Tag: best smoothie recipes

Cinnamony Snickerdoodle Smoothie {Paleo, Vegan}

On March 30, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

I always loved Snickerdoodle cookies as a kid.

My brother Zack and I would go to The Great Cookie whenever we were at the mall to buy a few of their warm and soft but perfectly-crunchy-around-the-edges Snickerdoodle cookies.

Fast forward a few decades, and snickerdoodles are now one of my husband Bill’s favorite cookies. My mother-in-law is known for her snickerdoodles, so he’s done quite a bit of taste testing 🙂

I looked around online to see if I could learn anything about where these tasty treats come from and came to the conclusion that “snickerdoodle” comes from a really long German word for “cinnamon sweet roll.”

I have plans to make another snack ball treat inspired by snickerdoodles (here’s the recipe for those!), but in the meantime, I thought I’d give a snickerdoodle smoothie a try! I was surprised by how much cinnamon I had to put in to get the flavor I wanted, but I was happy with the final version 🙂

The tahini (sesame paste) in this smoothie is a good source of calcium, iron, heart healthy fats and protein. Learn more about tahini in this post about my Top 10 Pantry Essentials. Tahini also adds some creaminess. The hemp seeds are another source of healthy fat and protein, which we need to help balance our energy and blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon – the signature ingredient in Snickerdoodles – is a naturally sweet tasting spice that helps us regulate our blood sugar, which is key for sustained energy. Check out the top 10 proven health benefits of this super spice from the folks over at Authority Nutrition.

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 Medjool date, pitted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (learn how to make your own here)
Pinch of sea salt

Directions

Put all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy, about 45-60 seconds.

What was your favorite treat as a kid? Let me know below, and I’ll try to recreate it in a healthier way!

The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie Smoothie {Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On June 28, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Savor, Vegan

How do you know when you’ve come up with a good recipe?

When you find yourself scraping every last bit out of the blender and your glass with a spatula, so nothing goes to waste!

That’s what happened the other day when I made this pumpkin pie smoothie.

I originally made this recipe back in June but have since tweaked it. I’m up for enjoying pumpkin any time of the year because I LOVE pumpkin!

This smoothie/shake tastes more like a decadent pumpkin pie dessert than a breakfast or snack. I could literally drink this every day!

If you like pumpkin, you have to try this recipe 🙂

If you don’t want to use the spices outlined below, just use 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice from a jar that already has everything blended.

The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

If you’re in the mood for a seasonal smoothie full of fall spices, try this one!

1 frozen banana (peel before you freeze it!)
3/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 Medjool date (pit removed)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds (hulled)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves ((just a pinch!))
1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg ((just a pinch!))

Put all ingredients in a blender in the order listed above and blend for 30-60 seconds, adding optional ingredients if you want. Enjoy!

Optional add-ins

1-2 handfuls of baby spinach* (it will change the color but up the nutrients!)
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric for an anti-inflammatory boost
One scoop of protein powder (i.e., ideally, a sprouted version of hemp, pea or brown rice protein powder. I also like Vital Proteins collagen peptides, Sunwarrior, Vega, and Orgain Organics proteins. Find them on Amazon.)
Unsweetened, shredded coconut to sprinkle on top

*Notes

Baby spinach has a very mild flavor. It will make your smoothie light green instead of orange but will also boost the nutrient content without affecting the flavor.
You can buy organic, no-sugar pumpkin purée from a can at a health foods store or make it yourself following this process. Just make sure you are buying Pumpkin Puree and NOT canned pumpkin pie filling (they are different).
If your dates aren’t soft, soak them in warm warm water for 20 minutes before blending, so they blend more easily.