Christmas in a Glass: Perfect Smoothie Recipes
Christmas is a time for endless eating. There are canapes, cocktails, second helpings of little sausages wrapped in bacon, maybe a nice squidgy Camembert, and yes, I know I have contributed my own share of indulgent recipes for the season! However, after days of eating like a king, I need something light and fresh to give my body a break. This is why I’ve made my fruity layered Christmas smoothie!
The Christmassy layers of red, white, and green in big smoothie glasses not only look festive, but they give a fresh and fruity twist to the season! If you’re feeling a bit like me, as though you couldn’t look at another cheeseboard, it’s time for something healthy and refreshing, so try my Christmas smoothie recipe.
WHAT FLAVORS ARE THE CHRISTMAS SMOOTHIES?
Each smoothie layer is bright and beautiful, in perfectly Christmassy colors and, I assure you, not only the kids will love it! The flavors are:
Red: Cranberry and raspberry
White: Banana, almond milk, and cinnamon
Green: Spinach, kiwi, and mango
ARE THE SMOOTHIES HEALTHY?
My Christmas smoothie recipe is full of healthy fruit and vegetables, and by combining all three flavors into one smoothie, you boost your intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – which is particularly important at this cold time of year.
Here are the health benefits for each smoothie layer:
Cranberry and raspberry: cranberries and raspberries are both rich in vitamins including vitamin C, as well as antioxidants (which are molecules that fight free radicals causing damage to the body), especially as they are both so brightly colored.
Banana, almond milk, and cinnamon: Likewise, bananas are full of antioxidants, as well as fiber and potassium. If you feel like your calorie intake is far too high this Christmas, almond milk is a great dairy milk substitute while still high in vitamin content. Plus, cinnamon is an excellent digestive aid!
Spinach, kiwi, and mango: Spinach is famous as a superfood, full of vitamins and minerals. Kiwi helps with digestion and inflammation, while mango is an excellent source of fiber.
The kids are bouncing around, fueled by chocolate and candy canes, so my Christmas smoothie recipe is the best way to sneak fresh fruit and vegetables back into their diets without them looking horrified! In fact, they will be delighted by the bright colorful layers, and as they drink, they will try each flavor and decide which is their favorite!
Drinking a healthy smoothie as part of a well-balanced breakfast is a great way for you and your family to start the day, and is a fantastic habit to start for the new year.
HOW DO I MAKE LAYERED CHRISTMAS SMOOTHIES?
Making my Christmas smoothie is unbelievably quick and easy, and here are some tips to make your morning as easy as possible:
1. The smoothies need to be thick like a shake so the layers don’t blend together. Don’t add too much extra liquid to each flavor.
2. Here’s a time-hack for you: prepare all your fruit in advance by chopping everything into small pieces and freezing them in separate bags or containers. Then, come the morning and all you want is a quick smoothie, simply open your freezer and grab the right ingredients.
3. I make these smoothies using frozen fruit especially as during the winter fresh berries are a little more difficult to find. Find a big bag of frozen raspberries and cranberries at the grocery store and it will be considerably cheaper than using fresh fruit.
4. In the banana, almond, and cinnamon layer, you can substitute the almond milk for any other milk. Personally, I love the creamy almond flavor, however, feel free to use regular dairy, soy, or oat milk, especially if you have an intolerance or allergy.
So, if your jeans are suddenly feeling a little tight this Christmas, or you can’t remember the last time you ate a piece of fruit rather than a chocolate truffle, try my Christmas layered smoothie recipe, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, perfect to boost your energy and make you feel healthier!
MORE SMOOTHIE RECIPES
LAYERED CHRISTMAS SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
GREEN SMOOTHIE
- 2 cups Spinach
- 1 cup Kiwi
- 1 cup Frozen mango
- 1 cup Water / or orange juice
WHITE SMOOTHIE
- 1 ½ cup Banana
- 1 cup Unsweeetned almond milk
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
RED SMOOTHIE
- 1 ½ cup Frozen cranberries
- 1 cup Frozen raspberries
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ cup Cranberries for decoration
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients for the same smoothie into a blender and blend them well until it has a smooth consistency, then set aside.
- Wash the blender, then repeat with the ingredients for the other smoothies.
- Serve all the three smoothie flavors in a glass starting with the green one then following with the white and red smoothie flavors.
- Decorate it with a few cranberries.
