Description
The Warming Winter Smoothie is a nutritious and cozy blend packed with fruits, vegetables, spices, and protein powder. It combines the natural sweetness of banana with the earthiness of carrot and zucchini, enhanced by warming spices like ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon for a tasty and healthful drink perfect for cold days.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 ripe banana (previously peeled, sliced, and frozen)
- 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced zucchini (or chopped raw or steamed then frozen cauliflower)
- 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
- 3/4 - 1 cup dairy-free milk (preferably cashew)
- 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
Spices and Flavorings
- 1 Tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric (or 1 tsp fresh turmeric)
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tsp spirulina (optional, or 1 handful spinach or kale)
Instructions
- Add Ingredients to Blender. Put the frozen banana, chopped carrot, sliced zucchini, protein powder, hemp seeds, minced fresh ginger, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, black pepper, and spirulina or greens (if using) into a high-speed blender. Start by adding 3/4 cup of dairy-free milk.
- Blend Until Smooth. Blend all the ingredients on high speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, gradually add more dairy-free milk or water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and Adjust. Sample the smoothie and adjust the flavor as needed by adding more warming spices for intensity, fresh ginger for extra zing, or banana and protein powder for additional sweetness.
- Serve and Garnish. Pour the smoothie into a glass and optionally garnish with extra hemp seeds or a sprinkle of ground turmeric for an added touch of flavor and visual appeal.
- Store Leftovers. If there are leftovers, cover and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, freeze leftover smoothie in an ice cube tray and add cubes to future smoothies.
Notes
- You can substitute the fresh ginger, ground turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper with 1 teaspoon of Golden Milk Mix per smoothie.
- Nutrition information is estimated using Tropeaka vanilla protein powder and MALK cashew milk and does not include optional ingredients such as spirulina or greens.
- Using frozen banana and vegetables helps achieve a creamy texture without adding ice.
- Adjust spice levels to your preference for a mild or stronger warming effect.
- Adding greens like spinach or kale boosts fiber and nutrient content while giving the smoothie a green color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
