![greensmoothie greensmoothie](/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/greensmoothie.jpg)
I can’t say that I felt much like a warrior during my first trimester. I did look and feel a little green though! I was cruising along feeling fine until week 6 came along and then I discovered that pregnancy hormones are no joke. All day nausea and extreme fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks. The fatigue was like nothing I’d felt before; it’s almost like feeling tired deep in my bones. I considered it a successful day if I could peel myself off the couch and do something productive. As someone who likes to be in motion at all times, this was a big adjustment. I said to Eric, “I’ll never complain about PMS again!!” hah. It was difficult trying to crank out blog posts because I wasn’t the least bit excited about food. Even drinking water was a struggle for my nauseous tummy. I despised water with a passion. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Bedtime was 8:30pm most nights (that’s if I could make it that long without falling asleep on the couch) – Sketchie has been loving all this extra cuddle time though! Some mornings I would wake up after 11 hours of sleep which I still can’t wrap my mind around. The human body just amazes me how it conserves energy when it needs to. It’s been a great lesson in trusting that my body knows best.
Anytime I need a boost, I just think of the end result and I’m filled with a burst of excitement. I feel like I’m walking around with this little friend inside of me, who goes wherever I go and lets me know when to slow down and rest. Now that I’m in the second trimester I’m starting to get back a bit of energy although the nausea is still pretty strong some days. Last week, I stayed up until 10pm a few nights – a darn miracle if you ask me! Bring on the honeymoon trimester!
Spending a lot of energy cooking hasn’t been my forte many days. That’s why smoothies continue to be such an important daily aspect of my diet. In 10 minutes, I can have a smoothie in hand that would just about rival the most nutritious meal around. I’ve been drinking this smoothie as a way to pack in a ton of nutrition with minimal effort. This smoothie was actually a contender for my cookbook, but I didn’t finalize the recipe in time. However, the photo of this smoothie did make it into the book (see page 54). A couple of you noticed the picture and asked me for the recipe, so I’m sharing it today!
Drinking this makes me feel like a bit like a warrior (even if this warrior is asleep on the couch before her favourite show comes on TV). I even started doing a 30 minute prenatal workout which is another big victory of late. It’s the small things. It really is.
![greenmonstersmoothie greenmonstersmoothie](/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/greenmonstersmoothie.jpg)
![benefits benefits](/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/benefits.png)
Kale – Rich in folate, vitamin C and K, calcium, iron, and beta-carotene. It’s also a hormone balancer, digestion booster, anti-inflammatory, and contains omega-3 fatty acids.
Grapefruit – Rich in vitamin C and is a great detoxifier for the liver.
Cucumber – Prevents water retention, promotes a healthy digestive track, packed with bioavailable minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes.
Celery – Rich in fibre and B vitamins, prevents water retention
Apple – Source of fibre and vitamin C, helps balance blood sugar levels, boosts digestion, reduces inflammation
Algae oil (DHA rich) – A sustainable, plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids. My go-to brand is NutraVege. Making up 97% of the fatty acids found in the brain, DHA is a very important long-chain fatty acid in the omega-3 family. It’s super important for pregnant women and children under the age of 2 as it supports brain, vision, and nerve development. Note: I don’t add this oil directly into the smoothie. I simply take it seperately so it doesn’t impact the flavour.
Virgin Coconut Oil – Coconut oil has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It’s rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which help boost the metabolism and lower the risk of heart disease.
Hulled hemp seeds – A great source of complete protein, contains the ideal balance of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, and is high in fibre. Hemp seeds also reduce inflammation in the body and balance hormones.
Mango – Rich in vitamin C, fibre, and beta-carotene. It also contains enzymes that help with the breakdown of protein in the body (great for the above protein-rich hemp seeds!).
Sources: Healing Foods: Eat your way to a healthier life, Flora Health
![greenproteinsmoothie greenproteinsmoothie](/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/greenproteinsmoothie.png)
![Green Warrior Protein Smoothie](https://ohsheglows.com/gs_images/2016/04/20160118-App-Smoothies-02493-768x768.jpg)
Green Warrior Protein Smoothie
![](https://ohsheglows.com/wp-content/plugins/osg-recipes/images/ornament_long_artichoke.png)
Yield
3 cups (750 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Talk about a super charged meal in a glass! I use hemp hearts as the major protein source for this drink. In addition to being a complete protein source, hemp hearts also contain the ideal balance of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids and are high in fibre. They work wonderfully to make this smoothie super creamy, all without needing any banana. This smoothie also highlights one of my biggest cravings - the juicy red grapefruit - which is balanced with a sweet apple and buttery mango. If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, feel free to swap the grapefruit juice for coconut water or orange juice, or add a touch of liquid sweetener.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh red grapefruit juice*
- 1 cup (25 g) destemmed dinosaur/lacinato kale or baby spinach**
- 1 large sweet apple (200 g), cored and roughly chopped
- 1 cup (130 g) chopped cucumber
- 1 medium/large celery stalk (85 g), chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 3 tablespoons (30 g) hemp hearts, or to taste
- 1/3 cup (55 g) frozen mango
- 2 tablespoons (4 g) packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) virgin coconut oil (optional)
- 4 ice cubes, or as needed
Directions
- Juice a red grapefruit and add 1/2 cup grapefruit juice to the blender.
- Now add the kale (or spinach), apple, cucumber, celery, hemp, mango, mint, coconut oil (if using), and ice. Blend on high until super smooth. (If using a Vitamix, use the tamper stick to push it down until it blends). You can add a bit of water if necessary to get it blending.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately! This makes enough for a large glass with some leftover so you can also divide it into two servings and save one for later.
Tip:
- * Feel free to sub the grapefruit juice with orange juice or coconut water if a sweeter smoothie is desired.
- ** I use dinosaur/lacinato kale because it has a milder flavour than regular curly kale. Feel free to use baby spinach too.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)![warriorgreenmonster-7012 warriorgreenmonster-7012](/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/warriorgreenmonster-7012.jpg)
The Oh She Glows Cookbook hits Costco US!
Today is a very special day – The OSG Cookbook hits shelves across Costco in the US! We are thrilled to have another major retailer pick up this cookbook. Don’t forget, it’s already in many Costco locations in Canada too. We’d love it if you could snap pictures of the book in Costco stores and share them on twitter using the hashtag #osgcookbook!
We’re packing up to move this week (ahh!) and my kitchen is all in boxes. *sniff, sniff. If you don’t hear from me again this week that’s why. Wish us luck!
I wonder if we’ll see crazy pregnancy recipes like kale, French fries and peanut butter! My friend is in her 2nd trimester and cannot get enough spicy food. Like reeeeeeaaaaallly spicy food! I’m so happy for you both! <3
Happy and good luck moving!! This smoothie sounds great, Ange! I actually have Vega flax/hemp/something else oil and you’re right to not add it into smoothies because that one is so nasty and it makes my smoothies undrinkable (but getting it over with in a shot is so clever!). I can’t wait to try this smoothie out on Nia :)
Smoothies to the rescue! I know whenever I’m feeling sick or tired or, well, just about anything that’s put me off food… smoothies are a go-to lifesaver. Amazing how much nutrient-dense stuff you can find hanging out in your fridge that goes perfectly together in the blender! I bet baby loves getting all that goodness, too. Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better!
Ack! I hope you get back to feeling more normal and able to eat again, what a pain!
I feel like I need that right now! I’m just over 5 weeks right now and am really starting to worn down and lightheaded. I’m a touch scared to see that it apparently gets worse??
I’m off the internet for a week and come back to find out you’re pregnant!!! One million congrats, Angela. I am so happy for you and thrilled for this new adventure you are embarking on. Can’t wait for our little vegans to be best friends :)
I’ve read that by blending fruits and veggies, you lose the nutrients. What are your thoughts?
Oh my goodness, this smoothie sounds so yummy!! Such a nice tall glass of health.
This looks so wonderful and nutritious! And I cannot WAIT to get my copy at Costco. Yay!
I love smoothie for the exact reason that they pack a lot of nutrition into one drink. I love how much protein is in this smoothie; I’m sure it gives it some real staying power.
I had a green smoothie almost every morning when pregnant. This one looks great! Best of luck with the move!
I got your book as my little birthday gift to myself! It is amazing! I’m making a few of your recipes for my birthday dinner/dessert tonight! And this smoothie will be made this week for sure!!! Your recipes are amazing, even my protein obsessed husband eats it up!
Hi, Angela! Could you suggest a substitute for the grapefruit for those of us currently on SSRI medications and/or other medications that interact with grapefruit? I’d really appreciate it! Thank you!
Hi Julie – in the recipe note I’ve included a couple subs that have worked well for me – orange juice and coconut water. I’m sure any fruit juice would work lovely though! Hope this helps. :)
I just love the name of this smoothie! And it is hysterical that your husband said he wouldn’t complain about the PMS. I hope it’s true.
Hi Angela!
This is a bit unrelated to the post, but I bought your book last week and am LOVING the recipes! Last night I made the African peanut soup with some slight modifications – I would love to do a post on my blog about the book and the recipe but am wondering your policy on putting the full recipe on my blog (apologies if this is listed somewhere…) if you could let me know what you’d prefer that’d be great! It was so delicious!
Hang in there. It does get easier. Pretty soon you will be “glowing” even more! Just got your cookbook last Saturday and wanted to pass along that I have tried the lentil walnut loaf, cauliflower smashed potatoes and the yolos out of the cookbook all to great fan fare! The pumpkin gingerbread with spiced butter cream frosting from the website, too! Your photographs are lovely, too! Thank you for letting me know how to make oat flour!
I’ve been adding more and more to my smoothies, and I looooove the looks of this one! It looks just perfect.
Reading how you’ve felt so far in your pregnancy certainly brought back memories. I vividly remember finally having a tiny iota of energy, just enough to drag myself to the kitchen and chop just enough veggies for a bare-bones Crock Pot chili. And then it was back to the couch for the rest of the day (and heck if I was actually able to *eat* the stuff when it was done). It felt like such a victory at the time! Some days I felt like I couldn’t even hold my head up. And the nausea! Ugh, I feel you. It felt like an eternity while I was knee-deep, but looking back (2 years and a very busy toddler later), it feels like a blip. A miserable blip, but a blip nonetheless. :) Wishing you the best – and thanks for lots more ideas for bulking up my smoothies!
Delicious, Angela! Keep these yummy smoothie recipes coming. I drink fresh vegetable and fruit juice in the winter, but smoothies once it’s a bit warmer out. [Still can’t seem to handle an ice cold smoothie when it’s freezing outside!] I look forward to trying these chilled drinks soon :)
Good luck with the move! I hope that you’re able to start feeling more energized soon too. Also, congrats on the NY Best Sellers news and Costco! You deserve it!
I remember those can’t get off the couch days well! My 3rd baby is now 6 months old and two months ago we found out he has milk and soy protein intolerance. I was already vegetarian but ate a lot of dairy and soy so suddenly having to cut all that out kind of threw me for a loop. I am thrilled to have found your blog, I love your recipes and my little guy’s tummy is happy! I will definitely be trying this smoothie!
Great smoothie recipe – and 17 grams of protein in one sitting is no joke amazing!
I was wondering though, Angela – are you taking any prenatal vitamins or other supplements now that you are creating a tiny human? Or are you relying on nutrition solely from food?
I’m wondering this as well! As much as I’d love to rely on food (I’m not pregnant, but trying) I’m a bit of a hypochondriac and feel too paranoid to leave it to chance. I’ve been taking vegan prenatals/DHA just in case, though I’ve also been more diligent with my diet since I know vitamins are not the ideal source–just a backup :) What’s your input, Ange?
Hey Ana and Sarah, Sorry for the delay in reply!
You can see my prenatal and postnatal vitamins here on my baby blog:
http://ohsheglows.com/2014/05/05/my-prenatal-supplements/ :)
Angela, What kind of blender do you recommend? I am ready to invest!