Start Your Day With These 5 Winter Smoothies
Smoothies might not be your first breakfast choice during the winter months. On a cold day you might be tempted to put away your blender and choose warm food options like oatmeal or pancakes.But, smoothies can be enjoyed all year long.
While many fruits and veggies can be seasonal, depending on where you live, delicious fresh berries, avocado, and pomegranates are available during the colder months. If you are craving an out of season item, you can typically find a large selection of frozen fruits in your local supermarket, according to Veg News. Keep a lookout for mango, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and bananas in the freezer section.
When creating a smoothie, the options are pretty much endless. Check out these five tried and true winter smoothies and reap all the health and nutritional benefits all year long.
Spiced Cranberry Smoothie
Cranberries are a nutrient powerhouse and this recipe comes from the Fitbit blog, contains an incredible amount of antioxidants and vitamins. These tart red berries are also a great source of fiber, and have lots of vitamin c. Adding spinach to your smoothie will also give you iron, potassium, magnesium and folate. What makes this smoothie unique are the cinnamon and ginger spices, that give it a seasonal taste.
(Rimma Bondarenko / Shutterstock.com)
Hot Chocolate Smoothie
Some smoothies are actually meant to drink warm and this hot chocolate smoothie
recipe from Simple Green Smoothies site fits the bill. Yes, it might sound unconventional, but it’s worth trying it before nixing the idea. This smoothie’s chocolatey flavor makes it taste almost like a dessert and the hazelnuts, spinach, pear and dates will give you a drink that is jam packed with healthy fats and nutrients. You can warm this recipe up on the stove or microwave. Enjoy this warm drink in the morning or anytime!
Green Apple Smoothie
No smoothie list would be complete without a green smoothie. This recipe from the blog Healthy Seasonal Recipes is vegan and paleo and only requires a handful of ingredients. Featuring kale and green apples, it is perfect for a snack or breakfast during the winter. Ginger root gives it a kick, and the coconut and almond milk make it smooth and creamy. You can also add a frozen banana to make it even creamier and add more potassium to your nutritional intake.
(Liliya Kandrashevich / Shutterstock.com)
Satsuma Smoothie
This smoothie has gone completely viral on TikTok. Created by Hannah Banana from Smoothiest, the satsuma smoothie recipe has a whooping 3.3 million views and counting! And the recipe has only two ingredients! Satsuma mandarins, which can be found in most produce stores during the winter months, and coconut cream. Hannah Banana, the creator, says that oranges or other types of mandarins can work as well, they just need to be seedless and frozen before blending.
Whole other videos show elaborate toppings that can be placed on top of the smoothie or smoothie bowl,.so if you want to dress-up this smoothie, try some of these fancy toppings!
(eniFoto / Shutterstock.com)
Sweet Potato Gingerbread Winter Smoothie
Another seasonal smoothie recipe from the Tasty platform sound like a baked cookie or cake, but is a drink that is meant to be enjoyed while warm. The main ingredient is sweet potato, which can help boost your immune system according to Healthline. The ingredients are blended together and then heated up in a saucepan Pour into your favorite mug to be warm and toasty.
