I used to go a little heavy-handed with smoothie boosters thinking, there can’t be too much of a good thing, let’s load this baby up! But after more than a decade of blending morning smoothies, I’m more judicious of what goes into the pitcher and why. Here’s an ingredient that regularly makes the rotation, because who can say no to less inflammation, reducing blood sugar spikes, eliminating toxins, a healthy dose of omega 3’s and better sleep?!

Hemp hearts, or hemp seeds, are truly a wealth of healthy essentials for your body – protecting and nurturing everything from your hair, skin and nails, to your brain, heart, and liver. The best part? They’re incredibly easy to add to smoothies, salads, cookies, really anything you don’t mind a mild, nutty flavor in.

super strawberry smoothie (makes 4)

• 2 cups frozen organic strawberries
• 2 cups of organic microgreens
• 1 fresh avocado
• 1/2 cup organic hemp hearts
• vegan vanilla protein
• 4 cups oat milk

When you’re trying to figure measurements for a smoothie, you don’t need to be too precious about it, but keeping in mind a few guidelines will help.

1. 1:1 fruits + vegetables. Yesterday’s smoothie featured spinach and zucchini with mixed berries, today, microgreens and strawberries. When we vary the rotation, we make sure we’re fueling our bodies with a plethora of vitamins and minerals for optimal immunity, absorption and digestion.
2. boosters. The same goes for add-on’s that you’re including in your smoothie. If you think about it in terms of working out, you wouldn’t do leg day every day of the week, would you? Though that would make for some pretty impressive quads, you want to vary the body parts (and the boosters) in rotation. Chia seeds one day, hemp hearts the next, flax after that. Even with the vegan proteins I use, I switch them up every couple of days. We love Truvani, Sun Warrior and Epic Protein to name a few.
3. Pro tip: The avocado is such an unsung hero in smoothies – it allows for everything to blend beautifully together, gives it a velvety texture, and masks the “green” taste to let the fruit flavor shine. In this case with the hemp, it does the same, and only lets through subtle notes of nuttiness rather than a pungent earthy sip.

Let us know if you give this smoothie a try, it’s well-blended for well-being 💪🏼.

Be well and joyful, kind friend!