„365 Vegan Smoothies“

By:
Kathy Patalsky

8.6 / 10

Who wrote it?

Kathy Patalsky, founder of the vegan lifestyle blog HealthyHappyLife.com. With a science background in nutrition and health promotion from American University, Kathy focuses on wellness and plant-based foods.

And what is it about?

The title probably speaks for itself: Here is a smoothie recipe for every day of the year.

What does it look like?

A handy but surprisingly heavy paperback with, to be honest, a rather unappealing cover. If it weren’t for the title, which certainly promises a lot. Visually, the book is designed with fresh, bright colors and photos that are quite appetizing, even though only about 10% of the recipes are illustrated. When it comes to smoothies, however, it doesn’t bother me too much. The recipes are numbered and clearly arranged.

What can I expect?

365 smoothie recipes divided into the following 12 chapters:

Detox Smoothies
Energizing Smoothies
Slim-down Smoothies
Strengthening Smoothies
Calming Smoothies
Brain-Boosting Smoothies
Healthy-Digestion Smoothies
Healthy-Heart Smoothies
Anti-Ageing Smoothies
Mood-Boosting Smoothies
Immunity-Boosting Smoothies
Beauty-Boosting Smoothies

In the introduction section, these chapters are explained in more detail. You’ll also find tips and tricks for smoothie ingredients, including detailed product information. There’s even an FAQ and answers to typical smoothie myths here.

In the recipe section, each recipe comes with nutritional information and further information on the vitamins and minerals it contains.

Can I do that?

Absolutely.

What do I need?

Well, I personally tend to use a high-powered blender when it comes to blending smoothies, but in principle, even weaker blenders or special smoothie blenders can handle most recipes. Maybe it requires a little more patience, or you have to replace ingredients here and there, e.g. whole nuts with nut butter or similar.

As for ingredients, a certain basic supply of fruit in the freezer is useful if you ever want to prepare something spontaneously (especially bananas). In the introductory section, there are also specific tips on what else the pantry should be stocked with.

Substitute products?

Plant-based yogurt or milk alternatives, as well as (rarely) silken tofu, appear in recipes. The book also includes a recipe for homemade nut milk.

Who needs it?

For smoothie fans, vegan or not, this is definitely a worthwhile purchase.

Oh yes, and does it taste good?

I actually liked almost everything of the tested 10%, although of course I generally chose the smoothies according to my personal taste and didn’t use any ingredients that I already don’t like on their own (hello celery!).

You can find all the recipes tested and my recipe reviews below or on Instagram under the hashtag #VCR365vegansmoothies.

Recipe tips to get blending:

Green Kiwi Glow
Hazelnut Mocha Shake
Raspberry Freeze (find the recipe here)

Conclusion

Whether establishing the morning smoothie as a healthy routine or simply incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, there really is something for everyone in these 365 vegan smoothie recipes. The pleasure aspect is not neglected behind the health aspect. The ingredients can be found almost without exception in well-stocked supermarkets. My personal highlight, by the way, is the index, which lists all recipes for each fruit, vegetable, and any other possible ingredients, such as cocoa, ginger, or mint. It has quickly led me to a suitable recipe during my book testing phase.