February 19, 2019
While it seems like our memories of warm weather are as faint as the quick-to-disappear flakes of a snow globe, there are ways to relive the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer in frigid February.
How, you might ask? A warming winter smoothie, that’s how.
While sipping on a smoothie during winter may seem counterintuitive, the truth of the matter is: smoothies are a great way to consume fruit and vegetables in one sitting, no matter the season. Plus, the smoothie you drink during winter can – and should – be different than your summer recipe, MindBodyGreen suggests.
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That’s where this Warming Green Smoothie recipe by the Minimalist Baker comes in. “After doing some research on the ancient practice of Ayurveda, I discovered there are a few ways to 'warm' your smoothie so it’s not so cooling to your body, which is perfect when you’re already battling colder temps but still want your daily dose of greens,” Minimalist Baker explains.
The recipe begins with ripe frozen banana, carrot and frozen zucchini (or cauliflower). Next comes protein powder, hemp seeds, and warming spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper. You can also choose to add in some spirulina or a handful of spinach or kale for some extra green. All of this is topped off with some dairy-free milk and blended thoroughly.
To make the recipe a little more winter-friendly (or, less cold), Minimalist Baker offers some easy tweaks. A simple fix is to use cold or room temperature banana and zucchini instead of frozen. Reach for dairy-free milks like cashew or macadamia instead of coconut milk, which can be "more cooling in the body," Minimalist Baker notes. You also might want to try drinking in the afternoon when your "digestive fire" is strongest, as opposed to the morning when it is thought to be low, Minimalist Baker explains.
MindBodyGreen offers some tips for making smoothies a winter-friendly food, including the suggestion to chew smoothies:
“Digestion starts in the mouth, where digestive enzymes in saliva mix with your food, beginning the process of breaking it down and assimilating its nutrients. If you're not chewing, though, you're not creating the opportunity for those enzymes to mix with what you're eating — so chew your smoothie, even if people give you weird looks for doing so.”
Learn how to make this Warming Winter Smoothie from the Minimalist Baker's video below:
