2 Holiday Themed Smoothie Recipes

With the holidays season in full gear, here are two holiday themed smoothies to try this season from #TeamChampion member Lisa Caldwell.  Lisa is chef and nutritionist, as well as a personal training client at Champion in her spare time!  

 

2 Holiday Themes Smoothie Recipes

It seems like there is a new and improved smoothie every day, promising to lift your life, change your ways and make you better, fitter, stronger person after consuming it!  Why? Are we “doing it wrong” and this is the only way to mend the errors of our ways? Well, no, not exactly…

Think of it as the easiest way to get some foods with essential nutrients into your body that you might not be inclined to prepare and eat! (keywords, easiest way…).

Plus, add a scoop of protein and these become nutritious and muscle building and recovery machines!  Here are two of my favorite holiday themed smoothies to try this season.

 

Mint Green Smoothie

Why is “mint” being singled out?  (Who doesn’t want minty fresh breath and a spring in their step!)

Mint is a great ingredient for smoothies that is bright and refreshing, and also provides you with nutrients that your body will be thrilled to use to repair joints, bolster your immune system AND masks the “green stuff”?  Mint has been touted to have a range of benefits: aids digestion, helps to decongest us when we have a cold, and has a calming and cooling effect on our skin.

If you have a go to smoothie that you enjoy, try adding a few sprigs of mint. You might even get a “cholorphobe” to drink it! Yes, it’s that good!  Here is my recipe for a Mint Green Smoothie:

• 1 Mango, cut in to chunks – Provides vitamins A and C, and fiber
• 1 Orange (clementines or mandarins) – Provides vitamins A and C, and fiber… not getting a cold this winter!
• 1 Handful of Baby Kale, Spinach or any dark leafy green –  Provides multiple vitamins and minerals, full range of pigments helping to repair us
• 1 Pear – Provides simple and complex carbohydrates, water, fiber and a natural diuretic
• 3-4 Leaves of Mint – Adds a nice, bright touch (masks the greens if you are new to it!)
• 3 TB Hemp Seeds – **contributes too much to list here… check out below for more information!
• 1-2 cups of Coconut Milk or Almond Milk – – Milks supply healthy fats, Coconut water supplies electrolytes and carbohydrates
• 1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein – This is optional but recommended to help with recovery and strength gains
• Optional – crushed ice and other dark leafy greens

Combine all ingredients into a blender.  Mix until smooth.

The Benefits of Hemp Seeds

• One of the best vegetarian sources for a complete protein, which means it contains ALL of the essential amino acids
• Has a balanced ratio of Omega 3s to Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3s help to reduce inflammation in our joints when they have been overused
• Great source of dietary fiber
• High in Iron, and if it is combined with a source of Vitamin C, then it will be absorbed that much faster! Check out what the mango and the orange are bringing to the party!

 

 

Brilliant Butternut Squash Smoothie

Here is another great smoothie with the key ingredient being butternut squash.

• 1 Mango, cut in to chunks – loaded with simple and complex carbs, Vitamins A and C, and fiber
• 1 cup Butternut Squash – *being the featured item, read below…. the list is long!
• 1 Handful of Baby Kale – superfood! Multiple vitamins and minerals, full range of pigments helping to repair us
• 1 Pear – simple and complex carbohydrates, water, fiber and a natural diuretic
• 4 Sprigs of Mint (leaves only) – helps to relax muscles, high in antioxidants, small amounts of minerals
• 3 TB Hemp Seeds – Omega 3’s, Essential Amino Acids, Fiber, wide range of vitamins and minerals
• 1-2 cups of Coconut Milk, Almond Milk or Coconut Water – Milks supply healthy fats, Coconut water supplies electrolytes and carbohydrates
• 1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein – This is optional but recommended to help with recovery and strength gains
• Optional – crushed ice and other dark leafy greens

Combine all ingredients into a blender, mix until smooth.

The Benefits of Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash is a significant source of the following:

• B Vitamins (helps to convert glucose into usable energy)
• Vitamin C, the backup Quarterback for all the other antioxidants (Vitamins A, E, Selenium and a multitude of pigments)
• Beta Carotene, important for the health of our eyes. One molecule of Beta Carotene splits into two      molecules of Vitamin A.
• Lutein and Cryptoxanthin-B are also present. These are pigments that contribute (yellow) color and the health of our eyes. Both need fats to be absorbed by our cells!

 

About the Author

Lisa Caldwell has been in love with food, cooking and nutrition since she can remember.

Her desire to perform at an optimum level in all of her athletic endeavors started when she was young, leading her to study food and nutrition on her own. She obtained a B. S. in Human Foods and Nutrition from the University of Maine at Orono. She explored the culinary world and rose to the rank of Executive Pastry Chef at Resorts and Hotels. Due to these experiences and years spent traveling for the sake of food, she spent time working with Whole Foods Market as a Healthy Eating Specialist educating customers on how to shop and cook. She now owns and runs Lisa Caldwell your Kitchen Confidant, a small business dedicated to sharing all she knows about food, nutrition and cooking with all who want to know more for the betterment of themselves and the people that they love.

Her primary objective is Nutrition Education and has partnered with the likes of Massachusetts Hospital Association, Tufts University School of Public Health, Google, as well as the local Rock Climbing gyms in the Boston Area. Opportunities such as these have enabled her to share and increase the awareness of how food and proper nutrition contributes to our athletic performance as well as our overall health. You can find Lisa climbing at Metro Rock Gym, Everett and Boston Rock Gym in Woburn and getting great advice at Champion Physical Therapy + Performance in Waltham. If you would like more information about her services, recipes or blog posts, check out Lisa Caldwell your Kitchen Confidant on Facebook or at www.lisaecaldwell.com.