either on of those camps, because that’s why we’re here. Not only do powdered green blends offer a longer shelf-life, but they are easy to spruce up the flavor for your taste buds.
We know it might be hard to believe so, we took our Best of Greens, with loads of veggies from the garden and sea, like chlorella and kale, and slipped it into a few tasty recipes. We added a few of our superfood products and a bunch of other tasty foods to fulfill even the pickiest of palettes.
Whether you’re a total veg-head or not, these four green smoothie recipes are sure to please.
Okay, full steam ahead!
Avocado, Spirulina, Matcha, Oh my!
Have a hankering for multiple trending plants? Why not try them all at once? This smoothie packs a healthy punch in the best way possible. Soak in the potassium and vitamins, and enjoy the protein and antioxidants from avocado, spirulina, matcha and more.
A FoodCentric Life really hit it out of the park with this recipe. We think our spirulina mix would go perfectly with the vanilla-accented smoothie. If you’re feeling super zesty, mix in our Chocomint Spirulina blend.
Green Lemonade
By far one of the easiest drinks you will ever create, this hydrating beverage might become your daily go-to. Why lemon? The fruit complements veggies pretty well. That’s why our Best of Greens is available in lemon flavor. Plus, this drink is just as alkalizing as it is refreshing.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Best of Greens (original flavor)
- Around 8 oz. water (to taste)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- Maple, honey or agave syrup (to taste)
- Mint leaves (optional)
*You may also substitute the above for simply Best of Greens (any flavor) and fresh, home-made lemonade. We suggest keeping it organic.
Directions:
Stir ingredients and serve with ice. You can also blend until smooth.
Chocolate, Peanut Butter Smoothie
Sounds great, right? But you’re thinking…where’s the veggies? Well, the dedicated mommy over at Gimme Some Oven perfected a smoothie so tasty that you’ll forget vegetables were ever in it. (Yes, we promise they’re one of the main ingredients). This is a top favorite among all green smoothie recipes.
Pure Planet Substitutions
Got our goods in your pantry? You’re good to go. Here’s what we would sub in from this recipe:
- 1-2 tsp Best of Greens (unflavored) instead of spinach
- 2-3 tbsp Rice Bran Solubles instead of peanut butter (read more about this product here)
- 1-2 tsp Choco-Mint Spirulina instead of mint leaves and spinach
Berry Good Smoothie
Okay, don’t roll your eyes at us. This smoothie happens to actually be berry good for your health and taste buds. Minimalist Baker incorporates bananas, frozen berries, flax seed (great fiber source), greens and more.
Pure Planet Substitutions
Here’s what we’d be sub in, using our products:
- 1-2 tsp Best of Greens tsps instead of spinach (of course)
- 1 tbsp Rice Bran Solubles instead of peanut butter
- 1.5 tsp Organic Amla Plus instead of frozen berries*
*Whaat? You’ve never heard of the amla berry? Also known as the Indian gooseberry, this fruit packs more vitamin C than a class of orange juice and better absorption when compared to synthetic vitamins.
Keep in Touch
Let us know how your recipes go by tagging us on Instagram.
Stock up on pure + premium blends on PurePlanet.com
We’re pretty obsessed with spirulina. But because of its nature (you know, being from the ocean and all), we can understand why you wouldn’t be as pumped.
What’s more, recipes for these supplements don’t exactly seem self-explanatory. How exactly can algae be incorporated in your kitchen? Well, there are quite a few ways. In fact, we’ll link you a few recipes below. You might already have the essentials needed in your cabinet (that is–if you already have our blends too).
Why Spirulina?
So, why should you implement spirulina into your diet? We’re glad your asked. Much like red marine algae, this sea plant boasts several benefits. Here are just a few, courtesy of Healthline:
- Encourages detox of heavy metals
- Helps boost energy
- Can support healthy immune system and bodily reaction to inflammation
- Can support weight loss
Why Our Spirulina?
There are a ton of brands out there. So why should you choose ours? Well, as we’re talking about a plant from the sea, you need to ensure the cleanliness of the product. You should also be wary of the sourcing methods. Luckily, we’ve been pure + true since ’92 (since the day we started, baby). With us, you won’t even have to think twice.
What’s more, we have a diverse variety of nature’s sea-based multi-vitamin. Some people like powders–we have two. Some like capsules–so we have that too. Other places might only offer one, but we offer three different varieties:
- Capsules (vegetarian capsules, of course)
- Powder
- Choco-mint powder, for those who want an extra “yum” factor
Plus, each comes in a variety of sizes. So, whether you’re a tried + true supplement-head needing a hardy amount for daily use or just a casual looky-loo (no judgements here), we have you covered.
Okay, off our soap-box we go. Enough talk, let’s get to the recipes.
4 Easy Recipes
Choco-mint Smoothie
Decadent smoothies are perfect breakfast go-to’s or afternoon pick-me-ups. When you want a sweet treat, try this recipe. We’ve adapted a tasty recipe created by Natural View Market.
What You’ll Need
Option 1
- Pure Planet Spirulina (Choco-mint powder mix) – 2-3 tsp, according to taste
- Coconut or almond milk – 1 cup
- Banana (cut into pieces) – Add desired amounts of cut pieces
- Cacao nibs – amount desired for garnish or extra taste
Option 2
- Pure Planet Spirulina (standard) or other mix – 2-3 tsp, according to taste
- Raw Cacao nibs or powder – 2 tbsp
- Peppermint extract or leaves – 1-2 tsp or up to 12 leaves
- Banana (cut into pieces) – Add desired amounts
- Chocolate protein powder if desired – 1 scoop
Instructions
- Simply throw ingredients in a blender and blend.
Lemonade Refresher
When life gives you lemons… mix them with sea algae? That’s not how the saying goes, but we have a feeling you’re going to love this anyway. It’s a drink that will taste just as good as it looks.
Get the details from the Glowing Fridge and check out the stunning photos.
Vegan Ice Cream
Oh yes, we all scream for ice cream. We specialize in superfood blends, not ice cream-creation, so we’ll let the experts take care of this one. We think our Choco-mint mix would be perfect for these two recipes:
- Sari Foods – Mint, Chocolate chip and spirulina ice cream
- Nuts.com – Gluten-free, vegan ice cream
“Mermaid” Breakfast bowl
Yes, this blue-green algae can be perfect for breakfast bowls. In fact, it has been dubbed as a “mermaid bowl” due to the pretty colors of the result. But just be mindful, we’re not all Instagram-baddies with aesthetic know-how. If it doesn’t look as appetizing as the carefully-crafted squares on social media, don’t worry.
This recipe has been adapted from Cooking Light.
What You’ll Need
- Pure Planet Spirulina or other mix – 1 tsp
- Coconut or almond milk – 1/4 cup
- Almond yogurt – 1/4 cup
- Small apple (cored and peeled) – Cut in half or a handful of berries
- Optional:
Instructions
- Set aside about half of the yogurt (about 3 tbsp).
- Blend remaining yogurt with others ingredients until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in yogurt that was set aside.
Connect with Us
Have you tried any of these recipes? Tag us on Instagram.
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The underrated fruit doesn’t get the love it deserves.
Yes, it’s the better-tasting cherry (we love a little zing), but it’s also loaded with nutrients. These nutrients make it especially beneficial for the average person. Like apple cider vinegar, this may be something you want to work into your daily life.
Why? Well, because it can help with something we all hold dear to our hearts — SLEEP. That’s right: nutritionists connect this dark red beauty with better sleep. But that’s a little vague, right?
Vague, yes, but still true. In fact, science supports these babies and makes a case for their role in daily life.
Let’s take a look at some of the evidence.
Tart Cherries and Improved Sleep
They can help increase melatonin levels.
This body chemical is sometimes confused with melanin, which is a skin pigment. They’re not related, so there’s your FYI — don’t be that person. Instead, this molecule helps regulate sleep. How so? Well, your body produces an increased amount of this towards your bedtime. Production helps lull you down and eventually, knocks you out for the night.
So, if your eyes feel a little heavier as the sun goes down, now you know why. Melatonin helps control your circadian rhythm. No, that’s not a Fortnite dance the kids are doing; it’s the process that your body uses to rest. Think of it as your internal clock that usually follows the day cycle. The sun goes down and you’re ready to catch some z’s, the sun comes up and you’re ready to go.
At least, that’s how things are supposed to work. Yet, many of us still lay awake at the wee hours of the night. Then we drag our knuckles throughout the morning like a zombie looking for brains. Instead, we’re not looking for brains, we’re hoping for our pillows.
That’s where supplements come in. Many look to pills and potions to help them remedy bedtimes issues. For those who would like a more natural supplement, that’s where tart cherries come in. Medical studies have shown this cherry can help increase melatonin-production. In fact, one European Journal of Nutrition study showed measurable changes.
The double-blind study followed 20 volunteers over 7 days. Participants drank either tart cherry juice concentrate or a placebo. Researchers collected urine samples, testing for signs of the molecule.
And what did they find? Surprise, surprise: the cherry drinkers melatonin-content increased, while the placebo showed no change. What does the increase mean?
That brings us to our next point…
Cherry concentrate can help boost sleep efficiency.
Again, it sounds vague, but it’s still true. The European study didn’t just tally chemical-ranges, it accounted for sleep quality too. Volunteers answered sleep quality questionnaires and special sensors monitored actual sleep. Both methods showed the same thing — people slept better with daily doses of the concentrate. More accurately, they slept for longer hours in this case.
Researchers in Spain found a similar correlation in a 2013 study. Ages for this placebo-controlled study ranged from 20 to 85-years-old. Across all these ages, participants showed measured success. Those who drank tart cherry concentrate daily showed reported better sleep. Their activity patterns exemplified this: less sudden awakenings during sleep and more shut-eye.
The report also focused on sleep latency, which means how long it takes to fall asleep. Can you guess what happened? Yup, participants reported (and data showed) falling asleep quicker during their trial. Falling asleep easier and less instances of randomly waking up at 3 AM? Count us in.
This sour fruit’s potential effectiveness has many in the health world. That brings us to our next point.
It may able to help those with sleep disorders in the future.
If the tart cherry can benefit the average person’s sleep cycle, can it help those with sleep disorders? Signs are looking positive, but lack extensive research. Research might be far and few between, but there’s still hope.
The American Journal of Therapeutics recently published a pilot study focusing on patients with insomnia. Researchers hoped the fruit could one day be a natural alternative to sleep-inducing drugs. So, is that what they found?
Unfortunately, the correlation could not go that far. But, those who ingested a cherry concentrate daily (as opposed to the placebo) found improvement. Their monitored sleep time increased by a little over an hour and thirty minutes (83 minutes). We know every minute counts, so that’s pretty cool.
Interestingly enough, researchers also noted an increase in tryptophan-availability. This chemical helps your body produce the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin. This makes sense because serotonin is also associated with melatonin. Think about it like this: how many times has your night’s rest (or lack thereof) affected your mood the next day?
A Very Cherry Recipe
Enticed? Of course you are. Here’s a fun little way to get some cherry-love in your life. Use our Organic Tart Cherry Extract to create this refreshing recipe.
Tart Cherry Red Wine Spritzer
Wine and cherries are two of our favorite things, so naturally we love this recipe by Running to the Kitchen. Add seltzer in the mix and a rosemary for garnish, and you got yourself a holiday drink (or any time, really).
Looking for more tasty drinks? Check more recipes here.
Bottoms up!
