Every week I do a big smoothie prep to ensure my freezer is stocked with fruits and vegetables. My daily smoothie is my favorite way to start the day. I am sharing a few of my tips and tricks below:
I follow a basic ratio for all of my smoothies. I like my smoothies THICK and eat them with a spoon. I use a base of nut milk and always add a high quality protein powder and a healthy fat like nut butter or avocado. I like to limit my fruit to about one cup and get most of the bulk from frozen veggies. Cauliflower and zucchini are my favorites to add density without adding extra sugar. They have a very mild flavor that is easily over powered by other ingredients. Sweet potato and winter squash also make smoothies incredibly thick and creamy.
I always cook my vegetables ahead of time for easier digestion. After they are cooked I spread them out on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours before placing them in freezer bags. You can skip this step but it helps so the ingredients don’t clump together.
I like to eat seasonally when possible. In the fall and winter I love using persimmons, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower. In the summer I use more zucchini, berries and stone fruits.
Smoothie Prep & Tips
Description
I follow a basic ratio for all of my smoothies. I like my smoothies THICK and eat them with a spoon. I use a base of nut milk and always add a high quality protein powder and a healthy fat like nut butter or avocado. I like to limit my fruit to about one cup and get most of the bulk from frozen veggies. Cauliflower and zucchini are my favorites to add density without adding extra sugar. They have a very mild flavor that is easily over powered by other ingredients. Sweet potato and winter squash also make smoothies incredibly thick and creamy.
Ingredients
Vegetables:
Cauliflower- wash cut and steam for 10-12 minutes or when soft
Zucchini- wash, chop into rounds or half moons and steam 5-8 minutes
Sweet potatoes- I bake my sweet potatoes until they are soft and starting to caramelize about an hour + at 400. You can also peel and steam until soft.
Kabocha squash, delicata and butternut squash- I roast my squash but you can also steam. Cut in half and bake cut side down on a parchment lined sheet at 375 until soft. The skin on delicata is edible. I remove the skin on the Kabocha but it is edible as well. Remove the skin on the butternut before freezing.
Greens- I buy pre washed baby spinach at the grocery store and freeze.
Fruits:
Papaya- chopped, seeds and skin removed
Banana – peel and freeze whole or cut into coins
Frozen berries- I love the wild blueberries, strawberries and cherries from NorthWest Wild Foods . I also love freezing my own berries from the local farmers market.
Persimmons- I personally love Hachiya persimmons. They are shaped like acorns and when ripe have a sweet honey like flavor and pudding like consistency. You have to let them ripen to the point that they are like bursting balloons. Otherwise they are very astringent. I also love Fuyu persimmons which can be eaten like an apple. I always cut them in half and check for seeds before freezing.
Stone fruits- peaches, plums, apricots and cherries. Remove stones, slice or halve.
Dates: I love using dates to add a naturally sweet flavor to smoothies. I buy my dates from Rancho Medaduco. They are super fresh and soft and blend beautifully. If you are working with firmer dates then I recommend soaking them in hot water for a few minutes to soften.
Smoothie Base:
Base: raw milk, basic nut milk (see recipe below), nut milk variations, greek yogurt or water
Fat: nut butter, tahini or avocado
Vegetable: cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potato, winter squash, greens
Fruit: papaya, banana, berries, stone fruits,
Protein: Be Well By Kelley, Nuzest Clean Lean Protein (great for digestion. I find this protein tastes better with a greek yogurt base) and Perfect Supplements Chocolate Collagen are a few of my favorites.
Additional add ins: cocoa powder, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, adaptogens, colostrum, bee pollen
Sweetener- dates, raw honey, maple syrup
Basic Nut Milk:
This is my go to recipe for a basic nut milk. Cashew or almond are my favorite.
1 cup of nuts (soaked overnight)
3 cups of filtered water
Pinch of flaky salt
Instructions
Strain and rinse soaked nuts, and place in a blender. Add filtered water and salt. Blend on high until creamy and frothy. Strain through a nut bag. Store in the fridge. Milk will last 3-4 days.
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