One of the keys to sticking to your clean eating habits is finding whole foods and whole food combinations with big flavor that keep you coming back for more. While I try to vary up my smoothie recipe, I invariably end up back to my good ‘ol favorite.

It’s always comforting to have your oldie-but-goodie on stand-by, but it’s also fun to mix it up. It’s also important to vary the foods we eat each day to maximize our nutrient content. Different plants have different compounds; the more variety you have in your eating habits the more goodness you can absorb.

With summer fast approaching I can’t get fresh basil off my mind. Since I know that berries and basil are divine together in salads and other dishes I thought, why not try it in a smoothie? I’m so glad I did! It’s really delightful to drink; the basil isn’t too overpowering and made my tastebuds perk up every time I took a sip.

Besides being delicious, basil is also incredibly nutritious. It’s full of antioxidants and phytonutrients, and also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, too.

Play around with the amounts and flavors, mixed berries are great here but solo raspberries, strawberries or blueberries would also be delicious.

Divine Basil Berry Smoothie Recipe

Total time: 2 minutes
Serves 1

• 16 ounces purified water
• 1 serving vegan vanilla protein powder (I use this one)
• 1 heaping tablespoon psyllium husk fiber supplement (I use this one)
• 1/3 cup frozen mixed berries (fresh also work well)
• 5 fresh basil leaves (about 1 inch long leaves)
• 1 heaping tablespoon chia seeds
• 6 ice cubes
• Optional: liquid stevia to taste if needed for sweetness

Method: Blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Stir in your favorite probiotic (if using) after blending and enjoy. A handful of raw organic spinach is also wonderful in this smoothie if you have any on had.

Bottoms Up,