Vegan Practically

I’m a breakfast person. I can’t skip breakfast and it’s a meal I actually look forward to every day and typically take the time to enjoy. The range of vegan breakfast options might surprise people. My usual repertoire includes oatmeal, overnight oats, toast with marmite or crumpets with peanut butter and banana, cereal, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches with Just Egg and Gardein maple sausage patties (easy to find at supermarkets) and sliced tomatoes, tofu scramble, and…smoothies. By request (hi Shelley), today I’m going to talk about smoothies.

I didn’t used to be a fan because I worried they wouldn’t fill me enough. Depending on the smoothie, that could be true, but I have a couple of go-tos that do the trick. And if I’m really hungry I add a piece of toast.

All you need for a good smoothie besides the ingredients is a decent blender. I have and adore my Vitamix. But I get that they’re $$$. It was a definite splurge at the time, even on sale. A Ninja or even a Magic Bullet (which is what I used before I got the Vitamix about ten years ago) can make great smoothies too and you can drink them right out of the same container you blend them in.

My absolute favourite smoothie is based on the Date Almond Power Shake they serve at Fresh in Toronto. It is so delicious and I have spent some time trying to approximate the recipe. And then I discovered I actually have the recipe in the Fresh cookbook that is among my collection. I actually like my version better, so that’s the one I’m offering.

Tracy’s Version of the Fresh Power Shake:

• Two medjool dates, soaked in hot water so they’re soft (the Fresh version has four dates, but that’s too sweet for me)
• a banana
• 1/2C soy milk and 1/2C of coconut milk
• 1 Tablespoon of nut butter (any kind but obviously they use almond)
• 1 tsp maple syrup or another sweetener (personally I feel with the dates you can skip this)
• cinnamon (a shake or two)

Put it all in a blender. Start on low and gradually ramp it up to high. Blend it well and good for a couple of minutes. Enjoy! [p.s. it’s great with a shot of espresso added]

Tracy’s Banana-Strawberry Smoothie

• about 3/4C of frozen strawberries
• half a banana
• 1/2C soy milk and 1/2C coconut milk (or any combo that adds up to a cup)
• (optional) 1-3 teaspoons of nut butter or a scoop of PB2 powder or any flavourless vegan protein powder (note that it can change the colour and sometimes make it look less appetizing)
• (optional) 1 tsp maple syrup or agave syrup

Put it all in a blender. Start on low and gradually ramp it up to high. Blend it well and good for a couple of minutes. Enjoy! [p.s. you can swap out strawberries for blueberries and it’s equally good]

I used to always put pumpkin seed protein power in my smoothies, and if you’re needing protein, that’s obviously a good idea. The kind I used had no flavour, but it’s green and sometimes I don’t like the colour. Strawberry smoothies, for example, are so lovely and pink. But if you add this powder they become a really unappetizing colour that approximates khaki (great for wearing, not for eating!). There are lots of flavoured vegan protein powders, like vanilla and chocolate, but I haven’t found one that I like. They all taste artificial to me and I usually end up throwing them out after they have sat untouched in my pantry for a few years. Nut butters can do as well for adding protein to a smoothie and they taste a lot better. But also, as long as I’m getting a balance of protein throughout the day that can work for me. Or, as noted above, add some peanut butter toast.

The options for smoothies are really endless. I suggest that at least one of the ingredients be frozen or the smoothie will end up at room temperature, which isn’t as good. If not frozen fruit, then a little bit of ice. But you need to hit the right balance or it’s too thick to drink. Lots of people use yogurt, and there are some great coconut or soy-based yogurts (in Canada you can look for Silk, Maison Rivière, or President’s Choice plant-based yogurt). Here’s a promising list of recipes for vegan smoothies from the BBC. And there are a few that look pretty delicious on this list from the Minimalist Baker.

Please share your own smoothie favourites in the comments.

Bon Appétit!