We are extremely proud that our first Evive smoothie that’s been developed in collaboration with a public figure is with none other than Karine Vanasse! The award-winning Canadian actress inspires us to unapologetically flourish as a woman while taking time for ourselves and our wellbeing. That’s why she was the perfect match for the Bloom flavour. Stay tuned for more exclusive details about Karine in the next few weeks on our blog…

Made with juicy cherries, hibiscus, ground cherries and vegan probiotics, this smoothie will surely please you as much as Karine loved developing it with us. Another key person on our team who’s been involved in the innovation of our products is Caroline, our R&D Specialist. To give you guys a little bit more of an inclusive perspective on the making of Bloom, I hope you’ll enjoy this interview I had with Caroline.

Q1: What was the first initial thought process behind the creation of the Bloom smoothie?

For each new flavour, we like to select a new ingredient that would give it its unique personality, and in this case, the first inspiration was the cherry!

We always come up with lots of innovative ideas for our new flavour combinations. We enjoy thinking outside the box and aim to introduce new, healthy and delicious ingredients to our customers. We developed the concept of ​​giving this new smoothie a floral and very feminine angle.

After a good discussion about the direction of the flavour, I was back in my car, and I took a quick look at my Instagram stories before hitting the road. Claudia and Dominic were enjoying a wonderful trip to Hawaii, and the first image I saw when opening the App was a beautiful hibiscus flower that Claudia had posted. It magically clicked, and we began researching and testing ways to incorporate this ingredient that set the unique tone for our tropical cherry punch recipe.

Q2: How did you determine what was going to be the 3 main ingredients of this special smoothie?

Our wonderful ambassador, Karine Vanasse, wanted to add a tangy almost slightly sour taste to the smoothie. So I thought of incorporating the ground cherry into the trio of ingredients!

Q3: What were the challenges you experienced while developing Bloom?

The first challenge was to integrate the elements that would make it the perfect smoothie according to our nutritional goals and balance it all out without compromising our goals of creating a delicious blend that’s refreshing and bursting with flavour.

We’re continuously looking for healthy ingredients that are good sources of protein to increase the intake of each serving in order to provide a complete breakfast smoothie that’s rich and filling. To play the role in this case, we introduced chickpeas as an ally to non-GMO soy protein. For the first time, we included the addition of legumes in an Evive smoothie, which provides as a bonus an extra dose of fibre. I bet you wouldn’t have ever detected it while tasting!

Another challenge we experienced required a lot of research and technical knowledge in order to find the best way to add a very small ingredient that has an immense health benefit… vegan probiotics!

Q4: What would you say is the most unique and surprising element of this smoothie?

The hibiscus and the ground cherries bring a nice surprise in terms of flavour and gives the smoothie its unique personality and refreshing character.

All that said, the most exciting and innovative feature of this recipe is hidden in all the little probiotic micro-capsules!! An almost invisible addition that provides each smoothie with the recommended daily amount of probiotics, which acts in synergy with the prebiotics naturally present in Bloom’s ingredients for a beneficial impact on your digestive health! A great health innovation for Evive!

Q5: Do you have any interesting anecdotes to share that happened during the creation of Bloom?

You know that there are many varieties and colours of hibiscus… At the start of the process when the idea was conceived, the first test I did was to grind some dried hibiscus flowers myself. It created a beautiful bright fuchsia/pink powder that was tantalizing, sweet and tangy to the taste. We began researching among our suppliers to find a source for this incredible ingredient. Along the way, we tested all the colours; blood red, brown, yellowish… with flavours and aromas that actually took us away from our dream smoothie! We were worried that we would never find the perfect source for this crucial ingredient. After tasting it, it was unthinkable to separate it from the recipe. We finally got our hands on THE ultimate source of hibiscus flowers that provides a super dreamy colour and unforgettable flavour!

I truly hope you guys enjoyed getting some insights about the inspiration and development process behind our new Bloom smoothie! Please give it a taste while it’s still available! A special thank you to Caroline for this interview and to our lovely ambassador, Karine Vanasse. None of this would have been possible without all your hard work and creativity.

L’article The Making of Bloom: Evive’s First Special Edition Smoothie est apparu en premier sur Evive Blog.

I’m sure we all feel the same now- we’re tired. We’re taking care of our children during quarantine and we’re making sure they eat right and are stimulated and educated… it’s exhausting.

But just when I was ready to throw the towel and abandon the idea of feeding my kids anything other than carbs, I remembered Evive’s smoothies – absolutely delicious and full of nutrition in every cube! I think they’re absolutely amazing for breakfast as a simple smoothie bowl! Or for a midday snack in the form of a smoothie – and they are the only smoothies that are ready to use, without a blender needed!

I discovered them last year as a mom-on-the-go breakfast idea. They’re unique on the market as they come in a form of cubes that are ready to be popped in a mason jar, covered with milk or water and ready to be enjoyed in no time (they will melt on their own within 10-15 min). But if you want to have them ready within seconds, you can also use a blender – I think they’re delicious either way!

My kids’ current obsession is Touk-Touk (a sunny blend of tropical fruits, veggies and plant-based protein) which is also the flavour of a wonderful project in collaboration with Breakfast Club of Canada. During the month of June, they will be donating 50¢ for each Touk-Touk sold towards this amazing cause!

Help brighten children’s mornings

Now, if you enjoy cooking, you can use Evive’s smoothies as the base for frozen treats, Pinterest-worthy smoothie bowls, or even baked delights! But since I’m a mom currently in quarantine mode without schools or daycare, I simply make the most delicious smoothies for my kids that they actually fully drink!

Here are a couple of fun ideas that I tried with the Touk-Touk smoothie for my kids and that are not complicated:

• Mix the Touk-Touk with your milk of preference
• Mix it with apple juice that’s low in sugar
• Add some apple sauce and water to your Touk-Touk cubes
• Serve it in a bowl as a simple smoothie bowl with some sliced fruits
• Mix the Touk-Touk smoothies with yogurt for an extra creamy texture
• Serve it in a bowl with cereal that’s low in sugar
• And, if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can get a coconut and serve your smoothie inside it – your kids will think it’s the best treat ever!

Now that I’m making these smoothies once a day, my kids are actually eating many more fruits and veggies in one serving! And in my books, that’s the best mom hack ever!

Now, if you’re wondering where you can get Evive’s frozen smoothie cubes, you can either order them online or check your local Canadian grocery store’s frozen aisles. I hope that you will find them as life-saving as I did and as yummy as my kids do!

Order Online

L’article The Smoothie That’s Brightening My Kids’ Mornings est apparu en premier sur Evive Blog.

Why is protein so important in your diet?

One of the most important roles that protein plays in the body is that it actually helps to balance those blood sugar levels. Protein does not break down in the body like sugar does, as excess sugar causes us to crash. This is something we want to stay on top of as an imbalance of blood sugar levels can lead to a variety of symptoms like low energy, headaches, brain fog, weight gain or loss, and anxiety. When we get adequate amounts of protein in our diet, we can notice a more sustainable energy level in our bodies pretty quickly.

What’s the essential daily quantity of protein needed?

The good news is that protein can be found in so many plant-based foods and you may already be getting in a good amount! I always recommend at least 15-20 grams of protein per meal. It may sound like a lot, but just one wheel of Evive’s Cashew Mocha or Blueberry Haskap has 18 grams of plant-based protein in it! This means you only have to worry about your next two meals.

How do I incorporate protein in a plant-based diet?

Some of my favourite plant-based sources of protein are black beans and chickpeas. These have 7 grams of protein in just 1/2 a cup! You can simply add these into a nourishing salad or in your soup. I also am a huge fan of lentils because they actually have 9 grams of protein in just 1/2 of a cup and are extremely versatile. If you notice that you get bloated from beans or lentils, try soaking the dry legume in water for a few hours (even overnight) before cooking them. This helps to make the legumes more digestible. 

If you find that you are too sensitive to these sources, I would recommend a pea protein. Pea proteins are a lot easier for the body to digest. Those who struggle with digesting beans, often have much better success with pea protein. Luckily, this is the protein that is used in Evive’s smoothies, along with other forms like edamame, cashew and spirulina. 

Other super easy sources of protein are chia seeds and hemp hearts. These little seeds are packed with protein, fibre and healthy fats to further help balance those blood sugar levels. I love adding mine to salads and to my Evive Smoothies. 

Lastly, if you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I am a huge fan of spirulina! This has to be my absolute favourite source of protein because it also has a ton of different benefits. One that I have really been able to notice is just how nourishing it’s been for my skin. In one teaspoon, spirulina contains 3 grams of protein! If you’re looking to get some spirulina into your day, make sure you stock up on my favourite Evive Smoothie, the Saphir. This is a weekly staple for me! If you still feel like you are not getting enough protein in your day, try consuming an Extra Protein Evive Smoothie to increase your intake. I would highly recommend the Extra Protein smoothies particularly as your breakfast so you can sustain your energy levels for the day and stay sharp! I promise that this is a habit you’ll want to keep in your routine!

L’article Plant-Based & Strong: Your 101 Protein Guide est apparu en premier sur Evive Blog.

As you know, we launched a new Evive Smoothie flavour – the Saphir! Its gorgeous blue hues and refreshing, naturally sweet taste are super popular among our 30,000+ clients. We adore our clients, so to further celebrate them and the Saphir smoothie, we created a Saphir Ice Cream Float video on our Evive YouTube channel! Go ahead and check it out here before you make the recipe below.

Evive Smoothie Saphir Ice Cream Float Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Saphir Evive Smoothie wheel
• 2 frozen bananas, in pieces
• A sparkling beverage: kombucha, sparkling coconut water, flavoured sparkling water or sparkling juice (ex: San Pellegrino)

Steps:

1) Place bananas and pound cubes in the container of a high-speed blender or food processor. Wait about 5 minutes before mixing to let everything melt slightly, so you will not need to add any liquid at the time of mixing.

2) Mix until you get creamy texture without over mixing (otherwise you will have a thick smoothie and not an ice cream texture). You can mix a little bit at a time and scratch the sides with a spatula.

3) Arrange the balls of “ice cream” in a glass and pour in your sparkling drink.

4) Serve immediately and enjoy!

For another great and easy frozen dessert idea that can be made with our smoothie cubes, click here!

L’article Saphir Ice Cream Float est apparu en premier sur Evive Blog.

I revisited my usual pancake recipe by adding Veggemo vegetable milk and an Evive Yogi smoothie wheel. The idea of adding a little “greens” to a tasty breakfast pleased me, but the result is even more pleasing to me! It doesn’t taste like vegetables and the colour is beautiful.

Ingredients 

• • 1 Evive Yogi wheel

• • 1 ¼ of flour (or
    whole grain/whole wheat if desired)

• • 2 tablespoons coconut (or cane) sugar

• • • 1 tablespoon baking powder
      a pinch of salt

   

  • •  1 tablespoon vegetable oil

   

  •  1 cup of no sugar added Veggemo milk

The steps

1 . Unmould the Yogi wheel and let the cubes melt in a bowl.

2 . In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3 . Crush the melted Yogi cubes with a fork to purée them. Add the oil and Veggemo milk. Mix well.

4 . Stir in wet ingredients to dry ingredients, but do not overmix pancakes mixture.

5 . Preheat your stove (preferably non-stick) to medium heat for a few minutes, then lower your heat slightly, oil your stove and cook your pancakes. When bubbles begin to appear and the edges are slightly golden, turn your pancake over, about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Why make your Pancake with Veggemo? Because they are different vegetable milks, they are nuts-free, soy-free, gluten-free and have a very rich and creamy texture. If you want to use them for other recipes they share them on Facebook and Instagram.

We love adding them to our smoothies bowls, but after testing this recipe for pancakes, you will certainly be delighted!

Do you want even more? Visit the Recipes section of the blog!

L’article Evive Yogi Smoothie Pancakes with Veggemo Milk est apparu en premier sur Evive Blog.