Four healthy dairy-free post-smoothies as workout snacks that are easy to make ahead and will boost your workout recovery.
4 Smoothies as Workout Snacks
Behold my dairy-free and vegan post-workout Smoothies! Not just one, but four!
I'm not sure if my workouts are more strenuous or if I am just getting older😀, but I am finding a recovery post-workout smoothie to be a necessity these days, so I thought I'd share my favorite four recipes!
Table of Contents
Are Smoothies Good for a Workout Snack?
The best pre- and post-workout smoothies are high in protein, vitamin C, essential minerals and a few carbs. The goal is to support cardiac operations, as well as muscle growth and recovery, and even appetite control. Healthy fats are important to keep blood sugars in control and to satiate your appetite.
The Best Time to Drink a Smoothie as a Workout Snack?
It's best to eat your post-workout smoothie within an hour after your workout in order to rebuild your glycogen and support your muscle repair.
Ingredients in 4 Smoothies as Workout Snacks
The ingredients are easy to find and the combinations are based on science and how to best help you replenish nutrients and repair muscles after a workout:
Strawberry Coconut Lemon Water
frozen strawberries
dairy-free yogurt
coconut water
lemon juice
Post-workout Smoothie Benefit: Strawberries contribute vitamin c which help repair muscles and coconut water increases oxygen in your blood stream and supports blood sugar levels.
Kale Spirulina Smoothie
kale
pear
dairy free milk
spirulina powder
Post-workout Smoothie Benefit: Kale provides essential nutrients, pear boosts glycogen stores needed to repair muscles and boost energy. Spirulina is the highest quality protein on the planet.[source]
Pineapple Ginger Smoothie
pineapple
zucchini
ginger root
dairy free yogurt
Post-workout Smoothie Benefit: Pineapple is packed with nutrients, antioxidants to help support body repair, including a substance called bromelain which reduces swelling. Zucchini restore nutrients used up during your workout, and ginger root boosts immunity and fights free-radical formation that workouts can trigger.
Acai Cherry Smoothie
frozen cherries
dairy-free yogurt
cacao powder or quality chocolate
acai powder
Post-workout Smoothie Benefit: Rich in protein and healthy fats, acai is a superfood when it comes to helping your body rebuild muscles and restore energy after a workout. Cherries provide melatonin which will support your brain and provide a calm as your body recovers. Chocolate provide energy and restores lost magnesium.
How These Smoothies Help Recovery
In addition to the obvious nutrition provided, all these smoothies are specifically great at providing anti-inflammatory support to help those muscles recover, combat free-radical formation triggered by strenuous workouts, and to restore water, potassium, magnesium, electrolytes, and minerals lost while sweating.
You probably already know that a post workout snack or meal is important. In case you need convincing, the Mayo Clinic recommends eating a replenishing snack or meal within 1 hour of a strenuous workout.
These Smoothies as Workout Snacks Are Easy to Make Ahead
As my current mantra is recipes with few ingredients, these four smoothies also have few ingredients. And I make them ahead, usually on the weekend since I work full-time, and stuff them into ice cube trays, ready to blend super quick as soon as my workout is complete!
Make Ahead Smoothies in Ice Cube Trays
But these recipes are not all this post is about. I have an additional super fun share for you regarding smoothie-cubing meal prep. I found a new favorite make-ahead-smoothie ice cube tray!
It's a new favorite because the cubes are actually domes that are quite small and easy for any blender to handle, and smoothie mixtures pop out quite easily! Popping them out is actually the most fun I've had this week! (You can see I live a very exciting life😂)
I Wrote A 4-ingredient Smoothie Cookbook
Recipes are color coded to support healthy areas such as sleep, beauty, stress, mood and more. Click the cover below to learn more.
Other Superfoods to Add to Smoothies
If you want your final smoothie to be thicker, try adding a zucchini, cauliflower, or even a handful of rolled oats
And you can boost your smoothie further with additional superfoods, here are a few to consider:
- Coconut oil
- Goji Berries
- Flax seeds
- Camu Camu
- Wheatgrass
- Almonds
- Matcha
Another post-workout recipe you might enjoy is my blender Ginger shot, no juicer necessary!
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4 Smoothies as Workout Snacks
Ingredients
Strawberry Coconut Lemon Water
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup dairy free yogurt
- ½ cup coconut water
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
Kale Spirulina Smoothie
- 1 cup kale
- 2 pears
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1 tbsp spirulina powder
Pineapple Ginger Smoothie
- 1 cup pineapple
- 1 zucchini, raw, not peeled
- 1 tsp crushed ginger root (peel the ginger, roughly chop. You can use a garlic press to crush and yield pulp.)
- ½ cup dairy free yogurt
Acai Cherry Smoothie
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- ½ cup dairy free yogurt
- 3 tbsp cacao powder + 2 tbsp maple syrup or quality chocolate chips and no maple syrup
- 1 tbsp acai powder (I use this brand)
Equipment
- Ice Cube Trays (You can buy the ice cube tray here!)
Instructions
To create the meal-prep cubes
- Blend ingredients for each smoothie until smooth, pour into ice trays and freeze at least 4 hours. Each tray holds about 1 cup of smoothie. Pop bricks out and store in an air-tight container in the freezer to blend up for future smoothies.
To make a smoothie
- Add the cubes to your blender (1 tray equals one cup), add another ½ cup of the water used in the recipe (either water or coconut water). And blend until smooth.
Chris
Very impressed!!! I'm working on Making EVERYONE healthier and getting off the crazy fast food... Thanks for showing others how easy and valuable these ideas are!!!! You Rock
Dee Dine | Green Smoothie Gourmet
Well thank you so very much! I love your enthusiasm. Yes, freezing smoothies in ice cubes is so very helpful! Take care, Dee xx