Learn how to make this creamy vegan strawberry lemonade protein smoothie in 10 minutes with a high-powered blender. It has the classic sweet-tart flavor of the refreshing lemonade treat, but packaged up as a nourishing breakfast smoothie with 25+ grams of protein. Made from a blend of fresh strawberries, sunflower seed butter, chia and hemp seeds, soy milk, lemon peel and juice, and frozen peaches for a neutral base. That’s right, this one comes together without banana and without yogurt. This healthy vegan smoothie is the perfect balance of zesty and creamy with 10 total ingredients. It’s super fruity and refreshing for warm days.
I love a frozen strawberry lemonade when the temperatures rise. Nothing beats that super fruity, slightly tart and sweet flavor when you’re feeling the heat. Refreshing to the core! But I started thinking about the flavor combination in a more complete package. How to make it more satiating and appropriate for the breakfast hour? I came up with some ideas after tinkering in my kitchen.
To start, I use a base of frozen peaches and fresh strawberries. Why peach though? Frozen peaches are a bit sweet, blend up nice and creamy, and overall have a pretty neutral flavor profile in smoothies. I wanted this blend to be a “no banana zone” because the flavor is just too strong for what I was trying to achieve. Fresh strawberries are key as they provide a more intense berry taste. Two cups of fruit works for me in a smoothie and this combination is great. The peach is frothy and mildly sweet while the strawberry has that jammy tartness.
Plant-Based Protein Additions:
- Soy or pea-based milk (like Ripple brand): up to 12 grams of protein per cup!
- Sunflower seed butter: keeps our smoothie nut-free, has a mellow taste, and adds 4 grams of protein in 1 tablespoon.
- Hemp and chia seeds: I add these to every smoothie to bump up protein and satiating fats.
- Vegan protein powder: plain or vanilla flavoured works well here. I love Epic Protein by Sprout Living.
For the “lemonade” factor, we use a strip of lemon peel and half of a peeled lemon. The juice adds the sour/tangy quality and the strip of peel intensifies the lemon flavor. Do try to remove as much white pith as possible from both components! A touch of maple syrup enhances overall sweetness, bringing the lemonade vibe home.
Hope you love this one! I will say, nothing is more refreshing and satiating after a sweaty warm weather run. Fans of this will also love my peaches and cream protein smoothie. Cheers!
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Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Protein Smoothie
This strawberry lemonade smoothie is loaded with classic, refreshing sweet and tart flavor. It packs in 25+ grams of protein with chia, hemp, sunflower seed butter & vegan protein powder. Ready in 10 minutes in a high speed blender.
Servings 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened soy or pea milk
- 1 strip lemon peel
- ½ lemon, peeled and seeds removed
- 1 scoop vanilla or plain vegan protein powder
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 cup frozen peach slices
Notes
- I prefer soy milk or pea-based milk (like Ripple brand) for the higher protein content here.
- Sunflower seed butter is my go-to with this combination because it’s pretty neutral tasting and has a good amount of protein (it also keeps our smoothie nut-free). Cashew butter would also be lovely.
- Try to not include the white pith with the piece of lemon peel as it is quite bitter.
Instructions
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In an upright blender, combine the milk, lemon peel, lemon half, protein powder, sunflower seed butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup (if using), salt, strawberries, and frozen peaches. Blend the mixture on high until smooth and creamy. Enjoy immediately!
