Ultra creamy and just the right amount of sweet, you'll never believe this Raspberry Smoothie is easily made vegan and has no processed sugar!

A creamy and naturally sweet smoothie bursting with berry flavor, this Creamy Raspberry Smoothie is easy to make, healthy, and kid-friendly!

It's that time of year again: SMOOTHIE SEASON!

If you hear me over here celebrating and banging pots and pans out of the window, you know why. 😬

'Cause with everything else going on in the world, I'm firmly believing that I need to be celebrating all the good things in life, and gosh darnit, smoothies are ONE OF THOSE THINGS!

It's funny to write this, though, because I'm remembering a time that I wasn't into smoothies (I feel so sacrilegious typing that!).

The type of smoothies I grew up on seemed to be full of sugar and/or light on any form of protein or fat. Though they tasted good going down, I then had a sugar rush and subsequent crash, leaving me not feeling so great after.

I learned to stay away from them if I wanted to not be ravenous and hangry 1.5 hours after I drank them.

It was a bummer because I liked drinking smoothies, but I disliked feeling crummy after.

But then, last year, after getting my Vitamix blender I started experimenting with smoothie recipes I could make that were filling and delicious and wouldn't cause me to crash and burn.

I discovered that doing the following helped me to create these types of smoothie recipes:

• Use unsweetened milk or yogurts
• Add fiber to the smoothie -- fruit, nut butter, seeds, dates, etc.
• Use natural sweeteners -- dates, fruit, maple syrup, or honey
• Add protein to the recipe -- protein powder, seeds or nut butter, collagen powder, etc.
• Use lower sugar fruits -- berries, in particular, are low sugar fruits
• Add some baby greens -- baby spinach, baby kale, baby swiss chard, or a combination of all three

With a limited amount of processed sugar, focusing on natural sugars that (preferably) also bring fiber, and adding protein to the smoothie you get delicious flavor while also getting the nutrition to keep you satisfied for the long haul.

One of my favorite filling smoothies is my Blueberry Green Smoothie. I can't even count the number of times I whipped that beauty up last summer.

And as much as I love that creamy and nutty blueberry flavor, I found myself wanting something new this year. So, I got back to the Vitamix and drawing board to come up with this new Creamy Raspberry Smoothie.

With the sweet-tart flavor of raspberry, a bit of nuttiness from almond butter, natural sweetness from the dates, a dreamy creaminess from hemp seeds, and leafy greens you hardly even know are there, it's a smoothie that Chris immediately exclaimed "Dang this is good!" at first sip.

It may almost be enough for you to even understand why I'm over here banging my pots and pans... Maybe. A girl can hope. But, the most important thing I hope is that you and your family love this smoothie as much as we do. 💗

This Raspberry Smoothie is...

• Creamy
• Naturally sweet
• Lightly nutty
• Filling
• Nutritious
• Full of fiber and protein
• A serving of fruit and vegetables
• Made without processed sugar
• Hydrating
• Cooling
• Kid-friendly
• Ready in less than 5 minutes!

Whether you're looking for a quick breakfast or coming in from a run or hard workout in the summer heat, this smoothie will nourish you from the inside out with nutrition that will give you a great start to your day.

Recipe Ingredients:

Almond milk - unsweetened original or vanilla almond milk is best.

Hemp seeds - these seeds offer plant-based protein, omega-3's and give an incredible creaminess to the smoothie (source).

Collagen peptides or unsweetened protein powder - these add a little extra protein powder to keep the smoothie filling. Use a vegan protein powder (instead of collagen peptides) to keep this recipe vegan. Just watch the added sweeteners if you're using protein powder. Unsweetened powder or sugar-free vanilla powder should work just fine.

Baby greens - I love a blend of baby spinach, baby kale, and baby Swiss chard. Trader Joe's sells a blend called "power greens." They're perfect for this smoothie!

• Pro-tip: make your greens last longer by freezing them! Just pop the whole bags in the freezer as soon as you get home from the grocery store and you'll have greens on the ready anytime you have a smoothie craving.

Medjool dates - these larger, softer dates add a natural sweetness and fiber to the smoothie.

Raspberries - the start of this smoothie show! When fresh berries aren't in season, frozen berries are just fine. I actually prefer them because they are cost-effective and add an extra frostiness to the smoothie.

Almond butter - almond butter accents the flavor of the raspberries without stealing the show. Creamy or nutty almond butter are both just fine.

Ice - adds extra hydration and coolness to the smoothies.

Ingredient substitutions:

Dates - Medjool dates are the best because they have a soft, creamy flesh. If you don't have or can't find them, however, Deglet Noor dates should work. If they're small, however, you may need to use up to 4-5 dates to get your desired sweetness.

If you don't have dates, you can also use honey or maple syrup to sweeten this smoothie. You'll need 2-2.5 tablespoons of either, so sweeten to taste. Also, please note that if you use honey this recipe will no longer be vegan.

Berries - I love raspberries in this recipe because of their tartness, but it also can be fun to add fresh or frozen berry blend, blueberries, or strawberries in this recipe. Bonus: adding darker berries will add such a pretty color to the smoothie!

Milk - cow's milk, pea milk, or oat milk can be used in place of the almond milk. Using cow's milk, however, will make this recipe no longer vegan.

Nut butter - peanut butter or sunflower seed butter can be used in place of the almond, though both will provide a slightly stronger flavor. Start with just 2 tablespoons of the alternate butters and increase to 3 tablespoons if you like the strength of flavor.

Is this smoothie dairy-free? Gluten-free?

Yes, this smoothie is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free.

There isn't any dairy in the smoothie, so it's dairy-free. Most almond milks don't have gluten in it, either. If you're concerned that your almond milk may have gluten, however, just double check in the ingredient label to be sure.

Where do you find hemp seeds?

You can find hemp seeds at most national grocery store chains, Whole Foods, Costco, and you can even find hemp seeds on Amazon.

Can you use other berries in this smoothie?

Yes, you can use other berries in this smoothie. I personally prefer the tart sweetness of the raspberries, but you can also use fresh or frozen blueberries, mixed berries, blackberries, cherries, or strawberries.

Is this recipe kid-friendly?

Yes, this recipe is kid-friendly. It's not super sweet like some higher sugar smoothies are, but it has a creamy, almost ice cream-like flavor most kids will enjoy.

If your child does't think the smoothie is sweet enough, you can blend in an extra date to sweeten it up more.

A note on the best order to add ingredients to the blender:

This may seem a bit rigid or not important, but adding the ingredients to the blender in the right order can make or break your smoothie blending experience.

Basically, the order I share helps for the smoothie to blend up quickly and smoothly without the motor burning out or the ingredients not evenly blending up.

Here's the order I always like to add my ingredients to the blender:

1. Liquids
2. Spices, seeds, and protein or collagen powders
3. Leafy greens
4. Fresh or frozen fruit and/or dates
5. Nut or seed butters
6. Ice

How do you make this raspberry smoothie?

To make this smoothie, just take these two simple steps:

1. Add all the smoothie ingredients to the blender in the other listed.
2. Blend the smoothie up on medium speed for 30-45 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Serve!

What tools do you need to make this recipe?

You only need a few tools to make this cool drink!

Yes, you can definitely make a smoothie bowl with this recipe!

The smoothie should be thick enough on its own if using frozen raspberries. If you're using fresh raspberries, however, just add an extra handful of ice to the smoothie before blending.

Then, just top your smoothie with all your favorite smoothie toppings: granola, dried coconut, fresh fruit, nuts, nut butter, chocolate chips, honey, and anything else you like!

How long does this recipe last?

Smoothie leftovers last in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stir before serving or blend the smoothie up with a few extra ice cubes to "refresh" the smoothie before serving.

Other healthy smoothie & breakfast recipes you might like:

• Green Peanut Butter Date Smoothie
• Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
• Chocolate Coconut Smoothie
• Green Kombucha Smoothie
• Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
• Oat Protein Cookies (a.k.a. Breakfast Cookies!)
• Double Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
• Oatmeal Blender Pancakes
• Pineapple Banana Smoothie

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