01 Mar Clementine Coconut Smoothie

My smoothie consumption tends to lessen a wee bit over the colder winter months. I gravitate to more warming foods such as soups, curries and slow-cooked concoctions. Having said that, I still incorporate smoothies into my diet because you really can’t beat the convenience and ability to cram a huge amount of nutrient-dense goodness into one meal. For those with more “discerning” tastes, the smoothies can also be helpful to hide ingredients that you may not care for the taste of on their own.

This past week, I had fun creating some smoothies using some seasonal ingredients. Both contain a lot of antioxidant, mineral and vitamin-rich plant-based foods in addition to a hefty amount of fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

The first one was inspired by a visit to the café Bohemia in Barrie, which used cranberries as a smoothie base.

Cranberry Beet Smoothie

1 cup each of chopped beets, cranberries and raspberries
1 whole lime, peeled
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon bee pollen
1 scoop Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder
2 cups water
1 – 2 cups pomegranate/blackberry/raspberry juice (or juice of choice)

Combine above ingredients in high-speed blender and enjoy!

Clementine Coconut Smoothie

1/2 cup full fat organic coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup clementine pieces (2 or 3 whole)
2 tablespoons lime juice (1/2 lime)
1/2 banana
chunk of peeled ginger (approx 1 teaspoon)
generous fistful of spinach
1 teaspoon bee pollen
1 tablespoon hemp seeds

Combine above ingredients in high-speed blender and enjoy!