Blueberries and basil go together like “mmmm” were the words of Tatianna, our Neuro-Chef who created this recipe, as she made two emphatic thumbs up signs. I chuckled, then took a sip from the mason jar glass she handed me—and went “mmmmmmm!!!!”

They pair SO PERFECTLY.

This gluten free, dairy free, hypoallergenic smoothie truly (and I can’t say that about many smoothies I see) has what it takes to fuel and nourish you: high fibre complex carbs (blueberries, spinach, basil), healthy fats and good quality protein (coconut yogurt, hemp hearts, Botanica Omegalicious Coconut Pineapple). I recommend having it for breakfast, or half for breakfast and half for a mid-morning snack. It’s LOADED with key nutrients for your brain including antioxidants (free radical and neuro-inflamation busters), magnesium (the anti-anxiety mineral that lives inside green plant blood, chlorophyll) and omega-3 fats (helpful to beat the blues and bust inflammation). And of course, let’s not forget the gut-loving action it has going on with its hit of probiotics (you got it, the coconut yogurt) and prebiotics (food for probiotics; this one’s tougher, but they’re in the blueberries, spinach, and hemp hearts).

Want to take this smoothie to the next level and turn it into a protein shake? Add Botanica Perfect Protein for a delicious boost of ultra-clean (and fermented!) protein.

Blueberry Basil Smoothie

Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients: 10
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

• 1½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• ½ cup plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/3 tsp spirulina
• 2 tsp Botanica Perfect Omega Peach Mango
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts (reserve 1 tsp for garnish)
• 4 medium sized basil leaves
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 serving Botanica Perfect Protein Vanilla*

* If adding Perfect Protein add extra:

• ½ cup blueberries
• ¼ cup coconut yogurt
• 2 medium sized basil leaves

Method

1. Blend blueberries, spinach, coconut yogurt and coconut milk until smooth.
2. Add spirulina, Botanica Omegalicious Coconut Pineapple, Botanica Perfect Protein (optional), raw honey and hemp hearts (reserve 1 tsp for garnish). Blend until fully incorporated.
3. Add basil and salt and pulse until fully mixed in. Pour in glass and sprinkle remaining hemp hearts on top. Enjoy chilled.

Blueberries

Their brainy compounds may be an important nutritional intervention for age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimers.

Blueberry juice is shown to improve learning and memory, balance blood sugar (even though they taste so sweet, they won’t mess with your blood sugar because they are low glycemic) and even reduce depressive symptoms.

Coconut

The medium-chain triglycerides (healthy fats) in coconut provide an efficient source of energy for the body (the less strain on our body, the better our brain runs).

Ketones made from the breakdown of the fat in coconut might actually have temporary effects when treating Alzheimer’s Disease by enhancing memory.
Ketones may also improve our thinking ability so we can break through that mental fog we experience throughout the work day.

As the gut and brain have a reciprocal relationship, coconut milk may help prevent mental health issues as it has been found to have anti-microbial properties in the gut.