I really love smoothies.

Here in the Northeast, fall is in full swing. The leaves are changing colors, the flip flops are packed away and it is officially root vegetable season.

It is chilly, for sure, and I have been loving my first few pots of butternut squash soup.

However, I don’t give up my smoothies when the temperature drops. I just switch them up a bit to reflect the changing needs of my (already freezing) body.

Instead of the seasonal fruits of summer, I use pears, apples, pumpkin or squash to sweeten the mix.

I incorporate warm, stimulating and immune boosting spices like cinnamon (which according to Chinese medicine dries dampness and improves circulation), clove, cardamom and ginger. I pack it with greens from the garden like swiss chard and kale, and make sure to add plenty of good fat in the form of avocado, soaked nuts or nut butter or coconut.

Topping it off and to create some texture, I love unsweetened cacao nibs, coconut flakes or seeds of some kind.

The best smoothies are pretty simple, and follow this template:

Use 1-2 cups of liquid (water, coconut water, nut milk or regular milk)
1-2 cups of green stuff (spinach, kale, chard, celery, mint, parsley, romaine, etc.)
1/2-1 serving of low glycemic fruit (pear, apple, berries)
A few shakes of spice (cinnamon, clove, etc.)
Serving of fat (1/2 avocado, tablespoon coconut oil, shredded coconut, tablespoon almond butter, 1/4 cup cashews, etc.)
Additional protein if you desire (unsweetened protein powder from a clean, high quality source)
For additional sweetness, add one or more of the following (taste as you go to avoid over or under sweetening): 1/2 frozen banana, honey, maple syrup, cacao powder.

This Minty Fennel Green Dream smoothie will increase circulation in the body and aid in soothing your digestive tract. The fennel is packed with oils that ease bloating and the cinnamon will warm you up from the inside out.

All together, this tasty treat is packed with all kinds of good stuff that will keep you going for hours.

1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons coconut milk (full fat from a can)
1/2 avocado
3 leaves romaine lettuce
1/2 fennel bulb
Leaves of mint from 3 sprigs
a few blueberries leftover in the fridge
1/2 ripe pear
a few healthy shakes of cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao nibs

Chop the fruit and vegetables roughly, and then throw everything except for the nibs in a high powered blender. Once the ingredients have combined, add the nibs for just a few seconds until they’re roughly chopped. Pour into a glass and savor what you’ve created!

 

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Apprentice Editor: Carrie Marzo / Editor: Renee Picard

Photo: Author’s own