Apples…pumpkin spice…ginger…Is your mouth watering yet?
Mine is!
You are going to love these 3 Fall Inspired Smoothies I have for you!
I combined my favorite season, my favorites of the season AND my favorite meal of the day to create these three sinfully delicious yet incredibly nutritious smoothies.
Apple Tahini with Honey Smoothie
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
Ginger Molasses Smoothie
These smoothies will leave you feeling so good and so energized that you will be able to take on the colder weather, the holidays and your extended family (including in-laws) with resilience, grace and charm.
They also make a fun afternoon snack for a large group with little effort – if you are entertaining guests over the holidays.
Here’s a little bit about why these are my favorites of the season and what makes them so good.
Apple Tahini Smoothie
Apples are a nutrition power house. Period.
I don’t even know where to begin. I will just hit on a few of the reasons I think may be important to you – especially this time of year.
One, they have anti-oxidant properties that will “keep the doctor away” as we enter the cold/flu season.
Two, they are good for the gut. Raw apples in particular help ease constipation. (Ahem.) And Apples are also high in iron and vitamin C, which helps with anemia and boosts your immune system.
I know breast cancer is a concern especially here in Marin where the breast cancer rates are high. So I will mention that apples have anti-cancer properties that help prevent and reduce tumors.
I’m talking real fresh apples here, not the commercially made products that maybe list apple (flavor) as the last ingredient. According to the Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, ND, these products have little to no nutritional value.
I grew up on Red Delicious Apples – sweet and refreshing. It’s what I automatically thought of when someone said ‘apple’. Not anymore! There are SO many varieties to try these days.
Grab a variety you haven’t tried. Jona Gold, Pink Ladies, or Braeburn. Mixed with Tahini and Honey … and you are in for a treat.
The tahini (sesame seed paste) is high in zinc, which is also essential for immune health (as well as hormone balance). Honey is a natural sweetener that also helps with allergies – buy local for the optimal antidote against your local pollen.
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
It’s pumpkin season and the variety of winter squash at the markets rivals only that of apples.
Yes, canned pureed pumpkins are available BUT then you have to worry about BPA. Not fun. So, I recommend roasting your own.
It’s easy.
Heat the oven at 400-450F. Slice the squash in half, slather the inside and rim with coconut oil or butter. Add a teensy bit of salt. Place cut side down on parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Scoop out flesh, mash or puree, if you want, and freeze in ½ cup servings for smoothies.
My favorite right now is Kabocha. Add a little pumpkin spice and coconut milk and you’ll be in fall heaven.
Winter squash is high in vitamin C, which will boost your immune system so you can fight off cold & flu viruses. The beautiful red-orange color of the flesh means it is high in carotenes (vitamin A) and that means it’s great for your skin and eyes. They are packed with B vitamins, which help you deal with stress AND tryptophan which will helps brighten your mood as the days get shorter and the sun hides behind clouds.
Anti-aging,anti-stress, anti-depression – yes, please!
And you can’t go far without the smell of pumpkin spice in the air. Cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg and allspice. What a combination! Think pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin-spiced lattes! OK, maybe not the latte part. But with this smoothie you will get all the yum without ANY of the sugar of the desserts.
Each one of these spices has amazing healing properties. Let’s focus on just one for out next smoothie — ginger.
Ginger Molasses Smoothie
You know ginger has amazing digestive healing properties. It’s everyone’s go-to for a tummy ache or nausea.
But did you also know it has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory properties too?
That means it helps with headaches, menstrual cramps, and joint pain.
Molasses is the sweetener used and it is everything that white sugar is not. Literally. It can contains all the vitamins and minerals extracted from the sugar cane. The mineral content is the most nourishing. With high amounts of calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and IRON. It’s good for bones, sex drive, hormone balance and anemia.
Get cold hands and feet in the winter? Increasing your iron intake may help.
Cinnamon, ginger and molasses….think gingerbread and gingersnaps. Now that’s a winning triple combination.
I wanted to share these 3 delicious Fall Inspired Smoothies with you in a pretty printable format so you can hang them on your fridge and have handy every morning. You can download them when you enter your email here.
The download includes recipes for Apple Tahini Smoothie, Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, and Ginger Molasses Smoothie.
Click here to get the download.
Enjoy!