With snow falling and colder temps making everyone grab warm mugs, I wanted to share my favorite warm smoothies. Just like regular smoothies, these are great for sipping in front of the fireplace, as well as on the way to work/school/errands/life.
“What’s a warm smoothie?” you might ask.
While the idea of a warm smoothie might not be what you crave during the summer months, it can be hard to muster up the energy to blend up an icy cold smoothie in the winter. When the temperatures are hovering around freezing, I heat things up a bit and turn to a warm smoothie recipe! Making one is easy, just warm at least 1 ingredient, and don’t use any frozen ones.
You can also ‘warm up’ your regular smoothie ingredients, by using all non-frozen ingredients when blending. If you’re blending with a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix, you can honestly make any smoothie warm. Just keep the blender running a few minutes longer than normal. No Vitamix? Keep reading on how to warm them up.
I want these warm smoothies to taste their best, so these smoothies are made with seasonal produce that should be available during winter months. Foods planted and grown in their proper season are actually known to be more nutrient-dense than produce grown out of season. (Note: non-seasonal plants can be grown with ripening agents, both chemical and non-chemical, just to keep them fresh, so stick to seasonal!)
If you can’t find all your favorites this season, using frozen is OK but you must remember to thaw them out the night before blending any of these warm smoothies, to make it easier to heat them up.
Here’s a great list of winter produce that should be easy to find, not expensive, and full of flavor, as well as ready to blend into warm smoothies right now:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beets
- Carrots
- Celery
- Collard greens
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Limes
- Oranges
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
- Pumpkin
- Sweet potatoes
- Swiss chard
My favorite warm smoothie recipes:
#1 Warm Apple Pie Smoothie: This smoothie will satisfy any pie craving. Not only will this beverage taste delicious, but it’s also nourishing too!
#2 Butternut Squash Pear Warm Smoothie: Cashew milk turns this warm smoothie into a creamy delight. If the spices are too much, then just let the fresh ingredients shine through! This smoothie also works well with apples, if pears are hard to find.
#3 Chocolate Coconut Cashew Warm Smoothie: This warming smoothie is a sweet and comforting blend of spices that will put anyone in a festive mood. Not only is this beverage festive, but it can also be sipped all winter long.
#4 Warm Chai Tea Smoothie: This winter smoothie combines all the best parts of chai tea, the amazing spices. If chai is your go-to tea or latte, then this is the warm smoothie for you.
#5 Healthy Hot Chocolate Smoothie: A hot chocolate smoothie?! This beverage is super rich as well as creamy. If you really want to shake things up, add in a handful of spinach, then blend away!
NOTE: Use caution when blending hot liquids. Be sure to let the lid vent so the liquid doesn’t leak and splatter. Blend on low speed, working up to high speed until smooth.
Let me know what you think!
