Winter Citrus Smoothie
By Faith Gorsky of An Edible Mosaic
Full of fresh, bright flavor and loaded with nutrition, this Winter Citrus Smoothie will be your favorite new smoothie!
I love eating seasonally as much as possible. I find that it’s a good way to keep our bodies in tune with nature. Plus it helps support our local farmers, which is so important. Right now, citrus, including orange, grapefruit, and lemon, is in season and so that’s the focus of this Winter Citrus Smoothie!
This smoothie pairs the tangy flavor of grapefruit with sweet navel and blood oranges and the brightness of lemon. Frozen pineapple is the smoothie base, and it blends up very smooth and creamy.
Before we eat our food, we see it, which is why I like to add a few pretty garnishes to this smoothie if possible. Pomegranate arils, fresh mint, unsweetened coconut flakes, cacao nibs, or orange slices are all wonderful garnish options for this drink. Use whatever you like and make it your own!
And don’t be afraid to experiment with this recipe to suit your tastes! Smoothie recipes are very customizable. Here are a few easy swaps you can try:
● Banana chunks (frozen) instead of frozen pineapple chunks
● Strawberries (frozen) instead of frozen pineapple chunks
● Lime juice and zest instead of lemon
● Sweetener of your choice instead of maple syrup
● Coconut milk or almond milk instead of pineapple juice
● If grapefruit isn’t your thing, omit it and add another blood orange or navel orange
If you want to bump up the nutrition even more, you could add one of the following:
● Scoop of your favorite protein powder
● Handful of nuts, such as almonds
● Spoonful of golden flaxseed meal
This Winter Citrus Smoothie makes a great breakfast or snack! And if you’re craving something creamy and sweet (like ice cream), whip this up because it might just satisfy your cravings…in a healthy way!
If you follow a specific eating regimen, as-written this recipe is paleo and vegan. It’s dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free, so it’s a great option for people with food sensitivities. And the best part is, this Winter Citrus Smoothie is as nutritious as it is delicious.
Winter Citrus Smoothie
Yields about 4 cups/2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups canned pineapple chunks in pineapple juice, drained and frozen (reserve the juice)
1 blood orange
1 navel orange
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 pinch sea salt
1 cup pineapple juice (reserved from the canned pineapple chunks)
Garnish Ideas
Pomegranate arils
Fresh mint
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, stopping to tamp down if necessary.
Serve immediately.
