Roots In My Smoothie?
Smoothies are a staple meal in my family’s daily bustle. With a husband in medical school, a step-daughter in elementary school, a newborn, and myself a midwife, we are all either on the go or only have one hand free. I also find smoothies are a sneaky way to get a serving of fruits and vegetables to picky little eaters. With the right ingredients, smoothies can be nutrient dense, satiating, anti-inflammatory, digestible, and did I mention quick and delicious!
How can you make a complete meal out of a smoothie without added sugar and unhealthy fats? Here are some of my favorite organic smoothie ingredients that help achieve a healthy meal status: avocado, spinach, chlorophyll, flax meal, beets, green superfood, turmeric, zucchini, dates, protein powder, nut milks, and of course berries.
With the seasonal shift approaching, I am feeling drawn towards foods that have a warming effect on the body. Roots! Root vegetables in a smoothie….how could this possibly taste good? Here are some simple smoothie recipes featuring root vegetables that can be sourced locally through the fall and early winter.
Chocolate Beet Cherry
2/3 cup red beets, boiled, chopped and optionally frozen
1 cup cherries, chopped and frozen
2 cups spinach
1/4 avocado
1 tbsp. cacao powder
1 tbsp. flax meal (this stuff is divine!)
1 scoop protein powder
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk/coconut milk/yogurt
1/2 cup water
dates, honey, stevia to taste
Carrot Cake
1/2 banana
1/4 avocado
2/3 cup carrot, shredded or pulp from pressed juice
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1/2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. shredded coconut
1/2 cup almond milk /coconut milk/ yogurt
1/2 cup water
4 ice cubes (optional)
dates, honey, stevia to taste
Pumpkin Pie
1 cup of roasted/steamed pumpkin/butternut squash
1/4 avocado
1/2 banana
1 scoop of green superfood (I like this flavor)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk /coconut milk/ yogurt
1/2 cup water
4 ice cubes (optional)
dates, honey, stevia to taste
