Holiday Spice Veggie Smoothie

I’ve recently become a veggie smoothie convert…and this recipe was my way in.  But I think it really happened when I shifted my perception of veggie smoothies from being a meal replacement to a yummy way to augment an already nutrient-rich, whole food diet.

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My Initial Problem with Smoothies

I have never liked the idea of replacing a meal with something liquid.  First of all, digestion begins way before food physically hits the interior of our stomach and liquids don’t get this process working as efficiently as other solid foods do.  Secondly, I’ve never liked the idea of a meal replacement drink that was mostly made from the juice of plants.  To me, this meant taking away too much of the fiber and creating something that has the ability to immediately hit your bloodstream.

Why I Came Around to the Idea

But then several things dawned on to me.  I first realized that I was being a bit biased on what I was constituting as a veggie smoothie.  Why couldn’t I create (and enjoy!) something that all the parts that I would normally eat, but blended into something delicious? I also realized that I didn’t need to replace any meals at all with a smoothie…I could simply add it into the rotation of things I do to improve my health.  (Since I came from a very unhealthy place of trying to starve myself into someone super skinny, this was a big revelation for me.)  In fact, Dr. Dig and I often use these smoothies as a regular meal follow-up.

So with all this in mind, I’ve entered a whole new world of yummy veggie smoothies that I can dress up and change to whatever mood strikes.  And since it’s the holidays, Dr. Dig and I wanted something festive to enjoy!  And so this Holiday Spice Veggie Smoothie was born.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups washed spinach
• 5-6 large florets of broccoli
• 1/2 large cucumber
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 large carrots
• 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (I either make my own or purchase this brand)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 scant teaspoon nutmeg

Serving Size: this makes enough for 2 large smoothies.

Note: if you have gut health issues, I do strong recommend starting slowly with incorporating veggie smoothies into your diet.  Failing to do so might overpower your current gut microbiota and cause more problems for you.

Steps:

1. Throw all ingredients into a blender (I have and like this blender) and blend on high for 2-3 minutes.

2. Pour into 2 large glasses and enjoy!

Have questions about the paleo lifestyle, health in general, or all things DIY? Ask me anything on the Submit A Question page.