Over the past several years, I’ve shared a handful of smoothie recipes on Hellobee, but I think these are my first cold weather smoothies to grace this space. That’s not representative of my eating habits, because I drink just as many smoothies in the fall and winter as I do when it’s warm outside. It may even be true that my smoothie consumption bumps up a bit during the holiday season, both because I’m looking for easy ways to get healthy ingredients in my belly and because I’d rather reach for a more wholesome solution to my sweet tooth. These gingerbread and eggnog smoothies fit into the latter category – they’re sweeter than my typical vegetable versions but are still made from whole foods that leave me feeling satisfied, not sluggish.
The key to winter weather smoothies, in my opinion, is a heavy hand with spices. Eggnog and gingerbread smoothies make this a no-brainer, since the treats they’re inspired by are characterized by spices like nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The gingerbread smoothie also gets a rich dose of molasses that makes it smell just like the cookies and, yes, houses that will adorn our Christmas table.
The eggnog smoothie gets its decadence from a whole egg, which adds body and creaminess unrivaled by any smoothie ingredient I know. I’m comfortable eating raw eggs based on the source of ours, but if the idea of eating uncooked eggs makes you uneasy, skip this one, or try it with 1/4 cup cooked oatmeal – it won’t taste the same, but it will still keep you full and make the drink nice and thick.
Eggnog Smoothie
handful of ice
1/2 banana
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.
Gingerbread Smoothie
handful of ice
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup milk
Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Do you drink smoothies when it’s cold outside? What is your favorite?
hostess / cantaloupe / 6486 posts
I just made the eggnog one to finish off my lunch…yum!! Thanks for sharing!