What’s the first thing you do each morning once you’ve rolled out of bed and made your way into the kitchen? If you’re anything like the majority of people today, you head straight to your coffee machine and brew up your first cup of the day.
The addictive qualities of caffeine are well-known. In fact, I can attest to this personally after previous trying (and failing) several times to give it up! Even more than the physiological addiction, I know how hard it is to give up the burst of energy that coffee gives you each morning, just when you need it the most.
The thing is, the energy that you get from coffee is not the healthy, long-lasting kind that you get from a healthy, balanced meal. What caffeine does is lift you up fast, and then drop you just as quickly. That often leads to a mid-morning crash in energy levels and, inevitably, another cup of coffee! In the long term, this puts stress on your endocrine system and can actually lead to adrenal fatigue and lower energy levels.
After years on what I like to call the “caffeine treadmill”, I decided enough was enough. I found myself drinking large cups of this addictive substance, several times each day, and it wasn’t helping my energy levels at all. So I decided to try a nutrition-based approach instead, and design a breakfast smoothie that would give me all the energy that I need.
There are probably a few smoothie options in your local supermarket, but they tend to be very imbalanced from a nutritional point of view. Most are berry-based (often with added sugars), have a high glycemic index and contain very little fat or protein. On the other hand, protein shakes are (obviously) high in protein but lacking the fiber, fat and healthy carbohydrates that our bodies need. That’s why making your own smoothie each morning is a much healthier option.
This smoothie is a breakfast replacement that gives me energy all through the morning. It has a balanced nutritional profile, is packed full of both macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients, and contains lots of whole, raw, natural foods. When I drink this smoothie, I get sustained energy that lasts through my morning workout and gives me the mental focus I need to work until lunch. It’s an important part of the plan I follow to combat stress and avoid adrenal fatigue. Best of all, I no longer need that energy kick that caffeine provides, and I have given up my morning cup of coffee for good!
The Recipe
Here are the ingredients that I use each morning to make my breakfast smoothie. At first glance, you might think that it needs a lot of preparation time, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Most of the ingredients are just sitting in my kitchen, ready to go. And once a month, I prepare a large batch of all the fruits I need and put them in my freezer. It takes around 5 minutes each morning to prepare this smoothie.
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1 scoop green powder
- Half an avocado, frozen
- Half a banana, frozen
- 1/2 cup of blueberries, frozen
- 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of plain, probiotic yogurt
- 1/8 Tbsp. Himalayan pink salt
- 1 cup of raw milk
- Filtered water
There are lots of healthy ingredients here, but the real energy boosters are the coconut oil, avocado, banana and blueberries. And of course the healthy combination of fats, proteins and carbohydrates will give your body just the fuel it needs for sustained performance.
What about directions? This smoothie is incredibly easy to make. Just throw all the ingredients into your blender and whizz it until you get the texture you want. There should be no need to add extra ice cubes to thicken the smoothie, as some of the ingredients are already frozen.
Remember, my Adrenal Fatigue Solution program contains lots of delicious adrenal-friendly recipes, as well as shopping lists and meal plans. If you’re struggling to figure out what you can eat, it’s got all the answers you need!
The Ingredients
I’m going to go through those ingredients one by one, together with the brands that I use and the way that I store them. Note that I am not affiliated in any way with the brands mentioned. Feel free to use alternative products, but make sure that you do your research and choose high quality, reputable brands!
Protein powder
I like to use a whey protein concentrate from organic, grass-fed cows. Whey isolates are usually exposed to various nasty chemicals during processing, and have also lost many of the nutritional benefits that concentrate possesses. However, if you are looking for a pure protein powder then isolate does tend to contain much more protein. Another option is a good quality gelatin powder (Great Lakes is a fantastic brand to try).
If you don’t want to use a dairy-based protein powder, there are a few options. Personally, I would avoid rice-based powders (due to possible heavy metal contamination) or any powders that use soy protein isolate. Find a good non-GMO pea protein powder instead.
Green powder
We know that eating lots of vegetables and leafy greens is extremely beneficial for your long-term health, but it can sometimes be difficult to eat your daily requirement. That’s where a good green powder can help out. Just one scoop of a high quality green powder contains many different types of trace nutrients, antioxidants and more. I like to use Green Vibrance, a powder created by Vibrant Health that also contains probiotics.
If you prefer not to use powders like this, here’s a great alternative. Take around 2 cups each of kale and spinach, and put them in your blender with half a cup of water. Whizz them up for a couple of minutes, then pour the resulting mixture into your ice cube tray and freeze. The next time you make a smoothie, simply throw in one of these spinach-kale cubes for some extra green goodness!
Avocado
Avocados contain lots of healthy nutrients like carotenoids and fiber. They also contain lots of fat, but most of this is in the form of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that lowers the risk of heart disease. Just as importantly, they give a rich, creamy texture to your breakfast shake!
Once a month, I buy around 15 organic avocados and slice them into halves. Remove the seed and take off the skin by peeling (not scooping) as much of the nutritional value is in the dark meat that lies just beneath the skin. Freezing them is a two step process because they can stick together easily in the freezer. First, lay them out separately in a large container and freeze overnight. The next morning, they will be fully frozen and you can cram them into a much smaller container.
Banana
As well as being high in fiber, bananas contain lots of potassium for healthy nerve, muscle and brain function. They also add a delicious, natural sweetness to the smoothie.
Bananas can go bad pretty fast (and I prefer not to go shopping too often!) so I like to freeze my bananas. Once a month, I buy around 15 organic bananas, peel them and slice them in half. Just like the avocados, you might want to freeze them separately overnight, then once they are fully frozen you can squeeze them into a smaller container.
Its important to note that both bananas and avocado contain lots of potassium. This is usually a really good thing, but for those individuals who have been suffering from severe and chronic stress, it might not be so helpful. When we experience severe adrenal depletion, one of the results is that our sodium/potassium balance gets thrown off-kilter. If you suspect this might apply to you, try leaving out the banana, and make sure that you add some salt to the smoothie to balance out the sodium/potassium ratio.
Blueberries
The last of the three fruits that I include in this smoothie (yes, avocado is a fruit!), blueberries have lots of important health benefits. They can help to stabilize blood sugar, contain lots of antioxidants, and can improve your memory, among other things.
It should be relatively easy to find frozen blueberries in your local supermarket, but there is one important caveat. Because we eat them whole and they often have high levels of pesticide residue, I would strongly recommend buying organic. This can be expensive, but Costco sells large bags of wild, organic blueberries that are very reasonably priced.
Coconut oil
Right now it seems like everyone is talking about the health benefits of coconut oil. It contains lots of ‘good fats’, the kind that promote healthy cholesterol levels. And there is evidence to suggest that the medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can boost our energy levels too.
When you buy coconut oil (see this guide), make sure to get a ‘virgin’ or ‘extra virgin’ brand. If you prefer a sweet, aromatic coconut oil then you should buy an cold-pressed brand. If you like it flavorless, buy a cold-pressed brand. I usually purchase Carrington Farms’ virgin, cold-pressed, organic coconut oil, which is sold at Costco. Depending on the ambient temperature, coconut oil can be either liquid or solid, and there is no need to refrigerate it.
Plain, probiotic yogurt
Adding probiotic yogurt to the smoothie gives us another healthy dose of protein, as well as lots of nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B2 and B12. And the probiotic bacteria have been shown to improve digestion, boost immunity and reduce the risk of digestive disorders like Crohn’s disease. Just make sure you buy plain, no-sugar added yogurt that says something like ‘Live & Active Cultures’ on the label.
If you make your own kefir (highly recommended!), you can also use that in place of the yogurt in this recipe. Depending on how long you let your kefir ferment, it will give it a slightly tangy taste as well as seriously boosting the amount of probiotic bacteria.
Raw milk
Depending on where you live, you might find it very easy or very difficult to obtain raw milk. For example, it is legal to sell raw milk in only just over half of US states, whereas in some countries (like Canada and Scotland) it is still banned from sale entirely. Why the concern? These regulations generally date from a time when pasteurization was the best way to make the milk supply safe from bugs like E coli.
If you have ever tried raw milk, you will know that it tastes much better than regular, pasteurized milk. It also retains more of the nutrients that are destroyed during the heating process, and has been linked to lower rates of allergies and asthma in children. For me, the benefits far outweigh the relatively tiny risks. After all, dairy farmers and their families have been happily drinking raw milk for centuries, and pasteurization didn’t even exist until the 19th century.
Himalayan pink salt
If you eat lots of whole, unprocessed foods like me, you might want to consider adding a little Himalayan sea salt to your smoothie. It contains lots of minerals and trace elements that you won’t find in regular table salt. This will also help to balance out the potassium in the avocados and banana. However, if you already have lots of salt in your diet, you might want to pass on this one.
Filtered water
Using a water filter can eliminate contaminants like chlorine, lead, arsenic and pathogenic bacteria from your drinking water. Depending on where you live, you might find that filtered water tastes much better than your tap water too. I use a simple Brita filter, but you can also buy whole-house filters that will filter your water before it even enters your house.
A Great Start To Your Day
If you are struggling to get through the first few hours of your day without hitting the coffee machine, its time to make a change. From my experience, being addicted to caffeine consumes both time and money with no real benefit. You can use a breakfast smoothie like this to break your dependency on coffee, and instead keep caffeine as a treat to be enjoyed every now and then.
If you’ve never made a healthy breakfast smoothie like this before, try it for a a few weeks and see how you feel. And remember that changing your diet is jut one part of recovering from Adrenal Fatigue. For a more comprehensive look at your diet and lifestyle, how to reduce stress, and lots of delicious recipes, check out The Adrenal Fatigue Solution. Let me know how you get on!
for those of us who are trying to avoid Lactose are there any other substitutes we can use?
thanks for the great website, it’s lovely
Thanks Rony! Yes you could leave out the milk and yogurt and use organic soy milk instead. Even without the yogurt, the avocado and frozen fruits will make it creamy. Or, and this is something I do myself, use coconut water kefir. I make it at home and use it in my smoothies sometimes. You can ferment it for 48 hours to really lower the sugar content, and it gives a really addictive tangy taste to the smoothie!
Hi Fawne,
Do you know how and where we could find raw milk in ontario or the closest version possible?
Thanks very much.
Giola Pressacco
Hi Giola, you could try contacting these guys – http://naturalmilk.org. If you can’t find raw milk, then organic non-homogenized milk is your next best choice.
Raw milk is generally much more tolerable for lactose intolerant people because the lactase (enzyme that digests milk sugar – lactose) is not destroyed. Soy can cause a host of problems all its own 🙂
Lee, I’m sorry but I have to differ with you about raw milk being more tolerable for those of us with lactose intolerance. I became lactose intolerant when I was in the 4th grade. At the time, we milked cows for our daily milk and the cream to make butter, and buttermilk. Even one sip of raw milk was enough to set of symptoms. For a long time I avoided anything dairy. Have now found I can tolerate most yogurts-the probiotics seem to be the best. For me, and I know others, raw milk is just as bad as homogenized milk.
hi I don’t have access to raw milk. sounds so yummy, maybe I’ll try it with coconut milk unsweetened. thanks!
Hi Fawne! 🙂
I had a hair mineral test done and I am a slow oxidizer and I have adrenal fatigue. I LOVE raw foods in its natural form. Can I heal from adrenal fatigue by following a raw food diet? p.s. I am also vegan.
Cheers
Koren
Hi Koren. A vegan diet certainly makes it more difficult to recover from adrenal fatigue. You’re missing out on a lot of highly nutritive foods like bone broth, egg yolks, liver, raw milk, cod liver oil, grassfed butter, and much more. The most important thing is to make sure that you are getting enough fats and protein, so incorporate lots of avocados, olive oil, nut butters and milks, etc etc. Also consider introducing some pastured eggs and grassfed dairy if you can stomach it!
Regular low fat milk without lactose is bad for those of us with adrendal fatigue?
Low fat milk isn’t bad for you, but I think most people would be better off drinking regular full-fat milk. If we don’t get enough calories from healthy fats, then we tend to replace them with bad choices like simple carbs.
Dairy is death
Current wisdom out there now says low fat milk is very bad for everyone’s health. I wish I could remember why, but this adrenal fatigue has my brain in a deep fog. ?
The high sugar content without fat to balance it makes it bad for our health. Drinking low fat milk raised chances of diabetes something like 45% in a study published recently, or so I read.
Hi Koren,
I was wondering if you could let me know about the hair mineral test?
I have had results from Naturopaths that I have adrenal fatigue.
Were you tested through a medical doctor or GP? How did you go about getting this test done? I would like to try and get this test done myself.
Thanks very much.
Giola
Hi Fawne,
How many servings does your energy smoothies make at one time? What size is the serving you drink each morning?
That recipe should be OK for 2 large servings. When I make this shake, I don’t usually eat anything else for breakfast.
So do you have 2 servings or 1 serving of this recipe?
I usually make it for my husband and myself 🙂
Hi Fawne
Can I make the 2 servings and keep the 2nd one for 24 hours in the fridge or should I just halve the quantities and have them fresh everyday?
Its definitely better to make them fresh. If you halve and freeze the avocados in advance that will save a bit of time!
Hello Fawne,
Please advise in terms of slow digesting protein powder or smoothie powders for me which I can keep at my office for rush mornings.
I have an intolerance to gluten, dairy, sweet fruits; sugar; corn products; peanuts.
I make smoothies from egg white powder, almond mild, fresh or frozen spinach and stevia gel when there is ample time.
Personally I love the Vega brand of protein powders, but I know they’re not available everywhere unfortunately!
Hello,
I have severe adrenal fatigue (ASI panel results)
. My breakfast is usually a frozen smoothie made from organic yogurt, frozen bananas, blueberries or other frozen fruit. However I keep reading about avoiding fruit for breakfast! Especially bananas! Any comments on this??? I love my frozen yogurt in the morning. Even though we raise chickens I am not a fan of eggs. Can only eat them once our twice a week, so I am kind stumped as to what to have for breakfast.
Hi Barbara! There’s nothing wrong with eating some fruit for breakfast, as long as you combine it with some healthy fats and protein. Bananas are a little high in potassium if you have severe AFS, but you could switch them out for some different berries. Try adding some good quality plant-based protein powder to your smoothie. Maybe some chia seeds, flax seed etc? You can also mix in a raw egg yolk (from pastured chickens). You won’t taste the egg if you add it to your smoothie, and egg yolks keep more of their micronutrients when eaten raw. Set the egg whites aside (they contain anti-nutrients when eaten raw) and use them for omelets or baking. I hope that gives you some ideas!
Hi Barbara,
I was wondering if you could let me know about ASI panel testing?
I have had results from Naturopaths that I have adrenal fatigue.
Were you tested through a medical doctor or GP? What exactly is ASI panel testing and where did have this done?
Thanks very much.
Giola
Can I use almond or cashew milk instead of raw milk?
Absolutely!
Hey I was wondering what this smoothie tastes like? I’ve never really been into powders or coconut oil. I would probably use regular milk because I’m pregnant and I’m trying to quit coffee. But I really need a pick me up in thw morning.
It will taste mostly of the berries, along with whatever flavor (if any) the protein powder has.
Whatvis the best yogurt to eat? Currently I am eating Kirklands Greek yogurt from Costco. I add pumpkin puree nutmeg cinnamon walnuts and a little unsweetened coconut milk. Oh and a 1/2 tablespoon of honey (organic from Costco) and some chia seeds. Is that a good smoothie for adrenal fatigue.
I have gained so much weight (25 lbs) just a month and a half and so exhausted! ( I have Graves disease that I am working on getting healed of)
Thanks so much.
I try to buy plain, organic, full fat yogurt. Avoid anything that is sweetened or that includes extra flavoring. If you need to sweeten it, then adding some honey yourself is a much better idea. Don’t be scared off by the fat content of yogurt — if you don’t get enough healthy fat in your diet then you will probably end up compensating by eating too many carbs.
Hey Teresa, just throwing my thoughts out there. I have an underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism-my thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormone) the opposite of yours Graves disease (hyperthyroidism-your thyroid produces to much hormone) At one time I did have an overactive thyroid stated from my blood work, in doing endless research I found that biotin can throw off your lab readings and I was being over medicated I didn’t have an overactive thyroid at all it was the biotin. Biotin will not affect your thyroid it only gives you false reading. I still take biotin only stop it a week or 2 before any blood test. I don’t know if this is your situation but it maybe something to further explore. Best of luck to you feel better soon. Ruthie
hi, how many calories do you calculate being in the smoothie?
I’m sorry I didn’t calculate that yet! Don’t worry too much about eating healthy calories at breakfast though. It gives you the energy your body needs and will stop you from snacking on unhealthy foods later in the morning 🙂
I’ve read that intermittent fasting (IE. skipping breakfast) helps you to lose weight in a healthy way. I’ve been doing that and it’s helped me lose a little bit of weight. Though I’m wondering if it, and a low-carb diet has strengthen my insomnia. I’m sure my weight gain (94lbs. to 170lbs.), adrenal fatigue, leaky gut, candida, and hypothyroidism all contribute to my lack of energy. I’m so overwhelmed with all the conflicting info and what to work on first.
How much is a scoop? I don’t buy packages with a scoop inside. I’m excited to try this tomorrow morning! ?❤️
I use buttermilk for my morning smoothie. I buy the cultures and make my own using whole, low-temp pasteurized milk. In addition to frozen strawberries and blueberries, coconut oil, and protein powder, I also add a raw egg for extra protein (I know, some people wouldn’t dream of it, but I’ve never gotten sick). The consistency is amazing!
This recipe is delicious, thank you! Is there a typo in the amount of pink Himalayan salt? I used 1/4 tsp instead of Tbs and it was perfect. Thanks again Fawne!