Healthy Fall Smoothies

You may think of smoothies as a summer treat, but when the fruits of summer disappear from the scene and are replaced by squash, kale, beets, spinach, etc. it's time to adjust your smoothie thinking. Try playing with different flavors year-round by blending up whatever’s in season.  At first glance, butternut squash and kale may seem like strange add-ins but trust us, even the veg-o-phobes in your family will fall for these!

First, meet our smoothie guru: The Blender Girl

On her wildly popular recipe blog, cook, writer, and green maven Tess Masters—aka “The Blender Girl”—shares easy plant-based recipes just about anyone can whip up fast in a blender. Her new book is a new kitchen essential: A complete guide to blender based “fast food,” including guides to gear, ingredients, techniques, and of course recipes. All brought to life with luscious photos. Warning: Blending may be habit forming! But it’s a healthy, energizing kind of addiction loaded with positive side effects.

To make it even more addictive, Tess has just released a new iPhone and iPad app: The Blender Girl Smoothies App! In this comprehensive smoothie-making guide, she takes smoothies to the next level and helps you blast your way to good health and blended bliss. One hundred creative and delicious smoothie recipes each contain three additional boosters (like chia seeds, ginger, or wheatgrass) that ramp up the flavor, nutrient value, or both. And the unique search function lets you punch in what you feel (happy, sluggish, wired), need (a detox, to lose weight, to chill out), and crave (light and fruity, clean and green, an exotic ride) to find the right smoothie every day. Featuring gorgeous photographs of every recipe, an extensive ingredient glossary, shopping lists and other handy tips and tricks, this app makes it fun and easy to find your perfect blend.

Here's an exclusive recipe from her app for iPhone.  ENJOY!

green mojito

This is a cold-and-flu buster and potent detoxifier, all in one zesty cocktail! The bromelain in pineapple suppresses coughs and loosens mucus, while mint clears respiratory congestion, soothes sore throats, and alleviates nausea. The vitamin C in limes has antibiotic power, anti-inflammatories in kale and pineapple combat arthritis, and ginger boosts immunity, aids digestion, and adds a powerful zing.

Serves 2

1 cup (240ml) coconut water or water
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 limes, peeled and quartered
1 cup (25g) torn-up curly green kale leaves (1 or 2 large leaves with stalk removed)
1/2 cup (18g) firmly packed mint
2 cups (320g) frozen pineapple
5 drops alcohol-free liquid stevia, plus more to taste

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender and blast on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

Boosters

1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Spiced Butternut Squash Smoothie

A MightyNest original (Serves 4)

Ingredients

Directions

• Add yogurt and coconut milk in the blender first followed by the chunks of butternut squash and blend until smooth (adding a bit more milk or water if needed)
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth

Notes

• For a quick morning smoothie,  blend all the ingredients beforehand without ice and store in the fridge- just add ice and blend when you're ready to drink. 
• Play with spices to your liking and feel free to add flax seeds, hemp seeds, whatever you like to give it a little extra boost!
• While you’re prepping squash, consider cubing extra to freeze and/or roasting halves for later.