Green Smoothies for the Winter

Does the thought of waking up and drinking an ice-cold green smoothie made from frozen bananas make you want to eat a warm, gluten-filled pastry for breakfast?

I have been there!

Here are my tips for keeping green smoothies enjoyable during the colder months:

Eat Seasonal: Tropical fruits such as bananas, mangos, and papayas are very cooling. Using seasonal fruits such as apples and pears instead of tropical fruits will help ease the cooling effect of green smoothies.

Use Fresh, Room Temperature Fruit: If you have to use frozen fruit, rinse it under warm water in a colander before adding to your smoothie. This will help warm up the fruit a bit.

Add Lukewarm Water: You don’t have to add any water to your smoothies if you use a vitamix blender. But if you usually add water, use lukewarm to warm water during the smoothie making process to raise the temperature of the smoothie a bit.

Ginger: Add a half inch piece of fresh peeled ginger or a half teaspoon of dried ginger to your smoothie. Ginger is very warming to the body and very tasty!

You can also try making a green soup instead of a green smoothie. Here is a video on how to make green soups or stews. You simply use a watery fruit that is not sweet, like a tomato or cucumber, to balance out the greens. If you do not have a vitamix blender that heats the soup for you, simply warm the soup for a few minutes on the stove before eating.