Make These 5 Healthy Smoothie Recipes Created Just for the Cold Winter Months
Smoothies are not just for spring and summer! We enjoy them year round! Winter produce can be challenging because of lack of availability or prohibitively high prices… but these healthy smoothie recipes are curated using winter seasonal fruits and vegetables or frozen ingredients that are easily found in the winter months. We’re loving the frozen fruit at Costco right now!
Cranberry Kale Smoothie
Load up on antioxidants with this power smoothie full of kale and cranberries. Did you know that cranberries keep well in the freezer? Stock up on a few extra packages in season so you can use them throughout the winter. Kale is generally available all year and it pairs beautifully with cranberries, plus it’s high in fiber and great for digestion!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of cranberries
- 1 cup of coconut water or filtered water
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 large kale leaf
Place all in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
Sweet Potato Smoothie
This filling smoothie is chock full of warm flavors and spices. It uses cooked sweet potato, so if you’ve baked a batch and have leftovers this is the perfect way to use them! Medjool dates add just a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato
- 2 pitted Medjool dates
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
Blend until smooth. Optionally, you can also substitute cooked butternut squash for the sweet potato and add another Medjool date in for extra sweetness.
Pink and Green Smoothie
Grapefruit is generally overlooked as a fruit to add to smoothies simply because it’s tart. However, it is in season in the Winter and when paired with kale, banana and a few chunks of pineapple, we think you’ll love this green detox smoothie!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 of a ruby red grapefruit, peeled and quartered
- 2 kale leaves with stems removed
- 1/2 of a frozen banana
- a few chunks of frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup cold filtered water
- Add in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
Add all to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
Triple Berry Smoothie – Dairy or Non-Dairy
This classic is just as delicious with frozen ingredients in the winter! Blend up a trio of berries using frozen cranberries, blackberries and blueberries for a smoothie high in antioxidants and flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup each of frozen cranberries
- blackberries and blueberries
- 1 1/2 cup of almond or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
Blend in a high-powered blender until smooth. For a little protein boost, we recommend adding in some chia seeds.
Creamy Pear Smoothie – Dairy or Non-Dairy
Pears are in season during the fall and winter, which means they are fresh, readily available and generally one of the less expensive fresh fruit options.
Ingredients:
- 2 peeled, cored and cubed ripe pears
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (or milk alternative)
- 1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
Blend and enjoy!
Let us know your favorites or any modifications, we love to try new combinations! Check out our guide to keeping kids healthy in winter!
