I rarely crave smoothies outside of breakfast time, but this is one exception. Some afternoons I need a flavorful pick-me-up, and this makes my cells sing. Because of this wild world we’re living in with a global pandemic and everyone on edge with their health, I developed a recipe that speaks directly to some immune supporting nutrients that may add protection against COVID.

Food is medicine, and here is how it’s applied in the defense of COVID:

• Turmeric- Turmeric contains curcumin, thought to be an herbal therapy against COVID. It is highly anti-inflammatory. When inflammation is down, the immune system is up. Its antimicrobial properties can target viral respiratory infections like bronchitis, influenza, and coughs….sound familiar, 2020? Turmeric also acts as a natural pain killer to help ease body aches from illness.
• Ginger- This root is another anti-inflammatory spice that acts as an antimicrobial. Microbes can be either bacteria or viruses. COVID is a virus. Fresh ginger has been known as a remedy for RSV and bronchitis, both of which are also viruses (although bronchitis can also be bacterial). One study showed ginger may provide a therapeutic option alone for respiratory and airway conditions such as asthma.
• Carrots– Carrots contain beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Your body burns through Vitamin A during times of illness (don’t believe me? test your night vision next time you’re sick!). Vitamin A is ONLY found in animal products. You may be thinking, “wait, I thought my canned pumpkin said 130% of vitamin A?” That label is assuming that under the perfect circumstances, with the perfect genetics, with the perfect nutritional mechanisms, you COULD convert the amount of Beta Carotene in that can of pumpkin into that much Vitamin A.  Most of our bodies aren’t walking around in a state of nutritional perfection though, so we aren’t getting what that label promises.  All the more reason to get daily sources of rich orange/yellow produce in the diet. Vitamin A is also a fat soluble vitamin, which is why I added:
• Coconut Oil- This medium chain triglyceride is insta brain fuel and also helps bind to turmeric and vitamin A to help increase absorption and assimilation. Turmeric and vitamin A are both dependent on fat to help them get into the blood stream and work their magic. Coconut oil is another antimicrobial ingredient in this smoothie.
• Oranges and lemon– Some countries are brilliantly using mega doses of intravenous vitamin C as a treatment for Coronavirus. While the modest amount of vitamin C in a few citrus fruits would be a small drop in the bucket compared to the massive dose of C that is actually proving to be treat the disease, the oranges and lemons in this smoothie will build a foundation for sustainable immune support.

As with all smoothies, add the hardest/most dense ingredients at the top for the most efficient blending (frozen fruits, ice cubes, or in this case, raw carrots). Liquids always go at the bottom.

Any left overs can be made into popsicles as a standby for if you end up coming down with a fever or sore throat and don’t have much of an appetite. Or, you could always enjoy your popsicle in perfectly good health and dream of sunshine on a island, because we could all use a tropical escape right about now too!

Carrot Zinger Smoothie

• Servings: Four, 8oz servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Carrot Zinger Smoothie

• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy liquid of choice (coconut milk, coconut water, almond milk, etc)
• 2 large oranges, peeled, or 4 small clementines/Cuties
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2-3 Tbsp seeds of choice (hemp hearts, chia seeds, or flaxseeds)
• 1 teaspoon ginger (or less if you want a little less zing to your zinger)
• 1 teaspoons turmeric (or less if you’re building up an acquired taste!)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-2″ pieces

Optional: add a scoop of collagen powder, bone broth protein powder, protein powder of your choice. I don’t use protein powders with my kids, so we’ve settled on protein coming from the hemp seeds in the recipe above.

Directions

Add all ingredients in the order given and blend in high-speed blender. Remember all frozen or firm ingredients should always go last into your blender for the best blending.

Refrigerate left overs in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3-6 months in popsicle molds or glass mason jars.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2020

If I told you the truth that this smoothie was inspired by my daughter’s leftover frozen babyfood, promise me you won’t hit Back on your browser?  I had loads of left over frozen butternut squash puree that I threw into a smoothie one day. The result was creamy, flavorful, and glycemic-balanced with a flavor reminiscent of the Schwann’s man push pops from the 90s (are those still a thing?). To me, it’s not a smoothie if it doesn’t have a veggie. I’ve used both the butternut squash cubes from the natural foods freezer and the spirals found in the main freezer section. The mild taste of butternut squash blends right in to the creamy orange flavor, but I encourage you to experiment with your favorite brightly colored fruits and veggies:

Yellow/orange vegetables: butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots

Yellow/orange fruits: peaches, bananas, mangos, papaya, cantaloupe, oranges, clementines, pineapple, lemon

Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie

Orange produce is usually loaded with Beta Carotene, a pre-courser to Vitamin A. Your body burns through Vitamin A during times of illness (don’t believe me? test your night vision next time you’re sick!). Vitamin A is ONLY found in animal products. You may be thinking, “wait, I thought my canned pumpkin said 130% of vitamin A?” That label is assuming that under the perfect circumstances, with the perfect genetics, with the perfect nutritional mechanisms, you COULD convert the amount of Beta Carotene in that can of pumpkin into that much Vitamin A.  Most of our bodies aren’t walking around in a state of nutritional perfection though, so we aren’t getting what that label promises.  All the more reason to get daily sources of rich orange/yellow produce in the diet.

Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie

• Servings: Four, 8oz servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie

• 1  cup non-dairy milk of choice (almond, coconut, or oat milk)
• 1/2 cup orange juice (or 2 Tbsp of frozen OJ concentrate)
• 2 large oranges, peeled, or 4 small clementines/Cuties
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp seeds of choice (hemp hearts, chia seeds, or flaxseeds)
• 1 cup cooked or frozen butternut squash
• 1 cup frozen mangoes
• Small handful of red raspberries (see note)**

Optional: add a scoop of collagen powder or this Vega Tropical Tango Smoothie powder for bonus protein. I don’t use protein powders with my kids, so we’ve settled on protein coming from the hemp seeds in the recipe above.

**Adding just a few raspberries enhances the color, taking it from a dull yellow to a bright orange. It’s an optional step, but an aesthetic one that helps picky eaters who eat with their eyes first. About 5-7 red raspberries is enough to do the trick!

Directions

Add all ingredients in the order given and blend! Remember all frozen food should always go last into your blender for the best blending.

Refrigerate left overs in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019

One of the first thoughts I usually have each morning is what I get to eat for breakfast. Sometimes this is my only motivation to actually roll out of bed. This smoothie is for those days when your head tells you to eat healthfully, but your heart says it prefers indulging on something decadent. The PB and chocolate combo is a match made in culinary heaven, and feeling good about consuming it first thing in the morning makes this a no-brainer. Am I alone in this?This smoothie rivals the likes of a chocolate shake, just with spinach and a heaping helping of unsweetened cocoa powder…two of the greatest superfoods on the planet. If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time, you know that I make every effort to ensure that fiber, fat, and protein are blatantly added in every smoothie. This slows the digestion and absorption of nutrition. Without these, you truly would be drinking a milkshake.

• Fiber= spinach (check!)
• Fat= hemp seeds (check!)
• Protein= peanut butter (check!)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

• Servings: Four, 8oz servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

• 1 1/4 cup sweetened almond, coconut, or oat milk
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder (I use Navitas Cacao powder)
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts*
• 3 Tbsp peanut butter
• 3 ripe bananas (fresh is fine, but I like the icy blend of frozen)
• 1 Tbsp cacao nibs

*I love the creaminess that hemp hearts contribute to smoothies, but flaxseeds or chia seeds act as a good replacement if you don’t have hemp hearts around. They aren’t always easy to find. If you do find them, stock up!

Directions

Add all ingredients in the order given and blend! You may wish to blend the cacao nibs in with your smoothie or add them as a garnish on top. Or both!

Refrigerate left overs in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019

An unassuming dose of purple cabbage makes this one of the sweetest ways to include detoxifying cruciferous vegetables into your diet. While cruciferous veggies probably aren’t the most luring food to drag you out of bed in the morning, I promise you can’t taste cabbage one bit. If you’ve poked around at my other smoothie recipes, you know I’m heavy-handed on the veggies. Cruciferious vegetables are the holy grail of detoxifying foods because of the compound indole-3-carbinol. I recommend 4-5 servings of these a day (yes, a DAY) if you are needing to detox. They are also potent anti-tumor (aka: cancer prevention) foods. What better way to fuel your day than starting with one of the most powerful foods on the planet.

Purple cabbage is also high in the amino acid L-glutamine. L-glutamine is incredibly healing to the digestive tract for people with Chron’s, colitis, and leaky gut. It can be purchased in supplement form, but who wants to pop more pills when they can get it in this delicious bio-available way?

I would be doing my readers an injustice if I didn’t take a moment for my soapbox on the holy trinity of smoothie ingredients. (You might remember this from my Go-To Green Smoothie and Rasp-Beet Smoothie). In addition to the unspoken vegetables that should sneak into every smoothie, make sure your smoothies contain the “big three” to slow digestion and absorption of nutrition and blood sugar:
1) Fiber
2) Fat
3) Protein

I use coconut water as the liquid base for most of my smoothies, but I’m here to keep you guessing by using full-fat coconut milk (the stuff in a can) as the base in this recipe. Making my list and checking it twice:

• Fiber= purple cabbage and strawberries (check!)
• Fat= full-fat coconut milk (check!)
• Protein= collagen and hemp seeds (check!)

I follow the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists when choosing to buy organic. Strawberries have topped the charts for the last 3 consecutive years as the #1 most highly sprayed produce in America. Most strawberries tested contain at least 20 different chemicals (some up to 40!) a few of them even being known carcinogens. Hard pass. For that reason, I will always choose organic strawberries.

Strawberry Banana Detox Smoothie

• Servings: Four, 8oz servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Strawberry Banana Detox Smoothie

• 1 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 2 ripe bananas (fresh is fine, but I like the icy blend of frozen)
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1 scoop of Ancient Nutrition Multi-Protein Collagen*
• 1 10oz bag of frozen organic strawberries

*If you forgo the collagen or protein powder, I recommend adding a tablespoon or two of a neutral nut butter like cashew butter to maintain a dose of protein.

Directions

Add all ingredients in the order given and blend!

Refrigerate left overs in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019

There is something about starting my day with a smoothie that sets my mind and body for an energized day. I strongly believe that every smoothie needs a vegetable component, and usually the vegetable component is in higher ratio than fruit. Do this, and you set yourself up to eat more vegetables in one meal than some people eat in a whole week. Since the blender does all the hard work, it also gives your GI a break from having to work so hard to digest (there are no teeth in your stomach!). Blending smoothies keeps all the pulp and fiber that juicing removes, giving you the most bang for your buck in one glass.

I have started my day with a smoothie of some sort for years, but I have a handful of tried and true smoothies that are on repeat. My son has also eaten a smoothie almost daily since he was in utero. We usually share a high-fat, high-protein breakfast together (fried eggs in ghee are our jam!) and we’ve made this smoothie so many times together he can do it by himself.

In addition to the unspoken vegetables that should sneak into every smoothie, you also need the three essentials, or holy trinity of smoothies, if you will:
1) Fiber
2) Fat
3) Protein

Fiber, fat, and protein will slow the digestion and absorption of nutrition. Without these, you basically have a milkshake. I also get asked often where we get our glass straws. We bought them from Strawsome a few years ago and have never had one break, even with a toddler using one daily! I find he’ll drink almost anything through a straw, and I’ve been known to feed him soup through them too!

I use coconut water as the liquid base for most of my smoothies, especially if they have spinach in them. The alternative of using a dairy product (milk, yogurt, or kefir) is they contain enough calcium that it inhibits the absorption of iron from the spinach or other leafy green like kale. Through most of my teen, 20, and pre-natal years, I’ve been desperate to absorb as much iron as possible.

Go-To Green Smoothie

• Servings: 6 servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients

Go-To Green Smoothie

• 1 16.9 fl oz mango coconut water (I like this Vita Coco brand)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup kale
• 1 avocado
• 1 packet of Vega coconut almond protein powder
• 1 packet of Amazing Grass Super Green powder
• 1.5 cups frozen mango

*You could do without the powder packets if that’s not your thing, however I find this a great way to add loads and loads of nutrition that I can’t get from anywhere else. It also gives it a depth of flavor and sweetness, but there is enough sweetness in the flavored coconut water and mangoes that you could also do without the flavored protein powder.

Directions

Wash and rinse your spinach, kale, and avocado. Add all ingredients in the order given, always putting your frozen things on the top of the blender for the best blend, otherwise you will be stopping to “burp” the blender and let air out of the pockets. This smoothie makes approximately 6 servings.

We refrigerate ours in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019

As a general rule of thumb, the darker or more vibrant the color of a whole food, the more nutrition it contains. That is definitely the case with beets, and also part of the reason I find a way to incorporate these into my meal plans at least once a week. Since getting a solid dose of vegetables can some days be a challenge, I make it a point to start off my day with a vegetable at every breakfast. My Go-To Green Smoothie is loaded with anti-inflammatory carotenoids and phytonutrients, but this beet smoothie gets its deep red pigment from Betalain, a potent antioxidant and anti-fungal constituent. Many people can not break down Betalain, and its deep red hue can show up in urine or stool. It’s nothing to cause alarm, if anything it’s a great indicator of GI transit time! (note: ideal transit time is 18-24 hours).

In addition to the unspoken vegetables that should sneak into every smoothie, you may also be familiar with my holy trinity of smoothie ingredients:
1) Fiber
2) Fat
3) Protein

Fiber, fat, and protein will slow the digestion and absorption of nutrition. Without these, your blood sugar wouldn’t react much differently than if you were drinking a milkshake. This smoothie is one of my simpler ones, so to make sure this checks all the boxes of my holy trinity, we’ll get our fiber from frozen raspberries, fat from coconut oil, and protein from a scoop of collagen and protein powder. Check, check, and check.

My son and I share a high-fat, high-protein breakfast together every morning, and although our smoothies are pretty great, watching the school bus go by is definitely the highlight.

Behind the scenes of a food photography set with a toddler under the same roof. With an entire house to play in, he chooses to be in the three square feet of space I need, naturally!

I use coconut water as the liquid base for most of my smoothies. I usually wake up feeling dehydrated, and although I start my morning with pure water, the potassium in coconut water helps dilute some puff and energize my day. Raspberries also contain Ellagic Acid which has been used as a holistic remedy for PMS symptoms.

Rasp-Beet Smoothie

• Servings: 6 servings
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

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Ingredients

Rasp-Beet Smoothie

• 1 16.9 fl oz mango coconut water (I like this Vita Coco brand)
• 2 cups roasted red beets (see time-saving tip below!)*
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 scoop of Vega Bodacious Berry protein powder
• 1 scoop of Ancient Nutrition Multi-Protein Collagen
• 1 10oz bag of frozen organic raspberries

*Time Saving Tip: During dinner prep the night before you plan to have this smoothie, wash and cut beets into small 1″ slices or cubes. Preheat oven to 350. Fill a 9×13 pan with cut beets and cover with 1/2″ water. Roast for 40 minutes until tender. Once cooled, transfer to a glass storage container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use in the morning.

A note about protein powder: you could do without the protein powder if that’s not your thing, however I find this a great way to add loads of nutrition that I can’t get from anywhere else. If you forgo the collagen or protein powder, I recommend adding a tablespoon or two of a neutral nut butter like cashew butter to maintain a dose of protein. I like the protein powders because of the depth of flavor and sweetness, but there is enough sweetness in the flavored coconut water and raspberries that you could also do without the flavored protein powder.

Directions

Add all ingredients in the order given and blend!

Refrigerate left overs in sealed glass jars for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019