Thrive Energy Cookbook by Brendan Braizer
I received Thrive in the mail a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the photos and design are. Be sure to scroll down and enter the giveaway to win your own copy of Thrive Energy Cookbook, and to get the recipe for the Chocolate Chip French Vanilla Smoothie from the book.
There are 150 recipes all centered around fresh and healthy food. There are some recipes that call for specific brands of wraps and a few other things – but those can be easily substituted with what you have on hand. Some of the smoothies, drinks and desserts include a few superfood ingredients, but the majority of the recipes can be made with ingredients you can find at your local grocery or farmers market.
You can make most of the recipes with a blender, but a few do require a high-speed blender, juicer or dehydrator.
The chapters are divided into Mornings, Apps Sides and Sauces, Sandwiches, Wraps and Burgers, Soups, Salad Bowls and Dressings, Rice and Noodle Bowls, Smoothies, Fresh Juices & Warm Drinks, Desserts and Thrive Sport Recipes. The recipes are labeled Transition, Raw, Gluten-Free, Protein-Rich and Super Nutrient-Dense.
That gives you an idea of the variety of recipe types. I’m particularly enamored with the soup chapter. There are a ton I want to try out this summer like Chilled Watermelon Thai Basil, Cucumber Avocado & Mint Soup and a Carrot Avocado & Coconut Soup I will be writing about Key Ingredient next week.
I’ve been obsessed with smoothies, so I had to try some of the smoothies first. I love the ideas in the book for Lemon-Ginger Zinger, Mango-Orange Crush, Kale Mojito, Chocolate-Almond Decadence, Vanilla-Almond-Mocha Motivator, Thai Avocado Refresher and the perfect dessert smoothie…Chocolate Chip French Vanilla Smoothie (recipe below).
Photo by Kevin Clark
Chocolate Chip French Vanilla Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 Medjool date pitted
- 1 tbsp 15 mL chia seeds
- 1 tbsp 15 mL almond
- butter page 26
- 1 tbsp 15 mL cacao nibs
- 1 tbsp 15 mL vegan dark chocolate chips
- 1 scoop French vanilla–flavor
- Vega One Nutritional Shake
- 6 tbsp 90 mL unsweetened
- almond milk or homemade, page 23
- 6 tbsp 90 mL coconut water
- 1 1/2 tsp 7 mL pure vanilla extract or powder
- About 2 cups 500 mL ice cubes
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the ice.
- Add ice to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the liquid line.
- Blend on high speed until smooth.
Nutrition
Recipe From Thrive Energy Cookbook by Brendan Brazier. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014
Photo by Kevin Clark
Valerie says
June 27, 2014 at 11:58 amWhat a pretty cover! It catches my eye because I have a nice bunch of chard from my CSA, and I’m not sure how best to enjoy it.
Marie says
June 27, 2014 at 2:42 pmI love blueberries and chocolate smoothie. Almost anything chocolate actually… Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Richa {VeganRicha.com} says
June 27, 2014 at 4:24 pmi love the cover of thrive too. i borrowed it from the lib for hubbs last month and he liked it. currently my fave smoothie is anything with mango. so a copy to keep would be fun!
Aimee says
June 27, 2014 at 4:40 pmI have become addicted to the “Tropical Beauty Green Monster” smoothie from the Oh She Glows Cookbook, but honestly, any smoothie is a good smoothie in my book!
cynthia says
June 27, 2014 at 4:55 pmI thought you were asking for favorite soup (cold strawberry soup in the summer), but looking at the other comments, I guess you want to know favorite smoothie. Peanut butter banana oatmeal!
stacey says
June 27, 2014 at 7:09 pmAny smoothie with fresh peaches or nectarines is a treat in the summer!
BlessedMama says
June 27, 2014 at 8:52 pmThat smoothie looks amazing. Thanks for the review.
Samantha says
June 27, 2014 at 11:12 pmI love a good coconut milk, pitted dates, cacao and vanilla smoothie in the summer, I also always add a few spoons of chia seeds for the extra protein.
Donna says
June 28, 2014 at 12:45 amWhat is, 1 scoop French vanilla–flavor
Vega One Nutritional Shake? Where do I purchase it or them? Never heard of it.
Kathy Hester says
June 28, 2014 at 10:10 amYou should be able to get it at whole foods or online and here’s a direct link to Amazon:
kyla says
June 28, 2014 at 9:59 amMy favorite smoothie is anything with blueberries! Chocolate doesn’t hurt either. Beautiful looking book.
Elaine says
June 28, 2014 at 10:11 amWhat a super interesting book. I would love to be the winner. Thanks.
Jinger says
June 28, 2014 at 10:59 amLooks like a wonderful book! Love blueberry & pomegranate smoothies 🙂
Terri Cole says
June 28, 2014 at 12:20 pmMy favorite summer soup is watermelon gazpacho, hands down! I have a green smoothie most mornings, my favorite flavors are the tropical ones and anything with chocolate. This book looks beautiful. Thanks for the chance to win!
charj says
June 28, 2014 at 5:04 pmMy favorite summer smoothie is orange juice, peaches, frozen banana and cinnamon.
Melissa K. says
June 29, 2014 at 1:47 pmMy latest favorite is Blueberry Grapefruit, tart and delicious! I use soaked cashews for the “milkiness” , soaked chia seeds to thicken. Oh, so yummy!
Will want to try the ones in the THRIVE cookbook too!
Marlene @Nosh My Way says
July 22, 2014 at 4:28 pmHi Kathy: I love your blog filled with so many delicious recipes that I don’t even know where to begin. So I decided this think it might be this week though. glad I met you at FWCON.