Recipe: Black and Blue Power Smoothie

Bananas and berries are a classic smoothie combination for a reason: they taste great together, both are super accessible in either fresh or frozen form, and they provide lots of energy and nutritional benefits.

This smoothie builds on that reliable pairing with some high-functioning superfoods and a particularly pretty marbled effect.

There are two components at play here: a tart mash of blackberries at the bottom of the glass, and a creamy, lightly sweet blueberry smoothie that gets poured on top. If you sip this up with a straw, the layering gives you a delicious mix of sweet and sour. Of course, you can blend the blackberry mash components right into the smoothie, too.

While we’re going fairly classic with this smoothie base, there are two ingredients that make it deeply nourishing and satisfying.

The first is hemp seeds, which are mellow and nutty in flavor, but huge on benefits. They’re a great source of omega fatty acids, a complete protein (which is great for vegetarians/vegans), and have been known to assist with sugar cravings and bouts of extreme hunger.

The other superfood we have in the mix is spirulina, which is a powder derived from freshwater algae. It tastes like how you might suspect an algae derivative would taste. Rest assured that it goes virtually undetected in this smoothie, though. It’s a complete protein and a plant-based source of iron, B vitamins, antioxidants, calcium, as well as a potent anti-inflammatory. Virtually every part of your body stands to benefit somehow from the regular consumption of spirulina — especially if it’s in a delicious smoothie like this one.

This week we’re teaming up with Laura Wright of The First Mess to flip the notion that a smoothie can’t fill you up. All week long we’re sharing wholesome and hearty smoothies designed with your satisfaction in mind. To see the principles that informed these recipes, check out 4 Steps for Building a Better Smoothie, According to a Nutritionist.