If you are following a whole food diet with the intention to optimize fertility, you understand the importance of protein.
Protein makes an appearance in all of your meals and most of your snacks because you know that it not only provides the building blocks to materials like hormones and follicles but also stabilizes blood sugar, keeping your hunger satiated and moods balanced.
You have free-range eggs for breakfast, organic grilled chicken for lunch, sprouted almonds for snack and wild salmon for dinner. Endless creatively prepared options of grass fed beef at least once weekly, lean meats and fish fill your lunch and dinner plates.
Doesn’t it always seems to be back to eggs in the morning?
Unless you don’t mind animal protein in the morning, breakfast protein options are limited and sometimes boring. There are just so many eggs that one woman can enjoy and full fat greek yogurt should not be eaten daily as to avoid overdosing on dairy.
Are you looking to expand your breakfast protein repertoire? So were we, so we searched high and low for a whole food option that supports our health goals. What did we discover?
The breakfast smoothie! It’s quick, easy and nutritious.
Don’t think ice cold, processed, muscle building powder. Think warming, clean vegan goodness.
Today we share with you two protein options and additional ingredients along with some recipe suggestions.
Once you know the basics, get creative!
- First and most importantly, let’s identify our protein source.
- 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds, raw and shelled: rich in omega 3 fatty acids, hemp seeds offer an easily digestible form of protein or
- a serving of vegan protein supplement: although not naturally occurring, we recommend “Warrior Food” by Healthforce Naturals which is minimally processed
- Choose a liquid base.
- 16 oz of filtered water or
- ¼ cup of unsweetened, organic whole coconut milk (Native Forest) with 12 oz of filtered water for a creamier base (First blend the contents of the can as the water and cream separate and save in a jar for future use. This product has only one additive whereas most store bought vegan milks have not only stabilizers but other additives which are best to avoid)
- Add warming herbs…
- cinnamon and/or
- fresh ginger and/or
- turmeric
- Include a healthy fat if you are not using the coconut milk base.
- 1 tbsp of almond butter or
- ½ avocado or
- 3-4 brazil nuts or
- 1 tbsp of flax seed oil
- Add fresh, not frozen, produce.
- (This might sound contradictory as you have heard us repeat advice not to consume raw vegetables. In truth, some raw vegetables are just fine and in this case, the produce is already partially broken down).
- 2 cups of spinach plus
- 1 cup of berries or ½ banana
- And perhaps some superfoods for a boost!
- microgreens such as “Green Vibrance” by Vibrant Health or “Vitamineral Green” by Healthforce Naturals
- a serving of raw cacao (a good source of iron and a chocolatey taste)
- a serving of chia seeds (a good dose of fiber, omega fatty acids, these tiny seeds will thicken your smoothie!)
Throw your delicious ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and just slightly cooler than room temperature. If you feel chilly or bloated after your smoothie, substitute the raw spinach for liquid chlorophyll and add extra fresh ginger until your digestion improves.
Drink your smoothie slowly. “Chew” it even, if that doesn’t seem strange. The enzymes from our saliva that get mixed into food while we are chewing are very important for successful digestion.
Here are some example recipes!
1 serving of Warrior Food
16 oz of filtered water
1 small piece of fresh ginger
1 tsbp of almond butter
2 cups of spinach
½ banana
Or try…
3 tbsp of hemp seeds
⅓ cup of coconut milk + 12 oz of filtered water
1 tsp of cinnamon
2 cups of spinach
1 cup of fresh blueberries
Get Personalized Dietary Advice
Our fertility experts can help you find the right combination of ingredients that works best for your breakfast. Looking for other ways to incorporate more protein and whole food meals into your routine? We are here to guide you.
