Vegan Coffee Breakfast Smoothie - protein powder free
I only recently discovered protein powder. And actually I really like it. I have a tendency eat way more carbs than protein. So I was delighted to find a really easy way to get 30g of protein in a breakfast smoothie.
But I wanted to try making a less “processed” smoothie. Is this less processed? I don’t know. I’m not clear on what we’re calling ultra-processed… Anyway, this is my first attempt at making a breakfast smoothie without the protein powder.
It’s not as sweet as a protein powder smoothie. But this is rich in plant protein (~25g) and packed full with fibre (~28g). It also has two espresso shots worth of coffee in it.
What does it taste like? It tastes like coffee with pureed museli. I wanted it to taste like a salted caramel iced coffee. Which is why I added in the salt. It does not not taste like that. I think the salt works though? I like it. But then I really wasn’t expecting to.
By the way, if you have whole flaxseeds like me, you need to crush or grind them well in a pestle & mortar or a spice blender. Because apparently we can’t really digest all their goodness unless the seeds are milled.
Can I believe I’m now drinking my coffee with a tin of beans blended in? No, I really can’t. But … this is actually not that bad. It works as an iced coffee only - and it is thicker than your average iced coffee. I’m very surprised that I like this. But I begrudgingly do.
Try it - if you want to try a sweet coffee in the morning that is also full of protein and fibre. Why not?
Vegan Coffee Breakfast Smoothie
Yield: Makes ~ 1 litre
Suitable for: Gluten-free diet
Ingredients:
- 100g dates, dried, pitted & chopped
- 2 espresso shots, ~150ml of very strong coffee
- 1 tbsp flaxseed, milled
- 2 tbsp porridge oats
- 1 tin (400g) cannelini beans, drained & thoroughly rinsed
- good pinch of salt
- ice
Instructions:
The night before
Make 2 (or 3) shots of espresso in a glass, mug or bowl that will hold at least 300ml. Stir in the oats, milled flaxseed and chopped dates. Stir around well. Stir in a teaspoon of tahini If the liquid doesn’t cover the oats, flaxseed and dates, pour in more hot water until everything is submerged. Stir in a good pinch of salt. Let the receptacle cool to room temperature, cover with cling film and place in the fridge.Next morning
Add the well rinsed beans to a blender. Pour in the contents of the glass - or whatever you used for the overnight coffee oats. Add a further 200ml or so of cold water. Blend until smooth. This takes a good minute or two. Add in a half cup of ice and mix around again. If you would like the mix to be thinner add in some more cold water and blend again.Serve over ice
Fill a third of a glass with ice and pour over your breakfast coffee smoothie. Repeat until it’s all gone.
Enjoy!
