10 Superfood Smoothie Recipes to Kickstart Your Day

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet 31 million Americans still skip breakfast on a daily basis!

I’m betting most people’s excuse is that they’re in a hurry.

If you’re one of those people that are skipping breakfast due to time constraints, then these smoothie recipes are for you.

Most of these recipes can be whipped up in two minutes flat, especially if you prep the ingredients the night before. And they’re all jam-packed with superfoods, meaning you’ll have energy to burn all day long.

Strawberry and Goji Berry Smoothie

If you’ve read my post ‘8 Reasons to Eat More Goji Berries’ you’ll know that I consider gojis to be a serious superfood. They’re packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and even fiber.

This smoothie, by Skinny Ms, pairs gojis with another amazing berry: the strawberry. Strawberries are one of my favorite fruit, they’re sweet, summery and full of vitamin C.

One cup of strawberries contains a crazy 149% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of vitamin C. That’s more than one regular sized orange.

Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb iron from plant-based foods and enables the immune system to protect us from illness. It also makes collagen, which is vital for healthy skin.

I’d say we can definitely chalk this down as a superfood smoothie, wouldn’t you?

Ingredients (makes 2 cups)

• 2 tbsp dried goji berries
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 cups almond milk
• Ice

Directions

1. In a small bowl mix the goji berries and 1 tablespoon of water, leave for 15 minutes to make the berries softer. (Note: this can also be done overnight if preferred).
2. Then blend the goji berries and other ingredients until smooth.

Kick Booty Kale Smoothie

This kale and pineapple smoothie recipe from Well Plated is so named because it’s, well…kick-ass!

In terms of protein, this packs a serious punch. According to the My Fitness Pal recipe calculator, one smoothie serves up an incredible 27 g of protein, thanks to the kale, Greek yogurt, milk and peanut butter.

Pineapple is one of the richest sources of the enzyme bromelain in the world! According to Dr Axe, bromelain shows promise in fighting cancer and helps with digestion, allergies, asthma, joint pain and sinus infections.

This tropical fruit is also a rich source of manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue. The quarter cup used in this smoothie contains 20% of our RDV.

Ingredients (makes 1)

• 2 cups lightly packed chopped kale leaves, stems removed
• 3/4 cup milk of choice
• 1 frozen banana, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple pieces
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 to 3 tsp honey, to taste

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add more liquid if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Blueberry Flax Smoothie

Blueberries, ground flaxseed, spinach, Greek yogurt and coconut milk make for a fairly impressive list of superfoods, am I right?

Lee at Fit Foodie Finds had the genius idea of adding all these ingredients together to create this incredibly tasty smoothie.

To kick things off, blueberries are probably king of the superfoods. They were ranked number one in terms of antioxidant activity by the USDA, when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables.

One cup of these bad boys contains 35% of the RDV of vitamin K. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for building strong bones, preventing heart disease and helping vitamin D perform at its best in the body.

According to WebMD some call flaxseed ‘one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet’. A mere one tablespoon contains 8% of the RDV of fiber, 9% the RDV of manganese and 7% of magnesium.

Men’s Fitness claim consuming flaxseed reduces high blood pressure and cholesterol, prevents depression, and lowers the risk of liver disease and certain types of cancer.

Ingredients (makes 1)

• 1 cup blueberries, frozen
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• Handful of spinach
• 1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup coconut milk

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Spiced Green Tea Smoothie

Not your usual berry mix, or even ‘green monster’, this spiced tea concoction is a smoothie with a difference.

You know I love my green tea, right?

It’s chock full of antioxidants; fights cancer, anxiety and fat; is good for heart and brain health and promotes oral hygiene.

It’s the key ingredients in my 2 Minute Fat Melting Drink, and I often drink it as an alternative to coffee.

So why have I never thought of making it into a smoothie?

Thankfully, Health.com did!

They also added in cayenne pepper for improved blood circulation, reduced blood sugar levels, pain relief and even more calorie burning potential.

On top of these two weight loss wonders, fiber-rich pears are known to be an incredible aid in fighting flab.

Ingredients (makes 1)

• 3/4 cup strong green tea, chilled
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp agave nectar
• 1 small pear, skin on, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp fat-free plain yogurt
• 6-8 ice cubes

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Antioxidant Smoothie Bowl

Sometimes, you want to sit down and enjoy breakfast at a leisurely pace – something that’s tough to do with a smoothie.

Enter, the smoothie bowl.

It’s exactly as it sounds – a smoothie in a bowl, but there’s something more satisfying about eating breakfast with a spoon rather than gulping it down from a glass.

You can also add toppings which need to be chewed. Chewing increases satiety as it signals to the brain when we are full, and stops overeating.

Blissful Basil’s smoothie bowl recipe is topped with plenty of crunchy superfood garnishes to keep you healthy and full.

It also tastes crazy good.

Cherries are a low GI fruit, making them a good choice for diabetics. They also might help you sleep better and slow the signs of aging.

Just like the mighty chia seed, fiber rich hemp seeds have a great balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which is really important for overall health. They also contain all 20 amino acids, including each of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce.

I can’t neglect to mention pomegranate here. A compound found only in pomegranates has been shown to benefit the heart and blood vessels by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

Ingredients (makes 1)

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries or frozen berries
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 fresh banana, sliced
• Fresh raspberries
• Fresh blackberries
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp pepitas
• 1 tbsp coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions

1. Add frozen banana, cherries, hemp seeds, and almond milk to a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.
2. Top smoothie with sliced bananas, raspberries, blackberries, chia seeds, pepitas, coconut flakes, and pomegranate seeds.

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

Who doesn’t want to hear they can have chocolate for breakfast and still be healthy?

No one, that’s who!

This creamy avocado based smoothie from Paleo Magazine is not just paleo and vegan friendly, but it tastes like dessert in a glass.

Avocado, which makes this breakfast so damn creamy, is a staple in my diet these days. As a healthy fat it is known to prevent osteoporosis and certain degenerative eye conditions as well as help with weight loss and digestion.

The cocoa is rich in antioxidant flavonoids and has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death by 50% in elderly men and improve blood flow to the brain and heart. One little tablespoon of raw cocoa powder provides 10% of the RDV of both manganese and copper.

Copper, an often overlooked mineral, is important for forming collagen for healthy skin, energy production and to increase our body’s absorption of iron.

Ingredients (makes 2)

• 1 avocado
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups almond or coconut milk

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Plum Quinoa Smoothie

This smoothie by Turnip the Oven is an awesome way to use up leftover cooked quinoa from another recipe (like from these Spinach-Quinoa Patties).

Quinoa has been used to fuel people since the days of the Inca warriors, so expect a major energy burst after this drink. One cup of quinoa boasts 39 g of carbs, 8 g of protein and 15% of your RDV of iron. Check out my post on quinoa to discover all its awesome health benefits.

Cinnamon (which pairs so well with quinoa) shows huge antioxidant activity. When compared with 25 other herbs and spices, cinnamon outranked them all.

This spice also mimics sweetness, meaning it can be used in place of sugar to help manage cravings. It’s also a powerful appetite suppressant.

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe plum, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1/2 large frozen banana
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 4 or 5 large ice cubes

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Oat Coconut Smoothie

If you want to get on the smoothie bandwagon, but can’t shake the idea of oatmeal for breakfast, this recipe by Martha Stewart will help you make the transition.

Oats are an awesome food – they’re one of my top 15 foods that give you the ‘biggest bang for your buck’.

Here’s why: they lower cholesterol, manage blood pressure, improve digestion and immunity, and help weight loss and athletic performance.

Another food that made that list, and happens to be in this smoothie, is Greek yogurt. Packed with protein, one third of a cup will give you about 5.5 g towards your daily requirement.

This awesome smoothie also contains coconut oil which is full of lauric acid, an anti-viral that also helps balance cholesterol levels. Make sure to melt the coconut oil before adding to the smoothie or you’ll end up with lumps!

Ingredients

• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup ice

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Swamp Smoothie

Don’t let the name put you off this healthy smoothie recipe.

In the words of its creator Gena at Choosing Raw, ‘this smoothie looks like mud, but tastes amazing’!

Don’t let the ingredients put you off either – most notably the broccoli in there. If you haven’t read my post on the Invigorating Health Benefits of Broccoli, check it out. You’ll be racing to try this smoothie after reading it, I promise.

Raw spinach is another green ingredient in this drink…and it’s even healthier than kale.

Research has shown that enjoying a spinach shake in the morning may significantly lower hunger throughout the day and promote weight loss.

If that doesn’t convince you to try this smoothie, I don’t know what will!

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 small banana
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, steamed or raw
• 1 handful raw spinach
• 1 cup almond or hemp milk
• 1 heaping tbsp cacao or carob powder
• 3 tbsp hemp protein powder (or protein powder of choice)
• 1 tbsp shelled hemp seeds
• Stevia to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Anti-aging Coconut Turmeric Smoothie

A favorite of the former model Shannon Vaughan, this superfood combo featured in the Chalkboard Mag will take years off you.

Where do I start with the impressive ingredients in this one?

It’s got good-fat coconut oil again but it also has coconut milk.

Livestrong states that the lauric acid in coconut milk may help with dandruff, skin infections, wounds and dry skin. The milk may even work as a natural moisturizer to repair wrinkles and sagging skin.

Turmeric is a revered anti-inflammatory that helps with skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis. It also increases weight loss and has a ton of other health benefits.

Ginger is another similar root with anti-inflammatory properties, and a third root in the mix – maca – is known to increase libido, clear acne, boost energy and balance hormones.

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 to 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp maca

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

So there you have it – 10 healthy superfood smoothies to help you pack in as many nutrients as possible into your first meal of the day.

Do you start your day off with a smoothie?

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