If you are looking for an easy and delicious way to add extra protein into your diet, then this smoothie recipe is for you! Just a few simple ingredients transform in a couple of minutes into what my kids call a “strawberry milkshake”. With just a teaspoon of maca, you can also experience hormone-balancing benefits. The best part about this smoothie recipe is that you can add approximately 29 grams of protein to your diet with this flavorful shake!

Protein Powder

Years before entering the world of affiliate sales, my family and I used Amy Myers brand of protein powder for all of our smoothies and protein powder needs. This protein powder is dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It is sourced from grass-fed beef that is non-GMO and hormone and antibiotic-free. Each serving has 21 grams of high-quality collagen protein and includes essential and collagen-specific amino acids.

Maca Powder

Maca powder is known for it’s hormone-balancing properties. It comes from the maca root found in the Andes mountains and is believed to help regulate the endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone production. Some studies suggest that women experiencing PMS or going through perimenopause or menopause have reported that maca powder helps alleviate their symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes and irregular menstrual cycles. I have been using this maca powder for years. Because there is not a lot of research on giving maca powder to children, I suggest leaving this out if serving to your children. Just make a big blender of the smoothie, serve to your kids and then add a teaspoon in for yourself.

Clean Ingredients and Substitutions

Frozen Strawberries – Frozen strawberries are my personal favorite frozen fruit in this smoothie because the combo of the strawberries, protein powder, and nut milk combine to taste like a strawberry milkshake. But, you can use any fruit that you like, just be sure that the fruit you use is frozen to create that smoothie consistency. Frozen mixed berries, mangos, pineapple, and bananas would all be delicious.
Unsweetened Almond Milk – You can use any dairy-free milk of your choice or even water. The key here is to use a dairy-free milk that is unsweetened to keep the ingredients clean without any added sugar. Coconut milk would be a great AIP substitution. Cashew milk is one of my favorite substitutions because it’s so rich and creamy.
Maca Powder – Maca powder has a somewhat earthy and malty taste to it. For a sweeter smoothie, just leave this out. If you’re drinking this smoothie for it’s hormone-balancing properties, this is one of the key ingredients. You can read all about it in the section above.
Amy Myers vanilla protein powder – This is the only protein powder my family uses. It’s dairy-free, and made with an animal-based protein powder that is non-GMO and grass-fed.
Amy Myers Leaky Gut Revive – This unflavored powder is made with L Glutamine, Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root, and Licorice to help support constipation, diarrhea, bloating, heartburn and SIBO.
Psyllium Husk Fiber – This powder promotes regularity without discomfort or flatulence, gently cleanses the colon, and supports your body’s natural gastrointestinal detox.
Phospholipid Complex – Phospholipid Complex enhance focus, memory, cellular repair, and clarity.
Almond Butter – Similar to dairy-free milk, you can use any nut or seed butter that you like. Some personal favorites are cashew butter and sun butter.
Note – Swapping out ingredients for any of the substitutes above will change the macros of the smoothie. If you are counting macros and making substitutions, just be sure to recalculate macros.

Optional Add Ins

When it comes to smoothie add ins, the options are limitless. Here are a few of my favorite add ins:

Seeds – For even more protein and support with hormone balancing, you can add in a tablespoon of chia seeds, hemp seeds and/or flax seeds.
Spinach – For extra iron, add in a handful of spinach.
Matcha – If I need a little extra boost in the morning, a teaspoon of matcha provides a moderate amount of caffeine, but it does so in a way that provides a sustained energy boost without the crash often associated with coffee. Matcha is also rich in antioxidants, which may protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Storage

It is not recommended to store this smoothie. Fresh is always best. This smoothie should be consumed soon after preparing.

Smoothie Meal Prep

However, you can save time by meal prepping smoothie bags. Measure out the frozen strawberries, maca, nut butter and protein powder. Add all of the ingredients (except nut milk) to a freezer-safe bag, then repeat until you have the desired number of smoothie bags for the week. When it’s time to make your smoothie, just dump all ingredients into your blender and add milk. You may need to add just a little bit more milk since the nut butter will be in a frozen state when added to the blender.