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This stunning purple superfood smoothie combines antioxidant-rich wild blueberries, raw cacao, maca, flax, and more in to a creamy, satisfying, mood- and energy-boosting drink.
Why we love this recipe
There’s nothing like a smooth and creamy, totally gorgeous superfood smoothie to make you feel great. This one is an absolute powerhouse of both deliciousness and next-level nutrition.
It’s got:
- Lots of antioxidants
- Plenty of healthy carbs, protein, fiber, and good fats to keep you satisfied
- Mood- and energy-boosting compounds galore
I first published this recipe here back in 2016. I’ve since updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- You can use any frozen blueberries in this recipe, but I love to use wild blueberries whenever I can find them. These tiny, vibrant beauties have more antioxidants and a more nuanced flavor profile than their cultivated cousins.
- Frozen banana helps give this smoothie its dreamy consistency. Whenever you have bananas that get too ripe, peel them and pop them into a zip-top freezer bag. They keep well in the freezer for at least a year and slice easily even when frozen.
- You can use any type of nondairy milk that you like to make this superfood smoothie, including homemade cashew milk. Here I’ve used soy milk, which is nice and creamy but tends to freeze up a bit, so I’ve paired in with some water. Oat milk also makes excellent smoothies.
- Cacao nibs are crushed pieces of cacao beans. They contribute a chocolate flavor (though no sweetness) and plenty micronutrient goodness to this smoothie. You can swap in raw cacao powder if you prefer.
- Maca is a Peruvian root vegetable long consumed for its micronutrient profile and purported stamina- and verility-boosting power. These days it’s sold in powdered form in the U.S. as a superfood. It has a nice caramel-like flavor that I’ve come to crave a bit over the years.
- Flax seed (also called linseed) has a mild, nutty flavor and packs tons of protein, fiber, and good fats. I like to buy it ground and store it in the freezer along with my other superfoods and frozen fruits.
Smoothie resources
- Want to level up your smoothie game? Here’s my epic post with everything you need to know get started and to take your smoothies to the next level.
- Prefer to have a little help? I recommend SmoothieBox. Read my review or buy now with discount code UMAMIGIRL for $35 off your first box.
- And here are my recommended products: Vitamix 5200, cacao nibs, ground flax seed, chia seed, and maca powder.
A note on nutrition
I’ve noticed over the years that people searching for smoothie recipes tend to have strong feelings about nutrition, and sometimes to assume that their personal preferences are more universal than they are.
The smoothies on Umami Girl are delicious, generally pretty good for ya, and always presented with nutritional data. They’re also very flexible — so if your nutritional needs are different, feel free to tweak the recipes. Some easy changes include:
- Swapping in different liquids
- Adding your favorite protein powder
- Removing higher-sugar ingredients like dates or jam
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a great superfood smoothie. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Add the blueberries and banana to the blender. If using a Vitamix or other high-speed blender, you don’t even need to slice the bananas.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Position the lid and blend on high speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. You can adjust the amount of liquid to suit your preference.
- Pour into a glass and serve right away.
Expert tips and FAQs
A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec makes so many kitchen tasks easier and better, but you absolutely don’t need one to make a basic smoothie like this one.
If you’re using a regular blender, you may end up with little bits of cacao nib throughout your smoothie rather than a perfect blend. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re not into it, you can use cacao powder instead. It’s also important to slice the banana before blending.
Smoothies are at their best shortly after blending. But if you need to make your superfood smoothie in advance, you’ve got a couple of options. Store it in a regular cup in the freezer for up to an hour or in an insulated, lidded cup in the fridge overnight.
More favorite superfood smoothies
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Superfood Smoothie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (105 grams) frozen blueberries, wild if possible
- 1 small frozen banana, about (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon (7 grams) ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) raw cacao
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) maca powder
- 1 cup nondairy milk
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into the jar of a blender.
- Blend on high speed until perfectly smooth.
- Pour into a glass and serve right away.
Notes
- You can use any type of nondairy milk that you like to make this superfood smoothie, including homemade cashew milk. Here I've used soy milk, which is nice and creamy but tends to freeze up a bit, so I've paired in with some water. Oat milk also makes excellent smoothies.
- If you're using a regular blender, you may end up with little bits of cacao nib throughout your smoothie rather than a perfect blend. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're not into it, you can use cacao powder instead. It's also important to slice the banana before blending.
- Smoothies are at their best shortly after blending. But if you need to make your superfood smoothie in advance, you've got a couple of options. Store it in a regular cup in the freezer for up to an hour or in an insulated, lidded cup in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
