The other day I had a fellow instagrammer private message me and ask for the recipe to the green smoothie I posted recently. So I figured I would go ahead and share the recipe with everyone! Also, this week was my off week from training! ;) So I have no training to share! Green Smoothie: 8-10 ounces of unflavored coconut water 1 small scoop of Vanilla Vega Protein & Greens 1 tsp of Spirulina powder 1 tsp of Maca Powder 5-7 frozen strawberries or cherries Optional Ingredient: 2 scoops of BeetElite Directions: BLEND! I love putting coconut water in all of my smoothies during the summer. With 2 a day workouts in the mix it's always difficult to stay completely hydrated! Coconut water is a natural way to replenish your electrolytes and potassium after a hard workout and has been nicknamed "nature's sports drink". If you hate the taste of coconut water (or hate the texture of it, like I do) then don't worry! With all of the other ingredients of this smoothie you won't even know it is in there! I specify a small scoop of protein powder for a few reasons... (1) This smoothie can get a little powdery if you have a large scoop + only 8 ounces of coconut water. So if you love protein powder and want to use a well rounded scoop then make sure you increase the liquid! (2) I am not a big believer in a high protein diet. I have been a veggie eater since the age of 16 and have never had a "protein deficiency". Not during my 15-20 hour weeks for club volleyball and not during Ironman training. (side note: everyone's body is different; always pay attention to how you feel when eating a certain way and don't blindly follow any nutrition advice) One great benefit of the Vega protein & greens is that it contains 2 servings of greens! And compared to other vegan meal replacement powders, Vega powder blends very very well. Vega also has a sport protein and a nutritional powder, so whatever your goals are they have a product for you! Spirulina powder is just a fancy word for pond algae...yummm! This smoothie just keeps getting better and better, right? Spirulina has been used for centuries as a food supplement, so don't be afraid! It is chock full of niacin, calcium, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, and iron. It is also rich in antioxidants, which help athletes recover from exercise induced stress and lessens muscle fatigue! Maca Powder is another supplement with a long history of usage. Maca powder is the grounded down root of the Maca plant (a vegetable similar to a turnip or radish). As an androgen, supplementing with Maca daily can relieve stress or boost energy depending on what the body needs. It has also been proven in small studies to increase endurance and strength! Yes please! Lastly, I like to add frozen fruit to my smoothie. This is mostly to thicken the consistency. Feel free to add ice instead or to change up which kinds of fruit you use! Frozen mango or peaches would be delicious in this smoothie! I am a big fan of buying in bulk...5 lb bag of strawberries and I get my coconut water delivered in 6 packs from Amazon subscribe and save! On race week I like to add to add 2 scoops of Beet Elite to my smoothies. Beet Elite is loaded with nitric oxide which promotes endurance and stamina, both of which are great things to have during a race! Heightening the levels of NO in your body cause increased blood flow and oxygen levels in your muscles; in theory this creates better blood flow to working muscles and in turn you have better endurance. I would love to take this stuff every day, but its a little out of my price range right now with a wedding and honeymoon to save for, but if you have the extra cash then you should add this stuff to your smoothie every day! I hope you enjoy my smoothie recipe and find your days filled with energy and endurance!
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LPCoach & Team - Austin T3 (Whitley Atkins) & Team Nuun |