Cinnamon Bun Smoothie

Serves 1 | Pictured here | All the taste of a cinnamon bun in a healthy, fruit-packed smoothie.

1 frozen banana

1 c nondairy milk

¹⁄₂ tsp ground cinnamon

¹⁄₄ tsp vanilla extract

¹⁄₂ tsp pure maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary.

Mojito Smoothie

Serves 1 | Pictured here | This smoothie is virgin, of course . . . but it doesn’t have to be! All joking aside, it really does taste like a mojito and it’s a delicious way to get in a serving of vegetables and fruit!

¹⁄₂ c nondairy milk

1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)

1 c baby spinach

1 tsp vanilla extract

juice of ¹⁄₂ small lime

fresh mint

ice cubes

agave nectar (optional)

Combine nondairy milk, banana, spinach, vanilla, and lime juice in a blender.

Add a handful of fresh mint leaves and 3 to 4 ice cubes.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Taste, adding more mint, lime juice, or agave nectar as desired.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

CINNAMON BUN SMOOTHIE 194 Calories, 0.6g Fat, 40.2g Carbohydrates, 3.7g Fiber, 27g Sugars, 9.6g Protein

MOJITO SMOOTHIE 183 Calories, 0.8g Fat, 39.2g Carbohydrates, 5.4g Fiber, 21.9g Sugars, 7.2g Protein

Neapolitan Smoothie

Serves 1 | Pictured here | Neapolitan ice cream is a layered ice cream consisting of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice creams. This smoothie reminds me of that flavor exactly, only it’s a lot healthier.

2 frozen bananas

1 c strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

¹⁄₄ c nondairy milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary. If using frozen strawberries, expect to use significantly more nondairy milk.

Tropical Bliss Smoothie

Serves 1 | A taste of the tropics.

1 c nondairy milk

1 c frozen pineapple chunks

¹⁄₄ c frozen mango chunks

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary.

CHEF’S NOTE: I occasionally like to sub fresh OJ for part of the nondairy milk in this recipe.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

NEAPOLITAN SMOOTHIE 268 Calories, 2.4g Fat, 69.9g Carbohydrates, 10.9g Fiber, 37.5g Sugars, 6g Protein

TROPICAL BLISS SMOOTHIE 160 Calories, 0.3g Fat, 36.8g Carbohydrates, 1.7g Fiber, 35.1g Sugars, 4.7g Protein

Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie

Serves 1 | If you’ve ever wanted cookies for breakfast, this smoothie is for you. It’s rich, a little spicy, and nails that oatmeal cookie flavor.

2 frozen bananas

¹⁄₄ c rolled oats

1 tbsp raisins

¹⁄₂ tsp ground cinnamon

dash of ground cardamom (optional)

¹⁄₄ cup nondairy milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon.

CHEF’S NOTE: If you don’t have a high-powered blender, the raisins will not completely combine and you’ll have bits (which I like). If you want the raisins to blend, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, or overnight.

P. Chocolate Smoothie

Serves 1 | Peas and chocolate? Yes, I know, it sounds crazy but you can’t detect the peas at all. The smoothie only tastes chocolatey, and the peas give it a nice boost of protein and other nutrients to start your day right.

1 c nondairy milk

¹⁄₂ frozen banana

¹⁄₂ c frozen peas

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

agave nectar, to taste

Combine milk, banana, peas, and cocoa in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary.

Taste, adding agave nectar or other sweetener, as needed.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

OATMEAL COOKIE SMOOTHIE 338 Calories, 2.2g Fat, 78.9g Carbohydrates, 9.2g Fiber, 37.6g Sugars, 7.7g Protein

P. CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE 108 Calories, 1g Fat, 20.5g Carbohydrates, 4.7g Fiber, 11.3g Sugars, 7.5g Protein

Oh She Glows Oats

Serves 1 | Angela Liddon, the fabulous gal behind the popular blog Oh She Glows (ohsheglows.com), created this recipe. Angela calls it “overnight oats,” but the texture is more like a creamy yogurt once it’s set.

1¹⁄₂ tbsp chia seeds

³⁄₄ c nondairy milk

¹⁄₄ c rolled oats

1 banana, sliced

CHEF’S NOTE: For a low-fat and low-calorie “overnight oats” option, I sometimes soak the oats in water without chia seeds. Try 1/3 cup oats with 2/3 cup water.

In a glass bowl, mix chia seeds with nondairy milk and rolled oats.

Cover with plastic wrap (optional) and place in fridge, allowing it to set overnight.

Give it a good stir in the morning, then top with banana slices, or any other topping you like. (Angela likes to add fresh sliced strawberries or a dab of peanut or almond butter to hers.)

CHEF’S NOTE: Although chia seeds aren’t an “everyday” or fat-free ingredient, I splurge on them from time to time since they’re rich in omega 3-fatty acids and a good source of protein, potassium, and calcium. You can find chia seeds, also called Salba (a brand name), at health food stores or online.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 350 Calories, 8.6g Fat, 60.4g Carbohydrates, 14.1g Fiber, 24g Sugars, 14.7g Protein

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

Serves 1 | Pictured here | This is hands down the most popular smoothie recipe on Happyherbivore.com. It’s a “cheater” recipe since it uses a little peanut butter, but you can substitute peanut flour to taste for a lower-fat option.

2 frozen bananas

1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

¹⁄₄ c nondairy milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more nondairy milk as necessary.

Banana Frosty

Serves 1 | It whips up in seconds and tastes just like the famous Frosty at Wendy’s—only this is a lot healthier and made from bananas.

2 frozen bananas

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

¹⁄₄ c nondairy milk

¹⁄₄ tsp vanilla extract

¹⁄₄ tsp ground cinnamon

CHEF’S NOTE: Spotted and very ripe bananas work best here.

Place all ingredients together in a strong blender or food processor and whiz until smooth, creamy, and thick like a Frosty, adding more liquid if necessary.

Taste, adding more cocoa if desired (depending on the ripeness of your banana, you may need to add a little, or a lot more to get a rich chocolate flavor).

CHEF’S NOTE: For an ice-cream consistency, use less liquid and a food processor.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

PEANUT BUTTER CUP SMOOTHIE 334 Calories, 10.1g Fat, 65g Carbohydrates, 9g Fiber, 31.9g Sugars, 9.1g Protein

BANANA FROSTY 217 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 52.7g Carbohydrates, 7.3g Fiber, 28.1g Sugars, 5.3g Protein

Tofu Yogurt

Serves 2 | I love a bowl of cold vegan yogurt piled high with fresh fruit for breakfast, but hate how expensive (and high in sugar!) most commercial vegan yogurts can be. I always keep a box or two of Mori-Nu tofu in my fridge so I can make yogurt quickly in the morning when I’m not in the mood for a hot breakfast or a smoothie. Add rolled oats and fresh fruit for texture and to create a parfait.

1 12.3-oz pkg Mori-Nu tofu (any firmness)

1 cold banana

2 tbsp nondairy milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp sweetener (optional)

CHEF’S NOTE: Add fresh or frozen fruit (such as strawberries or blueberries), ¹⁄₄ cup at a time, for fruit-flavored yogurts.

Combine tofu, banana, nondairy milk, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth and creamy.

Taste, adding sweetener such as maple syrup or agave nectar to taste. I like to leave the yogurt unsweetened (it reminds me of Greek yogurt) and drizzle with agave nectar over top.

CHEF’S NOTE: Bananas turn brown when they oxidize, meaning the yogurt will turn brown if you make it ahead and leave it in the fridge. It hasn’t gone bad, it just doesn’t look pretty. If you do a fruit flavor, however, you usually can’t notice the color change. You can also blend without the banana and reblend with the banana before serving to keep the color white.

CHEF’S NOTE: Probiotics can be purchased at health food stores and added to your homemade yogurt.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

UNSWEETENED 128 Calories, 1.4g Fat, 17.3g Carbohydrates, 1.6g Fiber, 9.1g Sugars, 13.4g Protein

SWEETENED 192 Calories, 1.4g Fat, 34.6g Carbohydrates, 1.6g Fiber, 26.3g Sugars, 13.5g Protein

Granola Bars

Makes 5 | An adorable little boy named Adam wrote me (with Mom’s help!), asking for a healthy granola bar recipe. This is what I created for him and he loved it. I like to bake a batch of these bars before I travel or during weeks when I’m extra busy and need easy snacks on hand.

1 c instant oats

¹⁄₂ tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

3 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp vegan chocolate chips

1 to 2 tbsp raw sugar (optional)

CHEF’S NOTE: You can send rolled oats through your food processor to grind them down into instant-oat consistency.

Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. They will appear too dry at first, but they’re not—keep stroking.

Once combined, let the batter rest while the oven preheats to 325°F.

Grease a bread pan and pack the mixture down firmly and tightly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, firm, and light brown around the edges.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting.

VARIATIONS

Peanut Butter Granola Bars Substitute 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for 1 tablespoon of applesauce. Combine peanut butter with applesauce and heat in the microwave for 10 seconds so peanut butter softens. Whisk together and use as directed.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

GRANOLA BARS 99 Calories, 2g Fat, 19.6g Carbohydrates, 1.1g Fiber, 13.6g Sugars, 1.6g Protein

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS 145 Calories, 3.9g Fat, 25.3g Carbohydrates, 2.1g Fiber, 13.6g Sugars, 3.3g Protein