Easy Vegan Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie

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Mood: My love affair with berries is no secret & I LOVE using them in my recipes:) One of my favourite ways to use berries is in breakfast dishes; particularly in smoothies:) And this Vegan Mixed Berry & Banana Smoothie recipe is one of my favourites:) Fresh. Healthy. Delicious:) With this plant powered & refined sugar free smoothie by my side, it will be a ‘berry’ good morning indeed;)

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Food for Thought: This recipe is part of a collaborative initiative with my good friend & fellow blogger, Mehndi Shivdasani, aka. Conscious Chokri. Mehndi is a strong environmental advocate & blogs about all things green, sustainable & eco friendly:) Check out her blog for simple & awesome tips about leading a zero/minimum waste life:) We started our blogging journey at the same time & we share a lot of the same values & ideals about conscious living. And so, we decided to inspire each other with this collaborative post, by bringing together the powers of Veganism & Sustainability:)

Most of us lead hectic lives, leaving us little to no time for a healthy breakfast before work. Often, we resort to eating snacks/breakfast on the go, which basically means, packaged protein bars or juices/smoothies from office cafeterias. This on-the-go approach is not only heavy on our pockets; it’s pretty disastrous for the environment too. Plastic wrappers, plastic juice/smoothie glasses; plastic straws..it’s a vicious cycle. We all know that this one-time-use approach of plastic consumption is catastrophic for the environment. We’ve all heard the alarming facts; we’ve all seen the negative effects in our daily lives. But amidst all the apocalyptic scenarios, I’m one of those people who still has hope for a better future:) I believe that if we each take small steps to reduce plastic usage & live a conscious life, then together, we can make a big difference:) And that’s where this Smoothie recipe comes in! A small step in the right direction:) This easy vegan Smoothie is ready in under 5 minutes; just throw everything into a blender & you’re done! Perfect for our hectic schedule:) Next, pour it into your travel bottle/thermos, & voila, you have your very own healthy snack/breakfast on-the-go! Fresh ingredients, no one-time plastic usage & no extra spending. It’s a definite win-win for you & the environment:)

The recipe also features ingredients, like fresh fruits & berries, that you can easily buy, without the extra plastic packaging, by simply bringing along your own shopping bag:) And finally, apart from the cruelty free angle, Veganism is also wonderful news for the environment:) Meat & Dairy consumption is extremely harmful for the planet for innumerable reasons, ranging from the hard fact that “1 calorie of animal protein requires 11 times as much fossil fuel as 1 calorie of plant protein“, to the shocking revelation that “you’d save more water by not eating 1 pound of meat than you would by not taking a shower for 6 months!” (One Green Planet). For more information, check out this informative article by One Green Planet. All in all, following a vegan lifestyle not only saves our animal friends; it also saves our planet:) 

Well, I hope this dose of Food for Thought inspires you into action:) Get your blender & travel bottle ready! It’s Smoothie time:)

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Time: 5 mins
Serving Size: 2 cups
Category: Drink; Breakfast
Author: Animagus Eats

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Ingredients:
• 1 Banana (ripe)
• 1 cup Mixed Berries (fresh or frozen)*
• 1/2 cup Non Dairy Milk*
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice*
• 1 tsp Flax Seed Powder (optional)*

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Method:
1. Add all the ingredients to a blender/food processor.

2. Blend all the ingredients into a smooth & silky smoothie texture.

3. Pour the mixture into a glass/travel bottle. And voila! Your Vegan Mixed Berry & Banana Smoothie is ready:) It tastes best when served chilled:) Enjoy:)

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Notes:
*I used 1/2 cup fresh Strawberries & 1/2 cup frozen Mixed Berries (Blueberries, Blackberries & Raspberries). You can use any berry combination that you like:) Using frozen berries gives the smoothie an awesome icy texture:)
*You can use any type of Non Dairy Milk. I’ve used Pea/Soy/Almond/Coconut Milk & they all taste delicious:)
*You can use fresh homemade or packaged orange juice (no pulp). If you use unsweetened orange juice, then add 1/2-1 tbsp of Maple/Agave Syrup (to taste) to the smoothie mixture. If you don’t have orange juice, then you can also use 1 whole cup of non dairy milk instead. Again, add Maple/Agave Syrup (to taste) to sweeten the smoothie mixture according to your preference:)
*Flax Seed Powder is completely optional. But it’s extremely healthy, has a pleasant nutty taste & it’s a great hassle-free way to get a dose of Omega 3 goodness:) I always add it to my smoothies:)