Using the list of fresh fruits and veggies coming into season this Spring, why not pull them together into a delicious Spring Smoothie.
Smoothies are a great way to quickly and easily increase your fresh produce intake.
They can be enjoyed as a snack or for breakfast or lunch. They are also the perfect receptacle for adding in super-foods, supplements, or other nutrient dense boosters.
Smoothie Breakdown
Let’s first take a look at my basic template for pulling together a smoothie. Once you have the template then you can mix and match your favorite ingredients to find your perfect blend.
Here’s how I like to build my smoothies.
- 2 cups seasonal greens
- 2 cups seasonal fruit
- 2 cups liquid
- 1-2 tsp spices
If you are using your smoothie as a meal replacement, then I also like to add in protein and healthy fat. This creates a perfectly balanced meal option.
- 2 Tbsp (1-2 ounces) protein
- 2 Tbsp healthy fat
The other thing I try to do with my smoothies is include an ingredient from every color of the rainbow. This ensures I get the most variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Here are some ideas of ingredients you can play with.
Red: raspberries, strawberries, beets, cherries, pomegranates, red apple
Orange: orange, mango, nectarine, peach, carrot, cantaloupe
Yellow: lemon, banana, pineapple
Green: spinach, kale, chard, parsley, cilantro, green apple, celery, mint
Blue/Purple: blueberries, blackberries, plums, figs, dates Here are a few more ideas for ingredients you can experiment with.
Spices (fresh or dried): ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne
Proteins: nuts or nut butter, silken tofu, protein powder
Fats: coconut oil, avocado, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds
Spring Smoothie
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutesServes: 2 to 4 (depending on how much you want to share)
Step 1: Combine the following ingredients in a high powered blender
- 2 cups spinach (optional: mix in dandelion greens and/or baby kale)
- ½ cup strawberries
- ½ cup pineapple (or 1 banana)
- 1 blood orange (or regular orange)
- 1-2 dates (or 1/2 cup blueberries)
- 1 inch each, fresh ginger and turmeric; peeled (or use ½ tsp dried)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups water
- Optional Add-Ins: 2 Tbsp almond butter + 2 Tbsp chia seeds
Note: choose at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold and creamier
Step 2: Blend for 1-2 minutes; until thoroughly combined and creamy
Step 3: Enjoy! Share with others or store half of the smoothie in a mason jar for either later in the day or the next morning. Make sure you shake it up well before drinking.
Now it’s your turn! Give it a try and play around with different ingredients. I’d love to hear what your favorite combo is!