Strawberry Protein Smoothie

Creamy, dreamy, sweet strawberry protein smoothie made banana-free with cauliflower. Packed with protein, vitamins, and nutrients, this smoothie is a meal in a glass!

This post is sponsored by Harry & David.

Consuming enough protein throughout the day can be quite the struggle for some of us. I try not to derive all of my protein from animals, and therefore rely on plant-based products for some of my protein intake. Sometimes I don’t have the desire to eat solid food for a couple of hours after working out, so during those times I make a protein-packed smoothie using almond butter, yogurt (I use coconut milk yogurt to keep it dairy-free), and hemp protein powder.

I find smoothies like this just as tasty as they are healthful, so they’re a great go to for keeping in your brain archives for all those times you’re looking for a quick meal in a glass.

Made with steamed (and frozen) cauliflower, strawberries, almond milk, and dates, this smoothie is jam packed with strawberry flavor. Not to mention, it’s packed with plant-based protein. Let’s dissect this berry tasty smoothie.

I used Harry & David’s strawberries for this smoothie. Their strawberries are so incredible, I almost have no words to describe them. They’re large, super sweet, juicy, and absolutely gorgeous. I love receiving Harry & David’s packages, as I’m always psyched knowing the contents are fresh and ready to be consumed right then and there. It definitely requires some self-control to not eat all the strawberries straight out of the box! Once the strawberries started becoming too ripe to eat on their own, I turned them into this delicious smoothie.

You may remember Harry & David’s strawberries from the Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Black Bean Salsa recipe I posted last year I still have fond memories of those bowls – they’re a truly perfect healthy meal option for this time of year.

But I digress..

If the earlier mention of cauliflower cued the record scratch, no worries…I have words for you.

Why add steamed cauliflower to a smoothie? I try to keep my smoothies low on the sugar end of the spectrum, and I find cauliflower lends volume and creaminess to a smoothie similar to bananas, only minus the sugar.

These days, I’m making all of my smoothies banana-free as I find they keep me feeling energized just the way they should, whereas banana-infused smoothies give me a sugar crash post-consumption. If you follow the same smoothie philosophy as I do and keep them super low in sugar, you can omit the dates.

Recipe Adaptations:

• If you enjoy bananas in your smoothies, you can absolutely replace the cauliflower with one banana to make it a strawberry banana affair, and omit the dates (unless of course you want the added sweetness).
• Blueberries work well in place of strawberries, or you can mix and match both strawberries and blueberries.
• Toss in some fresh mango for a tropical affair.
• Use any of your favorite protein powders, and/or add collagen peptides

Be sure to check out Harry & David’s strawberries (hint: they’d be a delicious addition to your 4th of July celebration this year!) and I hope you love this protein smoothie.

xx

Strawberry Protein Smoothie

A deliciously creamy, flavorful way of taking in your protein!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

1 large smoothie

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 cups Harry & David Strawberries, chopped
• ▢ 2/3 cup cauliflower, steamed and frozen
• ▢ 2 to 3 medjool dates, pitted
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ▢ 1/3 cup coconut milk yogurt, or yogurt of choice
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond butter
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth - Note: it may take a few rounds of blending to get the dates to blend. Taste smoothie for flavor and add more dates to taste. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1smoothie - Calories: 376kcal - Carbohydrates: 52g - Protein: 10g - Fat: 17g - Fiber: 12g - Sugar: 37g

Course: Beverages

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy free, easy healthy recipes, gluten free, gluten free recipes, healthy meals, healthy recipes, paleo recipes

Servings: 1 large smoothie

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Julia