How to Upgrade Your Vegan Shakes & Smoothies

Once reserved for Instagram’s wellness clan, the thirst for vegan shakes and smoothies has made them a mainstream phenomenon thanks to their immense nutrient density and convenience. But whether you’re blending your breakfast or elevating your post-workout concoction to more than simply protein powder and plant milk, a scroll through social media’s many recipes may have you perplexed by the choice of health-touting ingredients.

The perfect vegan shake or smoothie should taste great, be rich in vitamins and minerals, have a texture that’s neither too thin nor too thick, and be easy to make.

Here, we’ve provided some top tips for Vitamix perfection, every time.

Witness the thickness (without added carbs or sugar) 🥛

Thanks to the increasing popularity of plant milks, forgoing dairy in your shakes is no longer to the detriment of your creation’s consistency. That said, extra creaminess is the preference of many a Nutribulletier, and for those looking to keep calories low, it’s not always as simple as coconut cream or avocado.

But there are two great low carb, sugar-free and totally natural thickening agents you may not have known about for the desired effects:

Psyllium husk: Most commonly available in powder form that’s easily mixed in shakes and smoothies, psyllium husks are derived from the seed of the Plantago Ovata plant and are a highly soluble source of fibre. Mix in around one teaspoon to 300ml of liquid for calorie-free thickening.
Chia/flax seeds: High in protein and tasteless in flavour, chia and flax seeds both gel up in a similar way to how gelatin does. Use a teaspoon of them in their whole or milled forms to bulk up your smoothies.

Drink Your Vegetables 🥦

One of the reasons smoothies have been so widely adopted as a nutritious breakfast or snack is for their ease of quick nutrients. There are many ways to incorporate an extra portion of your five-a-day into your drink. While seasoned smoothie-makers will likely have experimented with leafy greens already, consider these three somewhat unsung additions for particularly added value:

Frozen cauliflower: Not only can cauliflower be used as an additional thickening agent, it’s extremely nutrient-dense, high in fibre and antioxidant-rich, all for only 25 calories per serving.
Frozen courgette: Another nutrient and antioxidant-rich vegetable, courgette has also been shown to aid healthy digestion thanks to its soluble fibre content, which feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut and in turn produces short-chain fatty acids to nourish gut cells.
Steamed sweet potato: Fibrous sweet potatoes come with many health benefits, including vision support from beta-carotene and anthocyanins which prevent damage from free radicals. Steamed and swapped for the banana in your shake or smoothie, they provide a great taste addition while also being lower in sugar.

The Tastemakers 🥜

Not all that is good for us tastes delicious, but if you see your smoothie as more of a means to pack in nutrients than an epicurean masterpiece, here are a few tried and tested ingredients to offset unwanted bitterness.

Ginger in green smoothies: Balance out the nutrient density in your green juice with a fiery punch of fresh ginger. As well as acting as a natural sweetener, ginger has been used in natural remedies and medications for thousands of years thanks to its high amounts of vitamins B, C and E, plus magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc.
Ice and frozen fruit: It might seem obvious, but one of the greatest fixes for a not-so palatable smoothie blend is a deep freeze. Just a few ice cubes in your blender will result in a far more refreshing drink, muting the potency of otherwise bitter or bland ingredients. If you make shakes or smoothies a few times a week, you could also consider freezing your fruit and vegetable supplies. It’ll add the same benefits as ice to your taste, while also retaining their nutritional value and flavour for longer.
Alternative nut butters: Peanut butter is a go-to ingredient in bulk-touting, muscle-reparative shakes, but mixing things up could be the flavour tweak needed to keep taste bud boredom at bay. Almond butter tends to be nuttier and richer than peanut, while cashew is naturally somewhat milder (though watch out for added salt). Those with nut allergies (or who simply prefer it’s relative bitterness) can alternatively opt for sesame seed-derived tahini.

Recipes

The below recipes showcase some of the vegan shake and smoothie ingredients mentioned above. Add them to your recipe rotation, and be sure to tag us when you share your creations at @formnutrition.

Super Greens Shake (serves 1)

300ml Rebel Mylk
20g Form vanilla Performance Protein
½ tsp matcha powder
30g avocado
60g spinach
½ tsp fresh ginger
10 mint leaves
1 tsp psyllium husk
5 ice cubes

Mango Lassi (serves 1)

300ml Rebel Mylk
20g Form vanilla Performance Protein
1 cup ripe mango
1 tbsp tahini
½ tsp cardamom powder
5 ice cubes

Chocolate Peanut Shake (serves 1)

300ml Rebel Mylk
40g Form chocolate peanut Performance Protein
½ cup steamed sweet potato
1 tbsp peanut butter
5 ice cubes

Photography by Luce Hosier

Form’s Performance Protein contains 30g of multisource plant-based protein for a complete amino acid profile to support the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. Though it’s optimised to taste great with just water, it also mixes amazingly in shakes and smoothies. Opt for vanilla for maximum versatility, or elevate your drink’s flavour profile with Chocolate Peanut or Tiramisu.