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The Summer Recharge One-Day Meal Plan

Summer is a hustle. Keeping up healthy habits and nourishing ourselves with energizing foods often takes a back seat to hot weather treats, heavier BBQ/patio foods, and all the higher sugar beverages. Let's be honest, Summer days are fast-flying by here in Canada. We're with you on the enjoying, but also big on feeling good.

Energize and show your system some love with this mega-nutrient dosing and hydrating one-day plan.  Try following it at least one-day per week to help keep your system in check. 

For daily wins, start each morning with a Blended For You smoothie or bowl for quick prep complete nutrition that covers a ton of your essential nutrient, fibre and protein needs. 

Hydrate All Day

Breakfast

THE BIG GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL

Quick Base Prep: grab a Blended Green Smoothie
Suggested: Greens D-tox or if you prefer a fruitier blend, try The Remedy or Green Beginnings

Let pack soften partially (so you can just break the smoothie pack in half) & add to blender with 1/2 of a banana. Fill the empty pouch about 1/2 way with your preferred no-sugar added plant-based liquid (eg. unsweetened cashew, oat or coconut milk), add to blender, blend. Smoothie texture should be thick.

Toppings: walnuts, raspberries, seeds, coconut


Lunch

AVOCADO BOATS TWO WAYS
Ingredients
2 Ripe avocados (halved with pits removed)

CHICKPEA TOPPING
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and patted dry)
3 Tbsp tandoori masala spice blend*
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp avocado oil
1 batch tahini sauce (or green chutney)
lemon juice
fresh parsley (chopped)
6 baby tomatoes (diced)
1/4 medium red onion (diced)

Instructions
FOR CHICKPEAS: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While it heats, add drained/dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with sea salt and masala spice blend.

Once skillet is hot, add oil and chickpeas to pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until slightly crispy and browned - about 8-10 minutes. If browning too quickly, turn down heat.

Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside too cool. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt or masala spice as desired.

To serve, halve avocados and remove pits. You can either scoop out the avocado or leave it in the skin (removing it from the skin is a little more messy, but it does make it easier to eat).

Top avocados with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, chickpeas, parsley, tomatoes, onion and desired sauce. Serve immediately - best when fresh.

Top avocados with a generous squeeze of lime juice, black beans, cilantro, onion, and desired sauce. Serve immediately as is or with tortilla chips - best when fresh.

Afternoon Snack*

Blended Acai Organic Bowl or Chia Energy Bowl

Topping ideas: berries, coconut chips, sugar-free granola

* you can also have this as a later morning snack instead of afternoon if you're a later-lunch-eater.

Dinner

The Power Bowl

Ingredients
(makes 2 servings)

The Roasted Veggies:

3 small (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (4 cups)

4 cups (500 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved*

1 medium (800 g) cauliflower, chopped into small florets (4 heaping cups)

1 medium (230 g) red onion, peeled and chopped

2 large (500 g) red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

The Quinoa:

2 cups (400 g) uncooked quinoa

The Toppings:

Chopped lettuce/greens (Romaine, Iceberg, kale, etc)

Salad dressing - simple olive oil, lemon, garlic

Ripe avocado: 1/2 diced

Nuts and seeds: 2 tbsp

Hummus: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Position two oven racks near the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two extra-large (15- x 21-inches) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. It’s important to use extra-large baking sheets so there’s enough room for all those healthy veggies.

Divide the chopped, “to-be-roasted” veggies onto the baking sheets. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over top each sheet and toss the veggies until they’re fully coated in the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Roast the veggies for 30 to 40 minutes (I find 35 minutes is perfect in my oven for lightly charred veggies) until fork tender and golden. There’s no need to rotate/move the pans or flip the veggies halfway through baking unless you’re particular about even cooking.

While the veggies are roasting, add the quinoa to a large pot along with 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) water. Stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.

Remove the roasted veggies from the oven.

To make the power bowls: add a couple generous handfuls of chopped lettuce/greens to the bottom of a large shallow bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing and toss the lettuce/greens until coated. Top with spoonful's of your prepped quinoa and roasted. Add diced avocado, more salad dressing, nuts and seeds, top with hummus.

Energizing Foods

We've packed a ton of our blends with essential ingredients and boosters to support mental & physical energy:

B12: this essential nutrient can be easy to miss (especially on a plant-based diet), but it's a mood-booster and major player in many of your body's core functions. Find it in our The Remedy blend.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: these important fats are essential because the body needs them for healthy brain function - and they fuel brain metabolism. A good source of Omega 3 is chia seeds, which can be found in our Sweet Sleep Mango Kale, Vita-C Immunity, The Green Mo and Blue Coconut Keto blends. 

Lion's Mane & Cordyceps: if you know us over here at Blended, you know we're big on adaptogens. These two shrooms are natural mind elevators and sources of energy. Find them both in our Shroom Energy.

Maca: we're crazy about Maca because it's a natural mood elevator, hormone-balancer and source of energy. Find it in: Maca Energy and Shroom Energy.

Matcha: studies have shown it can improve attention, reaction time, and memory. It's also packed with antioxidants to support healthy cell function. Start your morning with our Matcha Morning for the daily body & mind support combo.

Folate: this is the B-vitamin needed to convert carbs into energy, make red and white blood cells, and produce RNA and DNA. Find it in our Greens Daily Dose, Daily Greens Keto and The Remedy blends.

We're over a month into Summer, which means your hair and skin health might need a little extra support thanks to sun & water exposure, dehydrating hot weather activities/exercise, and a diet that’s higher in alcohol, sugar, salt & processed food that usual. Here are a few super easy ways to show yourself some 'repair love' that you can do from anywhere:

1. Antioxidant-Load: antioxidants fight free radicals (chemicals that damage cells), so getting a range of foods that pack them in is essential for cellular health. Eating a diet high in antioxidant plant-based foods and getting your daily Blended smoothie, soup or bowl really does support your inside & out health. See the ‘Free Radical What-Why-How” below for more.

2. Coconut Oil, Avocado, Banana Hair Mask
What you’ll need:
1 ripe avocado, pitted
1 ripe banana
2 TBSP coconut oil
Combine ingredients and blend together until thoroughly mixed. Spread the mixture over your hair and let it set for 20-30 minutes. Thoroughly rinse out & use your regular shampoo and conditioner.

3. Sleep: it's essential for collagen production, skin hydration, skin healing, and more. Having trouble sleeping? Try our Sweet Sleep (let soften & spoon right from the pack 30 to 60 min before bed).

4. The Cucumber Facial: this mask exfoliates gently and leaves the skin noticeably softer.
What you’ll need:
1/2 cucumber, pureed in a food processor
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey (liquid/soft for mixing)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together with a fork until thoroughly combined. Using your fingertips, lightly rub into face and neck in circular motions. Rinse off with a warm cloth or make up pads.

The Free Radical What-Why

More on Free Radicals….this part is for our fellow Nutrition Geeks - we totally get if it’s not your thing, that’s what your blend-a-day is all about (skip to the section below).

Free radicals are chemicals that, in high levels, are capable of damaging cells. The body generates free radicals when turning food into energy, exercising, and exposure to things like cigarette smoke, industrial chemicals, air pollution, and sunlight. An excessive chronic amount of free radicals in the body causes a condition called oxidative stress, which can damage cells and lead to chronic diseases.

Studies show that higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes, are associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and deaths from all causes. A plant-based diet is believed to protect against chronic oxidative stress-related diseases.

Here's how to get them from your foods:
Vitamin C: broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, sweet potato, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, leafy greens (turnip, mustard, beet, collards), honeydew, kiwi, lemon, orange, papaya, snow peas, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, and bell peppers (all colors)

Vitamin E: almonds, avocado, Swiss chard, leafy greens, sweet potato, peanuts, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds
Carotenoids (including beta-carotene and lycopene): Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, bell peppers, kale, mangos, turnip and collard greens, oranges, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, winter squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon
Selenium: chia seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, beef, poultry, barley, brown rice.

Zinc: poultry, oysters, shrimp, beef, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews, fortified cereals
Phenolic compounds: Quercetin (apples, red wine, onions), catechins (tea, cocoa, berries), resveratrol (red & white wine, grapes, peanuts, berries), coumaric acid (spices, berries), anthocyanins (blueberries, strawberries)

These are just some of our blends that include FOUR or more of
the above foods:
Choco-Nutty: Shroom Energy, Nutty Athlete, Nutty Chocolate Lover
Berry: The Athlete, Acai Radiance, Cherry Bomb, Blueberry Boost
Greens: Lime Mojito, Greens Daily Dose, Matcha Morning
Soups: Sweet Potato Coconut, Greens Immunity
Lower-Carb Blend Options:
Blue Coconut Keto, Blueberry Boost,
Greens Daily Keto, Greens D-tox
Get your #blendeddailydose

The Lime Mojito

Don't let the name fool you, this refreshing easy green smoothie is a major health-support superstar. The Lime Mojito, boosted with magnesium citrate and high in potassium, will help with recovery from all the activities you get into (from endurance sport to late-night patio sessions). It's also packed with antioxidants, making it a go-to for outside glow & inside health. Bonus: fresh mint helps with digestion & bloating. 

Superpowers: immunity-boosting, recovery, nerve function, stress support, cellular health, digestion.

Ingredients & Benefits 

Pineapple: high in Vitamin C (for immune health, iron absorption, fighting free radicals/boosting cellular health) and manganese (for metabolism & growth).  It also packs a group of digestive enzymes called bromelain.

Avocado: rich in many nutrients, including fibre, healthy fats, Vitamins C, E, B6, potassium, magnesium and folate. A big supporter of heart and cellular health, nerve and digestive function.

Lime: another big Vitamin C & antioxidant-packer that boosts your immune system and promotes cellular health.  Say hello to your skin glow. 

Fresh Mint: aids in digestion and high in Vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin, eye health and supports immune health.  

Cucumber: high in water content and fibre, they help cleanse the liver and support your body's natural detoxification processes, as well as hydration levels. 

Organic Spinach: extremely nutrient-rich, it packs high amounts of carotenoids, Vitamins C & K, folic acid, iron, and calcium. It supports eye health, reduces oxidative stress and blood pressure levels, which helping prevent critical illnesses like Cancer and Heart Disease. 

Magnesium Citrate (booster): aids in your body's muscle, nerve and intestinal function. It's also an anti-inflammatory that provides support insulin resistance lowering blood pressure and physical stress. 

Sprouted protein: high in amino acids and B-Vitamins essential for muscle building & repair. 

The Tropical Cherry Smoothie

It's like the feeling of sunshine on your face. This refreshing cherry-berry-lemony feel-good smoothie will be everyone's favourite at your place this Summer. The Tropical Cherry isn't too sweet, or too tart, and is loaded with antioxidants, fibre & immunity-boosting ingredients.

Superpowers: cellular health, skin glow, heart & mental health support.

Cherries: high in antioxidants, contain anti-inflammatory properties, and one of the only food sources of melatonin (in small amounts) which can support your mental health/provide stress-support.

Raspberries: loaded with Vitamin C, they aid in healing (cellular repair and health), collagen production & immune system support. Raspberries are also packed with fibre and low in sugar, making them a favourite for heart health.

Mango: high in Vitamins C & K, folate (for blood & cellular health), and magnesium for heart health and digestive support. Bonus: mangos have proven to be a natural libido-booster.

Banana: rich in potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure in check as well as replenish electrolytes during/ post activity. Bananas are also high in fibre, support digestive health, and a great jitter-free energy booster.

Chia: high in fibre, omega fatty acids, and nutrients that support your overall good health (bones, heart, digestion). They’re an amazing source of energy, even in small amounts (1 to 2 tbsp).

Cauliflower: high in choline, a major nutrient that supports metabolism and a healthy nervous system. Cauli is also an excellent source of fibre, antioxidants (including vitamin C), and cancer-fighting sulforaphanes.

Lemon Juice: high in Vitamin C, packed potassium, calcium, and folate making it a win for your cellular health (skin glow, disease-fighting), bone health, healthy kidney function, and digestion support.

Sprouted Protein: high in amino acids and B-Vitamins essential for muscle building & repair.

 Email us anytime. 

Easy Ways to Cut Refined Sugar 

There's no way around it, refined sugar is just not good for us. In fact, it's really bad for us. Don't worry, if you've a got a sweet tooth, we've got some better for you tips. First, here's the scoop on natural vs refined sugars so you have the what-why:

Natural Sugar
Commonly found in nutrient-rich foods that have not been processed (eg. fruits & veggies) which contain essential vitamins, minerals, water, antioxidants, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Natural sugar often comes within foods that contain the compounds necessary for the proper digestion of sugar eg. higher-fibre foods that are digest slower and support stabilizing your metabolism and blood sugar levels.

Refined Sugar
Refine sugars are produced from natural sugars through an extraction process. Two examples are table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Refined sugar is unhealthy because it's been processed and stripped of all nutrients (which your body needs to metabolize it). The lack of fibre causes a hit to the blood stream quickly, which gives you sugar highs and lows ("crashes") as well as sugar cravings (sugar is highly addictive). Ingesting refined sugar causes the body to release an overload of insulin to aid in its digestion, which can result in stored glycogen and weight-gain. They’re considered empty calories because they contain virtually no vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, fiber, or other beneficial compounds.

Refined sugar has been proven to increase the risk of health issues like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and stroke.

Sugar Swap

Pure Maple Syrup

Besides being delicious and all-natural, pure maple syrup contains antioxidants and nutrients like potassium, manganese, and iron. It’s also a lot easier on the liver than refined sugars.

How to swap in:

(the ratio is 1:1 with other sweeteners)

Baking: sub in muffins, cookies, loaves
Creamy items: lattes, ice creams, add to natural yogurt vs buying flavoured ones that contain refined sugar.
At-home nut mylks

Raw Honey

Raw honey contains propolis, also known as bee glue, because the bees use it to fill crevices and seal honeycombs. Propolis is known to have anti-cancer properties as well as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and infection-fighting properties. Essential amino acids and enzymes are also found in raw honey.

How to swap in:

(the ratio is 1:1 with other sweeteners)

use raw honey if you have a recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener that does not need to be heated too high
hot & cold beverages (stir 1 tsp into hot green tea, let chill, and you’ve got a refreshing antioxidant-packed drink).
dressings (use a little to cut the tartness of lemon, lime and vinegar)

Pro tip: buy raw honey, not pasteurized or filtered, to get the maximum health benefits.

Bee-Mindful Hunnie

We're obsessed with this made-from-apples honey alternative. Kind to bees, delicious, and created by Canadian local company Mindful Fud.

Ripe Bananas

Bananas are one of our favourite ways to naturally sweeten foods while also adding tons of essential nutrients. They’re great source of potassium that helps lower blood pressure levels, Vitamin B6 needed daily to prevent anemia and coronary artery disease, and are also a good source of Vitamin C for immunity and overall health.

How to swap in:

• Baking: instead of sugar, add a puree of ripe banana into cookies, loaves & muffins.
• Yogurt: blend 1 cup of plain yogurt with ¼ cup banana puree & blueberries
• Home-made 'nice' cream: check out the Nutty Chocolate Nice Cream recipe below. 

Pro-Tip: bananas need to be really ripe & soft (but not brown inside).

Coconut Sugar: while it still has a low nutrition-density & we don’t recommend regular consumption, it is a better option over refined table sugars. It’s also lower on the glycemic index, so it won’t spike your blood sugar levels as much.

When you need a sweet-treat fix our The Nutty Chocolate Lover is the perfect in-the-freezer standby.  Let soften in a bowl, mix well, & spoon.

​Instant Chocolate 'Nice' Cream

* Fill your blender jug part way with warm water. Let your Nutty Chocolate Lover pack soften partially for 90 seconds (so you can just break the smoothie pack in half).  

* Empty the water from your blender jug. 

* Add the smoothie to blender with 1/5 cup canned light coconut milk & 1/4 cup banana.

* Blend, serve into bowl & dig in!

Shop our smoothies, soups or chia bowls 

#GetBlended

Daily Dosing

We’re in an ‘everyone’s getting it’ situation right now, so we thought it would be a good time to help make sure you’re nourishing with the essentials that support keeping you healthy and recover faster if you get sick.

Here are some of our top vitamin & mineral picks for immunity and recovery. Are you getting yours on the daily?

Four for Immune Support

ZINC

Zinc has big immune-boosting properties and disease-fighting potential. It’s a micronutrient that helps your immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses, and helps the body heal wounds, supports sense of smell and taste, and can even boost your mood. Plant-based foods high in zinc include legumes, nuts, seeds (hemp, flax, chia), whole grains (quinoa and rice), vegetables (spinach, mushrooms, asparagus), cacao (in all our chocolatey smoothies).

Zinc is best absorbed when combined with protein: poultry, fish, tofu, sprouted proteins and legumes are great foods for supporting it.

The protein casein, which is found in dairy products, should be avoided while eating zinc rich foods as casein is an inhibitor for zinc absorption. Avoid blending your zinc-rich (chocolate) blends with cow milk.

VITAMIN E

This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection. It also supports vision, reproduction, and health of your blood, muscles, brain and skin. Some of the foods rich in vitamin E include wheat germ oil, almonds, peanuts, leafy greens and avocado.

Natural ingredient sources containing vitamin E are the best choice. If you take a supplement, it may not offer the same benefits and in some cases can be dangerous to your health.

VITAMIN B6

This vitamin is important for keeping your nervous and immune systems healthy. Deficiency in vitamin B-6 can cause anemia, dermatitis, depression, and a weakened immune system. Some of the food sources of vitamin B-6 include spinach, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, avocado, salmon, tuna, poultry, some nuts, and bananas.

A vitamin B-6 deficiency is usually coupled with deficiency in other B vitamins, such as folate (vitamin B-9) and vitamin B-12. The recommended daily amount of vitamin B-6 for adults is 1.3 milligrams.

VITAMIN C

This vitamin is one of the biggest immune system boosters that can help fight-off illness. Daily intake of vitamin C is essential because our bodies don't produce or store it. C-rich foods include citrus fruits (eg. lemons, oranges), berries, red peppers, spinach, kale & broccoli.

Another reason to love vitamin C is that it helps with the absorption of plant-based iron, which is boosted when paired with a source of vitamin C.

Blends for Immune Strength

Here are a few of our top picks for immune system strength & support:

Bonus: our blends are also orchestrated with an ideal combination of ingredients to maximize absorption, which is an important part of truly getting your essential nutrients in. 

THE REMEDY

Thanks to its spirulina, B12, dandelion, and mega vitamin-packing, this blend is a superstar for immunity strength, recovery and mental function. Its nutrition panel is next level impressive with high Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, K, iron & calcium. 

VITA-C IMMUNITY

This blend was designed to keep your immunity-game strong, give a mega-antioxidant boost (thanks camu camu), and support stress and anxiety management (hooray ashwagandha).  Nutrition panel RDI highlights: 300% Vitamin-C, 50% magnesium, 25% iron, 30% folate, 20% vitamin K, 10% vitamin E, 20% zinc.

GREENS DAILY DOSE

Always an immunity-boosting fave one-a-day habit that makes getting your greens & a whole bunch of essential vitamins including B-6, B-12 & C. It's also high in plant-based iron. Check out its brag sheet (aka nutrition panel) and meet your new daily supplement routine. 

SHROOM ENERGY

Don’t let the delicious chocolate-rich taste fool you, this blend is mega-healthy and packs over 100% of your Zinc RDI, adaptogens lion’s mane & cordyceps support your immune system and mental health, while the maca gives you a natural energy boost. Also high in magnesium, iron, vitamins C & B6.

GREENS IMMUNITY SOUP

For the days that you want to boost with a warm soup. It’s a go-to for cold & flu prevention, recovery support, immunity-boosting and inflammation-fighting. It has a whopping ten servings of veggies per pack and antioxidant-packed to keep your body and mind healthy. RDI brag sheet includes 100% to 200+ % of Vitamins A, C, K, and 47% B6, 20% iron, folate 45%. 

Check out our full Immunity-Boosting collection:  BLENDS FOR IMMUNITY