Peanut Butter + Black Bean Protein Smoothie (PB&B)
This peanut butter black bean protein smoothie is creamy, delicious, and requires just a few simple ingredients! It’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon pick-me-up.
I just hit my 32-week pregnancy mark, and we’ve been excitedly prepping for baby girl’s arrival!
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I frequently share tips about nutrition and fitness during pregnancy, and today I want to talk about an important nutrient change during pregnancy – increased protein needs. For someone who isn’t pregnant, the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which is about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. So someone who weighs 140 pounds only needs about 50 grams of protein per day – which is not very much.
During pregnancy, however, protein needs increase significantly. According to the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation (IAAO) Method, protein requirements increase to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight during early gestation and 1.52 grams per kg during late gestation. This is equal to 0.54 grams and 0.69 grams per pound of body weight, respectively.
Despite the evidence that plant-based diets are safe and beneficial during pregnancy, some people still have their doubts, partly because of this increased need for protein. But don’t worry – I’m here to show you that you can 100% meet your pregnancy protein needs on a plant-based diet. And, you don’t need to use protein powder to do it, as you’ll see with this peanut butter black bean protein smoothie!
Certain plant foods such as beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds, are great sources of protein, which is why I include them at every meal and sneak them in whenever I can ;). While it’s common to add protein powder to smoothies or shakes for that extra protein boost, I prefer to get my protein from whole food sources if possible. That way I get the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and the protein, instead of just the protein.
This peanut butter black bean smoothie has no protein powder, yet it still has a whopping 21 grams of protein! Here’s the breakdown.
Peanut Butter Black Bean Protein Smoothie Nutrition Facts:
- 1/2 cup black beans = 7 grams
- 1 cup soy milk = 7 grams
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter = 3.5 grams
- 1 banana = 1.5 grams
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder = 1 gram
- 3 dates = 1 gram
I also recommend tossing in a handful of spinach for that extra nutrient boost of greens that many of us preggo ladies have a hard time getting due to food aversions during pregnancy.
The recipe as written makes one smoothie, but I like to double it sometimes to share with my husband and my 2-year-old. It’s a great way to sneak fiber-packed beans into their meals as well ;). If you try this peanut butter black bean protein smoothie, tag me on Instagram @whitneyerd!
Have you tried my other bean-based protein-packed desserts?
- Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookie Dough Balls
- The Best Vegan Black Bean Brownies
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Weigh-in: Have you had a smoothie with black beans? Will you try this Peanut Butter Black Bean Protein Smoothie?
Lindsey VandenBerg says:
Surprisingly rich and tasty! My 2 yr old and I loved this!