Winter may not seem like the obvious season for making smoothies, but I think winter is the perfect time to add them into your regular meal routine. For starters, it's difficult to find fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, so your body is lacking the nutrition that comes easily in the form of fresh produce in the spring and summer. You might miss your fresh produce in the winter but it's not gone, you can easily find all your fresh summer produce in the freezer aisle making it the perfect addition to any smoothie. Also, we are typically not getting out as much in the winter meaning that we burn fewer calories than during warmer months when we are more active. So substituting a smoothie for one, or two, of your daily meals will help give you the nutrition your body needs while keeping you away from the "comfort food" calories you don't need. So with that in mind, here are four of my favorite slimming smoothie recipes for winter using ingredients easy to find during chilly months. As an added bonus, stocking your body full of nutrients that come from smoothies can help fuel your body's immune system so it can fight off the typical winter illnesses.
Almond, Pear Slimming Smoothie
This is a great smoothie for anyone who likes natural sweetness without adding anything artificial. The pear and pineapple give this smoothie a delicious flavor while eliminating the need for any added sweeteners. I love that it doesn't taste like a protein shake and the flavor is one that is hard to come by. You don't see pear smoothies very often. Winter is the best time of year for a smoothie like this because pears are at their peak of ripeness and are on sale everywhere. I buy some every time I go to the store, leave them on the counter for about three days until they ripen, then move them to the fridge. This gives me a constant supply of ripe pears whenever I want them. For the pineapple, I often use canned pineapple, fresh when it's on sale, then put what I don't use into the freezer to add to future smoothies.1/2 Pear
1 Cup Spinach
1 Celery Rib
1/4 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Pineapple (canned, frozen or fresh)
1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Scoop EAS Lean Protein Powder - Vanilla
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 T. Chia Seeds (optional)
1 Cup Ice
Strawberry, Walnut Slimmer
When I was pregnant this was my go-to breakfast smoothie because it gave me a boost of much needed nutrition for myself and the growing baby. This smoothie packs a powerful protein punch while staying heavy on flavor but not on calories. Whether pregnant or not, this is a great meal substitution smoothie that will fill you up with important nutrients while still keeping your calorie count relatively low.1 Cup Spinach
2 T. Walnuts
1/2 Cup Strawberry Greek Yogurt
1 t. Honey
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1 Scoop EAS Lean Protein Powder - Vanilla
1/2 Cup Ice
Blueberry, Almond Crave
Sometimes I just want something packed with blueberries, and this smoothie delivers while giving me a powerful antioxidant boost. You can use fresh or frozen bananas. I like to buy bananas by the bunch, eat as many as I can while they are ripe, then slice and freeze the rest to add to smoothies later before they go bad. I like thick, shake-like smoothies but if you prefer something more liquid, you can substitute the frozen bananas for fresh ones.1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Spinach
1/2 Cup Frozen Bananas
1 Scoop EAS Lean Protein Powder - Vanilla
1 T. Chia Seeds (optional)
Tropical Orange Immunity Boost
Any time I feel a cold coming on I start supplementing my diet with this smoothie. It's packed with Vitamins A, B and C, infusing my body with energy and a cold-fighting immunity boost. Often, after drinking this smoothie for a couple days, my cold symptoms will disappear entirely instead of turning into a full-blown cold. Fresh oranges are easy to find in the winter too and you have a lot of options for orange juice, anything from fresh to frozen. Fresh is ideal but bottled varieties are easy to come by and if you have to you can even choose a can of frozen orange juice concentrate, and add a spoonful to your smoothie with a small squirt of water.1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Peeled Orange
1/2 Cup Frozen Mangos
1/4 Cup Pineapple (frozen, fresh or canned)
1/2 Cup Carrots
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Scoop EAS Lean Protein Powder - Vanilla
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk
Any of these smoothies are just as good without the scoop of protein powder, but if you are substituting a smoothie for your meal it's a good idea to include it. The scoop of protein will make you fuller for longer making it less likely that you will indulge in that morning doughnut when you get to the office. Just remember, winter makes it easy to cover up and feel comfortable, but swimsuit season will be here before you know it. By making the right eating choices all winter, you'll feel ready to hit the water the first day of warm weather. Enjoy more slimming smoothie recipes here.
