Peaches and Cream Smoothie
I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! As summer draws to a close, it’s time to snatch up the last of the season’s most iconic stone fruit and indulge in a delicious smoothie, either for breakfast or as a post-workout treat. This one pairs sweet peaches, ripened to perfection, with the decadent flavor and consistency of cream, recreated by dairy-free coconut milk and a dash of vanilla. This yummy concoction also includes your daily hit of Vitamin C and a protein boost.
It may be a good time to mention one of the other benefits of making smoothies versus juicing your fruit. While juicing removes the fruit’s fiber for quick consumption of vitamins and minerals (which of course has its own appeal sometimes), blending the fruit into a smoothie gives you all the flavor plus all the fiber. It makes a filling meal that is excellent for your digestive health, while slowing the absorption of the fruit’s sugar for steadier blood glucose levels.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe peaches
- 1 orange
- ¼ cup plain, unsweetened almond milk (here’s how to make your own)
- 2 Tbsp. coconut milk
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
- 1 cup crushed ice
Instructions
Wash your peaches, remove the pits and quarter them. You can leave the skin on. Peel your orange, leaving as much of the white pith as possible for added nutritional benefit. Put the fruit in the blender, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Whirl everything on high until smooth and enjoy.
Quick, easy and delicious! Best consumed outdoors as you savor the summer warmth.
What’s healthy about this recipe?
Oranges are famous for their Vitamin C, and the white pith surrounding the fruit has just as much Vitamin C as the fruit itself, as well as additional fiber and other antioxidants, so when you’re making smoothies, do leave it on!
Peaches contribute Vitamins A and C and, of course a healthy dose of dietary fiber, too. The additional insoluble fiber is one of the reasons to leave the skin on. Choose organic for added peace of mind!
Hemp seed is 65% protein by weight, making it one of the best plant sources of protein available, and it’s especially good because that protein comes in the form of globulin edestin, which is easily digested. It also contains the essential fatty acids (EFAs) in a ratio that is suitable for human nutritional needs. It is a good source of fiber, as well as magnesium, iron and zinc. It’s also gluten-free, and there are no known allergies to hemp seeds.