Pumpkin pie. Red Velvet cake. Old fashioned apple pie. Eggnog. Peppermint cake. Gingerbread cookies.
Salivating yet? I know I am.
The best thing about the holidays has always been the gathering together of wonderful family desserts to be consumed with reckless abandon. But we all know where that leads.
Yup, to post-holiday remorse and dieting.
This year, let’s skip all that and go right to getting all the tasty yum-ness of the holidays while leaving our waistlines and risks of diabetes intact, shall we?
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe
Is pumpkin pie not the best thing about this time of year? Me thinks so, except for the flour. And the copious amounts of sugar and butter. And of course, the guilt and shame that follows after consuming half a pie by yourself.
Well, say hello to healthy pumpkin pie (smoothie) and wave those guilty feelings good-bye ’cause there’s a whole lot of sweet, pumpkin-y goodness in this smoothie without the calories or risk of increased heart disease!
Now that’s what the holidays are all about 🙂
What you need:
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree (make it fresh – it’s easier than you think!)
- 1 cup milk, coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt with 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract)
- 1 tsp of spices: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves (mix and match what you’ve got – the cinnamon’s most important)
Making pumpkin puree is a cinch – just cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and pulp, cover the exposed part of both halves with foil and stick it in the oven (325 degreed F) for about an hour.
Scrape the pumpkin meat from the shells and puree in a blender. Voila! You just got yourself some fresh pumpkin puree for a whole lotta pumpkin pie smoothies!
Red Velvet Smoothie Recipe
You cannot call yourself a bona fide smoothie maverick until you’ve tried a red velvet smoothie. This stuff is so good, you actually might tear up.
Both at the goodness and at the realization that you’ve gone your entire life – up to now – without meeting this delicious smoothie.
Well, here’s your chance. It’s guilt-free. It’s red. It’s velvety. And it’s as delicious as healthy has any right to be!
What you need:
- 2 cups of milk, coconut milk, almond milk or cashew milk
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cacao powder (raw is best!)
- 1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
- optional: 1 tbsp coconut butter
- optional: 1 tbsp goji berries
- optional: sprinkle of cinnamon
Apple Pie Smoothie Recipe
Is there anything as comforting, as “home” as apple pie? No, not really, but this apple pie smoothie comes pretty darn close. Let’s look at the next holiday smoothie recipe:
What you need:
- 2 apples – Fuji is great, yummy and large – just make sure to core it and peel if not organic
- 1 banana, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt with 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 cup milk, cashew milk, or almond milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- optional: drizzle of honey
- optional: 1 tbsp coconut butter
- optional: pinch of ground nutmeg, ginger and cloves
Healthy, Non-Alcoholic Eggnog Smoothie Recipe
It won’t get you drunk, but it’ll make you feel pretty good regardless – without the hangover or expanding waistline. Plus, it’s probably the easiest thing to whip up 🙂
What you need:
- 1 cup milk, cashew milk (tastes best, IMHO), almond milk, hemp milk (doesn’t taste so great), oat milk, or coconut milk
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 2 bananas
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- sprinkle with pinch(es) of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
- optional: drizzle of maple syrup or honey
Green Peppermint Cake Smoothie Recipe
It’s green. It’s refreshing. It’s crazy delicious and it’s one of the most nutritious smoothies you’ll ever make. As for the most important question: Does it stave off peppermint cake cravings? Yes, it does, my friends. Yes, it does.
What you need:
- 1 cup milk, cashew milk, almond milk, oat milk or coconut milk
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt – trust me on this
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs
- 1/2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
- optional: 1/2 cup fresh, chopped spinach
Gingerbread Cookie Smoothie Recipe
I’ve saved the best for last because this Christmas smoothie recipe is so good, you just might never eat another gingerbread cookie again. Seriously, it’ll just feel like a poor replacement.
I realize that puts some pretty high expectations on this recipe, but it’ll deliver. Oh, it’ll deliver. A part of me doesn’t even want to give it to you…Your tastebuds might explode.
They won’t even be able to handle how good this non-cookie cookie recipe is. Okay, will stop ranting now. But last thing I want to say is – if you make just one dessert smoothie recipe on this list, let it be this one. Trust me on this.
What you need:
- 1 cup cashew milk (or milk, almond milk, etc – but it’s really good with cashew milk)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla flavored is best)
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp molasses (both light or dark are delish in this recipe, the iron-packed blackstrap molasses is a bit bitter for this)
- 1/4 cup oats, raw
- 2 tbsp almond or coconut butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- optional: the tiniest nub of fresh ginger root, less than a teaspoon
Bon appetit and happy holidays!
