Our bodies cannot store protein so it is important that every day we obtain quality protein from good sources to help build and repair our muscles. This is of particular importance if you are regularly working out because without adequate protein our muscles cannot recover well from exercise. There are many plant-based sources of protein and also many vegan bodybuilders! Have you ever heard of anyone having a protein deficiency? Protein is in almost everything! Protein is made up of amino acids and is important not just for muscles but also for our brain, skin, hair and organs. However, many plant-based sources are incomplete protein sources which mean that you might need to combine more that one protein source at each meal to make up a complete protein with all of its long chain amino acids that our bodies need. Often times we do this for most meals anyway without even giving it too much thought. Now our bodies are smart! And new research is showing that if you eat a wide variety of plant-based proteins your body can figure it out and you will certainly have adequate protein! Here is a great article which has a long list of plant-based protein sources.

Making a protein rich smoothie after your workout can be a super quick and easy way to make sure that you are covering all of your bases and getting a complete protein in with all major amino acids. One way to do this is to add a vegan protein powder into your smoothie that is also a complete protein! There are many out there and much more are being created by the day. The protein powder that we are using for this recipe is from the New Zealand brand Natava Superfoods it is certified organic and it is vegan, non-GMO and dairy and gluten free. It is also a complete source of protein with all nine essential amino acid chains! It is obtained from the shrub sacha inchi from Peru which grow small star-shaped fruit. Inside the fruit are multiple seeds which are then made into a powder. The seeds are a fantastic source of omega 3 and are claimed to have up to 17 times more omega 3 than wild caught sockeye salmon! Plant-based for the win! Recently I highlighted an article which talked about salmon as being a top mood boosting food because of its omega 3, well sacha inchi fares even better it is also high in tryptophan which is an amino acid that is responsible for serotonin production in our brain. Brain and muscle food!

POST WORK-OUT PROTEIN POWER SMOOTHIE:

2 tbsp Natava sacha inchi protein powder (or any other protein powder)
1 tbsp Natava cacao powder (or any other cacao powder)
1 tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seed
1 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas (when spotty freeze in bulk in bags so that you always have them on hand. If frozen add them one at a time to the blender or wait to defrost)
1 cup blueberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (you can add more or less depending on how thick you want your smoothie!)
1 small handful raw almonds (preferably pre-soaked overnight)
1 tsp cacao nibs (optional to sprinkle on top)

Throw all ingredients into the blender and blend! Makes a yummy post workout protein rich meal. Try it in a smoothie bowl or throw it in a mason jar for on the go.

This is fully customisable! If you do a low impact workout you can make this lower fat and omit the extra nuts and coconut oil. Listen to your body! ♥

Links:

Purchase Natava Sasha Inchi Protein Powder $30.90 NZD
Purchase Natava Raw Cacao Powder $13.50 NZD (250GM) $25.90 NZD (500GM)

What is Sasha Inchi? from Superlife