This one is relatively new for me, but I’m loving it so far, and loving it more the more I learn about it. Hemp milk still has a bit of that nutty flavor that makes it not quite like dairy milks, but it makes an excellent creamy smoothie base – just something a little bit different than other non-dairy milks. Hemp seeds make an excellent salad topping or smoothie addition, or you could even add them to a pesto, a soup base, a hummus-type spread… I’m pretty sure the possibilities are endless.
My first truly tasty green smoothie.
I’m sure the hemp milk made the difference. :)
Recipe below!
So why hemp? Hemp is another one of those crazy superfoods. A complete protein, filled with Omega-3s, and alkalizing to boot. Given its perfect proportions and rich nutrient profile, hemp has even been called the most nutritious and easily digestible food on the planet. According to Brendan Brazier in Thrive, it is the only source of the amino acid Edestin, which is “considered an integral part of our DNA,” and therefore “makes hemp the closest plant source to our own human amino acid profile” – which is what makes it so perfectly digestible.
I’d love your input on this one – what else should I know about hemp? And how else should I be using it?
Recipes
1. Huge list of recipes here that I have to try. Pancakes?!
2. Basic Green Smoothie
Told you this one was coming… :)
2 C spinach
1/2 C hemp milk
3 – 5 chunks pineapple, depending on your sweetness taste
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 C water
1/2 T hemp seeds
1/2 T ground blueberry flax seeds (optional, but extra flax = good! :) )
1/2 T rice protein powder (optional, for bonus protein)
1. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth, no bits of green hanging around separately.
Enjoy!! Seriously. …I promise. :)
Hemp is one of my favorite super foods. I love the milk, hearts (seeds), and oil but I agree with Joy Andrews that the protein powder is pretty gritty. I probably need to invest in a better blender :) I do eat the hearts daily. They go well with pretty much anything.
Looking forward to trying out this smoothie!
Hmmm, maybe I will stay away from the protein powder. :) I’m definitely going to have to start putting the hearts in more things. I just picked a mountain of sorrel at my CSA, so I think it’s time for some pesto with hemp added!
I cannot recommend a Vitamix (or other high speed blender) more highly. It’s way expensive but worth every single penny. It’s an appliance I couldn’t live without at this point – I think I used it 6 times just within the first week of purchase.
Glad you made it over here from my old site. :)
Ooo, I have a Vitamix! It is great, and I am still getting the gritty from hemp powder. I think the powder is fine enough that it slips over the blades and mixes into the smoothie ‘as is’. The seeds/milk are equally good source of protein though right?
Yup. The seeds are better than anything though, since they’re just totally natural and unprocessed, so you get 100% of the nutrients.
Interesting you’re having that issue; the rice protein powder I have was annoyingly gritty in my regular blender, but smooths out just fine in my Vitamix.
I’ve not been enjoying my hemp protein powder in my smoothies -too gritty! So now I might try hemp milk….thanks!
Great! I’ve definitely been loving it. I also recommend blending as smooth as possible if you do use a protein powder (I haven’t yet tried hemp protein powder) – I was weirded out by the grittiness at first, but if you blend enough it disappears. A high speed blender is of course great for that.