Vegan or vegetarian diet is not just about eliminating meat and animal products. Learning to balance your nutrient intake, and especially the proteins, takes time, and in-between you may experience different health issues such as losing hair, a sluggish metabolism, low energy levels, frail nails, or hormone imbalance. For me, I had most of them, and while I’m still struggling with a slow thyroid, I try to nourish my body with nutrient-packed foods, clean supplements and a diverse protein intake.
If you are a vegetarian, having eggs at breakfast or with a stew for dinner is the easiest thing to do to add a complete protein source to your daily diet, but how about the vegan diet? Most of the plant protein sources do not contain all the amino acids your body needs for building the protein blocks, and you need to pay a lot of attention to the combination of foods.
While hemp and quinoa will do the trick by themselves, you need to combine legumes or beans either with cereals, whole grains, seed or nut butters. While I love to experiment in the kitchen and alternate my protein sources, sometimes I choose to supplement or prepare my own mix that I add to cereals, hot chocolate, or vegan milk to indulge with a protein-packed latte.
Many of the protein powders contain either whey or additives, sugars, or GMO ingredients. This is why I most often prefer to create these mixes myself, to make sure everything is organic and without dairy or additives. The base for my vegan protein powders is a mix of hemp seeds and brown rice, to which I add different adaptogens and superfoods to create a nutrient-dense combo with healing properties.
You can pretty much play as you like, but keep in mind that not all of the super-foods go well together taste-wise. Here are my favorite ones:
The Metabolism Booster
Packed with minerals and exceptional antioxidants, this vegan protein powder stimulates the natural detoxification process, boosts the liver activity, and fights against early aging. It makes a perfect addition to your lattes before a workout for increasing fat burn and energizing you.
- 1 tbsp hemp powder
- 1 tsp brown rice powder
- 1 tsp raw cacao powder
- ½ tsp beet powder
- ½ tsp acai powder
- 2 tsp almond butter
- 2 cups almond milk, warm
- Add all the ingredients into the blender and pulse to obtain a creamy liquid.
- Serve warm.
The Hormone Harmonizer
This one is my favorite! A blend of turmeric, bee pollen, reishi mushroom, and antioxidants ginger and cinnamon, this one has anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting, stress-relieving, and digestive-soothing effects, increasing resistance to mind-body stress, nurturing the whole endocrine system, and enhancing your vitality.
- 1 tsp hemp powder
- 1 tsp brown rice powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp bee pollen (skip the pollen if considered non-ethic)
- ½ tsp reishi mushroom powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ¼ inch ginger knob, peeled and grated
- 2 tsp almond butter
- 2 cups almond milk , warm
- Add all the ingredients into the blender and process to obtain a creamy liquid. Serve warm.
The Mind Awakener
The easiest, but a very powerful one, this mix only contains matcha powder and spirulina. Matcha tea is the preferred drink of Zen monks before meditation, because it enhances your awareness and helps your mind focus on what is really important in your life. Spirulina is not only a complete superfood packed with a wide array of nutrients, but it also adds an extra protein kick to this mix.
- 1 tbsp hemp powder
- 1 tsp brown rice powder
- 2 tsp matcha powder
- 1 tsp spirulina powder
- 2 tsp almond butter
- 2 cups almond milk, warm
- Add all the ingredients into a blender and process to obtain a creamy liquid. Serve warm.
February 6, 2017
Just what I’ve been searching for! A protein powder that’s vegan, DIY and contains only the ingredients that I know will be good for my body. I can practically feel the ‘gains’ already…
February 7, 2017
That’s great, I’m happy you found some inspiration here! 🙂
February 6, 2017
These look divine <3
February 7, 2017
Thanks so much Natalia <3
February 14, 2017
I love this!! Do you have a favorite source for mushroom, beet and spirulina powders? And do you grind your own brown rice and hemp seeds?
February 15, 2017
Thank you so much! I source the powders, including the powdered hemp and brown rice, from a health store in my neighborhood, making sure they’re organic.
February 16, 2017
These lattes look absolutely AMAZING! Just pinned them all. I love a warm drink, and especially when they are full of superfoods!
February 20, 2017
I am really happy you liked the lattes, they are my favorite afternoon drinks! Thanks so much for pinning! 🙂
October 18, 2017
These looked so amazing and interesting I just had to try them out. The Mind Awakener truly is a powerful one! Thank you Ana for sharing!