Blueberry Hazelnut Chocolate Hemp Smoothie bowl with Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Snack bars. Vega Review and Giveaway

Smoothies, protein or not, are one of the things we have just recently started to add to our days. Its just happens to be something that we could never make a time slot for in the day. Breakfasts at our ouse are usually substantial and hot. Be it Indian breakfasts of Chilla/Pudla, Savory Oats, Upma etc or scrambles, pancakes, french toasts, hummus sandwiches, all served up with a big cup of thick creamy chai. I eat my lunches hot and hubbs prefers hot but does a big salad sometimes at work. Same goes for dinner. Late afternoon snack time gets filled up with nutty snacks, granola bars or fruits. this year, because of his hiking, his calorie and protein intake and hence his appetite has gone up. And that gives me an opportunity to hand him a smoothie in the morning after the lazy breakfast.

We are very picky when it comes to the taste and texture of the protein powders. Some of them can be such a put off with the extra chalky taste. I usually always add so much more to the smoothie to mask the off taste if any, else we both might fall off the smoothie bandwagon. This is one of the current favorite in the house. Berries + Chocolate Hazelnut butter + Hemp + protein (optional).

Add a bit more non dairy milk or ice for a drinkable smoothie, or keep it thick and top with fresh berries and seeds for a smoothie bowl.



The team at Vega sent me a sample pack of the protein smoothies and their new snack bars. The favorite from the smoothies is obviously tropical tango. I just mixed it in with water, frozen mango and strawberry and it did not need anything else. The Chocolate and vanilla both do well in creamy smoothies or with added nut butters. The Protein smoothies are all gluten and soy free. They sneak in the Greens via their organic green blend of kale, spinach, broccoli, alfa alfa sprouts etc and have pea and sprouted grain protein. 

I liked The Dark chocolate Cashew cherry Snack bars while hubbs liked the chocolate peanut butter cups snack bars. I am not too keen on chocolatey snack bars. So I usually chop some up and add them to the smoothie bowl. Its like a treat with the smoothie. the crisp chocolatey snack bars with the cold smoothie! They make the smoothie bowl snack quite filling.

What are your favorite products from Vega?

The Vega team is also giving away 2 packs of Vega Protein Smoothie and a box of snack bars to a blog reader! Please enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post.




Reading this week.

Raju, the Elephant rescued after 50 years! of slavery to do all sorts of things mostly including begging for food. He changed owner 27 times, so he had a new owner and new abuse every 2 years. Read about his rescue and his story here. I keep crying buckets for him, that it took 50 years to rescue, but now he is finally free.
Support the Elephants on Wildlife SOS here. Wildlife SOS also has worked towards elimination of Dancing Bears in India and is now working to do so in neighboring countries.

This post about the difference between deprivation diets, eating disorders, vegan-ism and the ex-vegan phenomenon.



Blueberry Hazelnut Chocolate Hemp Smoothie bowl with Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Snack bars.
Allergen Information: Free of dairy, egg, corn, soy, gluten

Ingredients:
For the Smoothie:
1 to 1.5 cups frozen blueberries
1 packet Vega chocolate smoothie or chocolate protein powder
3/4 cup non dairy milk
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp chocolate hazelnut butter (Justin's or use plain hazelnut or other nut butter)
3 Tbsp vanilla ice cream or 1 small frozen banana
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optoinal)

Toppings:
Hemp seeds
blueberries
chopped Vega peanut butter cup snack bars or regular peanut butter cups

Method:
Blend everything under smoothie until smooth. Pour or scoop into serving bowls.
Top with hemp seeds, blueberries and pb snack bars or other toppings of choice.
Eat up!
Or blend with a bit more non dairy milk or ice cubes and drink up.



I had interviewed Brendan Brazier, who is the original Vega formulator, ironman tri-athlete, and author of Thrive Book Series, some years back on the blog. Check it out here. 

Enter the Giveaway for 2 pouches of Vega Protein powder and a box of 12 Snack bars below.

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