Super Smoothies that are Not Green (4 Recipes!)

Welcome to Month 4 of my Dairy-Free 3-Book Journey! Super smoothies like the ones below have been an integral part of inspiration, recipe creation and just plain nourishment as I work on my new books. When I’m testing too many sweets or simply need a reset, I head to the kitchen and blend up one of these … or similar. In my opinion, there are no hard and fast rules to making super smoothies – blend, taste, add, blend, taste again, enjoy.

That said, I really find it difficult to enjoy “green smoothies” that just shouldn’t be green! Lime and mint are natural green pairings, but a mango or vanilla smoothie that’s bright green just loses some significant appeal. I thought I was alone until a reader commented that the color has to match the flavor, and then this very cool article stumbled into my inbox this week: The Colors We Eat: Food color does more than guide us—it changes the experience of taste. Suddenly, my preferences were justified, and I knew it was time to share some dairy-free super smoothies that aren’t green! Yes, not everything nutritious is green.

Black & Blue Super Smoothies

Blend:

• 1 small frozen ripe banana (broken into chunks)
• 1 ounce frozen avocado (about 1/4 of a small to medium avocado)
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 small handful spinach
• 1/4 cup Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk Beverage (or Coconut for nut-free)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder (I use Vega Vanilla All-in-One Nutritional Shake)

Makes: 1 large serving

Notes: You’ll never see the sneak attack of healthy greens hidden among the boldly colored, sweet berries in this blend.The spinach is virtually tasteless in these super smoothies, but the avocado does impart a slight flavor. If you don’t love avocado, omit and increase the banana to a medium frozen banana. Using creamy frozen fruit with just a small amount of liquid helps the spinach to fully blend in. Don’t like bananas? Frozen mango is a tasty substitute that goes well with the berries. If you are averse to seeds in your smoothie, either pre-blend and strain the blackberries or use all blueberries. Also, start modestly with the spinach. Those who add a full cup to 1 serving and tell you that you can’t taste it are a little lacking in “green” taste buds. Spinach is very seamless in flavor, as long as you don’t go overboard.

Peachy Power Super Smoothies

Blend:

• 2 medium to large pitted and chopped ripe peaches (optionally frozen)
• 1 chopped carrot (raw or steamed / soft)
• 1 package Silk Vanilla Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative
• 1 cup Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage
• 1-inch disk fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Pinch salt
• Ice (I use 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
• Sweetener to taste (I use 10 drops pure stevia extract)

Makes: 2 servings

Notes: These super smoothies pack in a good amount of anti-inflammatory spice, but feel free to adjust the add-ins, to taste. Also, if you use frozen peaches, you can reduce or omit the ice and may need less sweetener (if any), since the servings will be smaller. Using steamed carrots makes for a creamier blend, but we liked the fresh taste of raw, and found it blended in well when ice was used.

Summer Sunrise Super Smoothies

Blend:

• ¾ cup diced ripe mango
• ¼ cup raspberries
• ¼ cup Silk Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage
• 2 teaspoons or 1 serving omega oils (I use Be Bright (vegan) or Coromega)
• 1 tablespoon brown rice protein powder
• ½ to ¾ cup ice
• Sweetener to taste, if needed (I use 3 to 5 drops pure stevia extract)

Makes: 1 serving

Notes: If you aren’t making these simple super smoothies in summer, you can use frozen fruit and omit the ice. Add milk beverage as needed to get your blender moving. Also, just about any red berry goes beautifully with mango (cherries, strawberries, etc.), don’t be afraid to mix it up! Finally, I choose brown rice protein powder for this recipe as it is tan in color, rather than green, leaving the brilliant red-orange hue from the fruit in tact.

Chocolate Spice Super Smoothies

Blend:

• 1 frozen medium ripe banana (broken into chunks)
• ½ cup Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk Beverage (or Coconut for nut-free)
• 1 tablespoon almond butter (or sunflower seed butter for nut-free)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons spiced cacao powder (see Notes below)
• Sweetener to taste, if needed (I often omit or add 2 to 3 drops pure stevia extract to brighten the flavor)

Makes: 1 serving

Notes: This easy recipe is a simple staple for me. My favorite spiced cacao is Rawcholatl (seriously potent, amazingly addictive – you get quite a bit, too), but CaCoCo (Global Warrior) is pretty great, too, and I’ve seen others, like Food of the Gods Chocolate Elixir. These add surprising flavor contrast plus nutrition. But, if you can’t locate one, use good quality cacao powder and add some spices (I adore Simply Organic), to taste. I use about 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and may add some ground ginger, allspice, a pinch of salt, and even mesquite powder. Need banana-free? Try frozen cubes of cooked, mashed pumpkin! Pumpkin goes well with cacao, almond and spice, but since it is less sweet than banana, I also recommend blending in 1 to 2 softened, pitted dates.

Special Diet Notes: Pretty Super Smoothies

All of the above were made dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian. Plus, they can all be made tree nut-free, soy-free, and even paleo with simple ingredient swaps!

3-Book Journey Update & Goal

Recipe creation is never-ending, but in the past month I’ve enjoyed reincorporating health research into my work. While my first book is the basics and covers the cravings, the 2nd, which I hope to announce next month (yes, it’s done!), is an everyday healthy recipe collection, and the 3rd will have a strong health and wellness theme that I think you will love. It’s a topic near and dear to my heart and I hope that comes through. These super smoothies are a quick culmination of what I’m working on, not just “going dairy free” but upping the ante with nutritious, appealing ingredients.

In addition to my monthly posts on this journey, with recipes and informational posts, you can follow more of my project and several others on Twitter, via the hashtags #Inspired and #LoveMySilk. This series was made possible by Silk, and I’m every so grateful for their dairy-free support! For dairy-free milk beverage and yogurt coupons, recipes and much more, sign up for the Silk Newsletter. Here are the prior posts, just in case you missed them:

Month 3: Update & Goal + The Dairy-Fee Shopping List for Hundreds of Recipes

Month 2: Update on Recipes + Mini Maple French Toast Casseroles Recipe

Month 1: The Journey Launch + Easy Cheesy Broccoli “Nachos” Recipe

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

What’s Your Favorite Super Smoothie?

Are you excited to use one of my smoothie combinations as inspiration or do you already have an energizing blend that is your favorite? Do you like “green smoothies” or prefer the color matches the flavor?