This Wild Blueberry “Surprise!” Low Carb Smoothie Will Change The Way You look at Cauliflower

This wild blueberry smoothie may be low carb but it’s high in flavor and antioxidants!

… and what’s the surprise? There’s cauliflower in your smoothie! Go ahead and trick all your friends — they’ll never know!

Is your smoothie a sugar-bomb?

Here’s a common issue I see with new clients: they’re loading their smoothies up with high-sugar fruits and little else.

Mango, banana, pineapple, orange juice. Yum, right?

Yummy indeed because it’s basically a sugar-bomb.

Of course, fruits are healthier than a candy bar! They come packed with nutrients and fiber.

But chugging back a lot of high-sugar fruits in one sitting can spike and crash your blood sugar levels just like a candy bar would.

So it’s no surprise, then, that these ladies who start their day with sugary smoothies get that telltale mid-morning or mid-afternoon (or both!) energy crash that comes along with imbalanced blood sugar levels.

… that unhealthy blood sugar spike and crash that leaves you tired, hungry, and hangry, not to mention suppresses your immune system, promotes weight gain, and spikes acne-causing androgen hormones.

No, we don’t want this!

But it’s easy to craft low carb smoothies… without sacrificing taste!

There are a few staple ingredients I always keep stocked…

BERRIES

Berries are much lower in sugar compared to other fruits, which is why they’re a perfect addition to low carb smoothie recipes. Raspberries are also especially fiber-full, helping to reduce the net carbs (more about net carbs below!).

I always keep frozen organic strawberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries (MUCH more flavorful and have more antioxidants than regular blueberries) in my freezer — frozen organic produce is often much more reasonably priced than fresh, but just as nutritious.

CAULIFLOWER

Cauliflower in a smoothie!? Yes!

As with frozen greens, you can hardly taste frozen cauliflower, and it provides the same creaminess as banana but with much less sugar.

Remember: it’s not just about about carbs. Fiber, fat, and protein matter too.

Because these all help to balance the carbs and sugars in your smoothie, mitigating the effect on blood sugar.

They’re also the key to a satisfying smoothie that will keep you full until your next meal!

FIBER

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that has no effect on blood sugar. In fact, fiber slows glucose absorption into the bloodstream and so helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels.

For this reason, the “net carbs” of a serving of food — or the only carbs that really count in terms of the effect on blood sugar — are the total amount of carbs minus the fiber.

Let’s look at avocado for example:

See how 1 avocado has 17 g carbs and 13 g fiber? This means there are just 4 g net carbs in 1 avocado! So it’s a very low-carb fruit (yep, avocados are berries!).

All fruits and vegetables come packaged with fiber though the amount varies. You can also add chia seeds, flax seeds, or acacia fiber powder for a bit more fiber and blood sugar support.

PROTEIN

Protein slows glucose absorption into the bloodstream and so helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels. So in other words, it helps balance out the natural sugars from any fruits in your smoothie.

I aim to include 15-20 g of protein with each smoothie.

Note: Plant-based protein powders can cause bloating and gas. If this is the case for you, or if you struggle with digestive issues, I recommend using collagen peptides as your protein powder. Collagen is my personal favorite protein powder powder of choice for this reason and a few others (joint, skin, hair, and nail health!), and this is my collagen of choice — it’s the best price for the quality!

Related: So What’s The Deal With Collagen? What Is It & Is It Worth The Hype?

HEALTHY FAT

*One last time!* Like protein and fiber, fat slows glucose absorption into the bloodstream and so so helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Fat also keeps skin soft and supple, and is essential for healthy hormones.

I aim to include 12-14 grams of healthy fat in each smoothie.

Try adding 1/2 an avocado, a small handful of nuts, or 1 tablespoon of nut butter, full-fat coconut milk / cream, or coconut oil.

Wild Blueberry “Surprise!” Low Carb Smoothie Recipe

Makes: 16 oz – 1 smoothie 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen wild* blueberries
• 1/4 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower florets
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tbs collagen peptides OR 1 serving protein powder of choice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup unsweetened nut milk or water, plus more as needed

DIRECTIONS:

• Add all ingredients to a blender.
• Add more nut milk or water if needed.
• Blend until smooth.
• Enjoy!

Wild Blueberry “Surprise!” Low Carb Smoothie

Print Recipe

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This wild blueberry smoothie may be low carb but it’s high in flavor and antioxidants!

… and what’s the surprise? There’s cauliflower in your smoothie! Go ahead and trick all your friends — they’ll never know!

• Author: Nadia Neumann | Body Unburdened
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Total Time: 5 min
• Yield: 16 oz 1x
• Category: Smoothies
• Cuisine: Low-Carb

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen wild* blueberries
• 1/4 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower florets
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tbs collagen peptides OR 1 serving protein powder of choice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup unsweetened nut milk or water, plus more as needed

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Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a blender.
• Add more nut milk or water if needed.
• Blend until smooth.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 16 oz
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbohydrates: 30
• Fiber: 12
• Protein: 20 g