WARMING WINTER SMOOTHIE

Do you ever miss smoothies in the wintertime? I do.

I love the nutrition smoothies provide, but often find they’re too cooling and can even slow my digestion down when colder weather arrives.

After doing some research on the ancient practice of Ayurveda, I discovered there are a few ways to “warm” your smoothie so it’s not so cooling to your body, which is perfect when you’re already battling colder temps but still want your daily dose of greens. Let me show you how.

Overhead image of warming winter smoothie ingredients, including banana, spinach, zucchini, carrot, and protein powder

This smoothie is easy to make, requiring just 1 blender, 10 minutes, and 10 ingredients.

It starts with ripe banana, carrot, and zucchini (or cauliflower). I’ve been loving using less banana and subbing in some carrot for more natural sweetness and fiber lately. Plus, when adding in protein powder, I generally find excess banana can make it too sweet.

Overhead image of warming winter smoothie ingredients in blender

Next comes protein powder, hemp seeds for a dose of essential fatty acids, and warming spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper. In place of these spices you can also sub my Golden Milk Mix, making this smoothie another creative use for this go-to blend (also used in my Golden Milk Snack Bites!).

To make a smoothie more warming, try:

Using cold or room temperature ingredients instead of frozen
Adding warming spices like cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, clove, cayenne, and ginger (which help stimulate digestion)
Going for dairy-free milks like cashew or macadamia vs. coconut milk, which can be more cooling in the body
Adding roasted winter squash, like butternut squash or roasted sweet potato in place of frozen banana
Drinking in the afternoon when your digestive fire is strongest, as opposed to in the morning when your digestive fire is low

These little switches can make a huge difference in keeping your body warm yet still nourished this winter and spring! Of course, I’m not an Ayurvedic physician or nutrition expert. But these changes have helped me continue to enjoy smoothies in the wintertime! (Find a list of cooling and warming foods here!)

Overhead image of warming winter green smoothie garnished with hemp seeds and turmeric, and carrot, zucchini, and spoonful of turmeric on the side

We hope you LOVE this smoothie! It’s:

Creamy
Not too sweet
Fiber-rich
Well balanced
Warming
& Delicious

This would make the perfect light breakfast, workout recovery drink, or afternoon snack to help you make it to dinner. I’ve enjoyed adding protein powder for more satiety, and you can see our unbiased Vegan Protein Powders Review here! Since writing that review, Nuzest has actually become my favorite because of its simple, high-quality ingredients and milkshake flavor. Yummmm.

Into smoothies? Also be sure to check out our Golden Milk Smoothie, Blueberry Almond Butter Smoothie, Super Green Spirulina Smoothie, and Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie Bowl!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Straight on image of warming winter green smoothie in a glass with carrot, zucchini, and ground turmeric on the side

An Ayurvedic-inspired warming smoothie for the colder months. Veggies, fruit, and warming spices nourish the body without cooling it down. A delicious afternoon snack, workout recovery drink, or morning breakfast.

Author: Minimalist Baker

PREP TIME10 minutes

TOTAL TIME10 minutes

Servings: (smoothie)

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? Up to 24 hours

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

1/2 ripe banana (previously peeled, sliced, and frozen)
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sliced zucchini (or chopped raw or steamed then frozen cauliflower)
1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder (if using unsweetened / plain, add additional banana for sweetness)
3/4 – 1 cup dairy-free milk (we prefer cashew)
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger*
1/4 tsp ground turmeric* (or sub 4x the amount fresh turmeric)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon*
1 pinch black pepper* (increases bioavailability of turmeric)
1 tsp spirulina (optional / or 1 handful spinach or kale // adds green color and more fiber)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender (starting with the lesser amount of dairy-free milk) and blend on high until creamy and smooth, adding more dairy-free milk (or water) as needed. Spirulina and/or greens are optional additions that help make the smoothie green and more nutritious.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more spices for warmth, ginger for spice/zing, or banana or protein powder for sweetness.
Serve and enjoy immediately. Garnish with additional hemp seeds or ground turmeric if desired (optional). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours, though best when fresh. You can also freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray and add to future smoothies.