Let’s talk about smoothies, specifically fruit smoothies.

I know more times than once you’ve had a smoothie bursting with juicy berries, sweet bananas, bright mango, tart oranges, and bunches of other ripe and delicious fruits. You loved it, you slurped it up, you felt so healthy drinking it…and then you were ravenously hungry two hours later.

Sound familiar?

Oh the smoothie debacle. Trust me, smoothies are one of the easiest and most delicious ways to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet, but if done incorrectly, they may leave you lacking. I’m not saying there’s a wrong way to make a smoothie, I’m just saying that your smoothie needs a bit more oomph than fruits and veg – trust me.

Some of the absolute easiest ways to pump up your smoothies include adding healthy fats. Fats (the healthy ones) are very important in your diet, and even more so in smoothies. Several vitamins (A, D, E, & K) are fat soluble, meaning they can only be absorbed and utilized with fat in your body. This means that avoiding fats can result in vitamin deficiencies and other huge problems for your body. Consuming a smoothie made up of only fruits and veggies can result in your bod missing out on so many of the delicious vitamins you just slurped up.

Not only that, healthy fats are SO beneficial for your body. The good ones (like monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, & Omega-3 fatty acids) are extensively found in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, and avocado. Many of these fats are shown to be incredibly beneficial for your heart, cholesterol levels, and even appear to decrease the risk of heart disease.

One of my all time favorite fats is the humble cashew; which happens to be this smoothie’s superstar ingredient. Cashews contain monounsaturated fats noted to protect your heart and cardiovascular system by aiding in a good ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol (good to bad). They’re also loaded with protein, fiber, zinc, and copper – all of which make your entire immune system and body work swimmingly. When blended, cashews render the creamiest and smoothest texture, making our smoothie one delicious and filling green treat.

Cashews and chia seeds (another healthy fat) allow the vitamin K of our spinach to be readily absorbed, while almond milk provides another hint of goodness fats and delicious taste. Pineapple adds tang, lemon adds zip, and banana brings in more potassium and fiber to the party.

Never make a boring old fruit smoothie again – pump it up with healthy fats and keep full and energized for hours.

Green Cashew Smoothie

Serves 1

1 cup spinach
1 ripe banana (frozen preferable)
½ cup diced pineapple
Juice of half a lemon
¼ cup raw cashew nuts*
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened

Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

*If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak your cashews in filtered water for five hours, or ideally overnight. Drain cashews and throw them into the blender when ready.