Here’s a delicious ginger berry smoothie, aka my winter warming smoothie recipe, that will keep you warm throughout these cold winter days. The secret? I add some festive warming spices like nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon!

All About my Ginger Berry Smoothie

This recipe is so simple!  Perfect for a morning on-the-go or an afternoon snack.  Just pour the kefir, baby spinach, cucumber, ginger, coconut, spices, and vanilla into a blender and blend until smooth!

Looking for quick ginger prep when you have a lot on hand? I like to peel it, cut it into 1-inch pieces, then put it in the freezer in a freezer bag to have on hand.  It is a nice staple to throw into a variety of recipes and it grates easily when frozen!

What is Kefir?

Have you ever tried Kefir?  It is a thinner consistency than yogurt but has a similar tart flavor.  Like yogurt, Kefir is filled with healthy probiotic bacteria.  This is great for your gut health!  It can be made from a variety of milks like cow, goat, sheep, coconut, rice or soy.

In addition to probiotics, Kefir also provides many minerals and the 9 essential amino acids that we must get from our diets.  It also contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B12, and Vitamin K!

Give Kefir a try in this smoothie, but if you don’t have it on hand, yogurt will work as well.

Ginger Berry Smoothie Nutrition

I love smoothies because it is such an easy way to consume fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in a compact, delicious meal!  You can hide a lot of fruits and veggies in there, and often times you can’t even taste the vegetables.  That is great for those of you with picky kids (or picky adults! 🙂

I like to add a leafy green in my smoothies.  In this smoothie I used spinach, but you can also use whatever leafy greens you have in your refrigerator.  Spinach contains iron, zinc, vitamins A, C, and folate.  Leafy greens also contain antioxidants, which assist in our body’s natural defenses.  And here’s the best part – spinach doesn’t add a lot of flavor to your smoothie, but it packs a nutrition punch, so don’t be afraid to toss in a large handful!

I also love to add frozen fruit to my smoothies.  Frozen fruit makes your smoothie thick and creamy, and it is also very nutritious.  Typically, frozen fruit is “flash frozen”.  This means that it is picked at its peak ripeness and immediately frozen, making it just as nutritious as your fresh fruit.

I added blueberries in this smoothie, but you could pick another berry if you prefer.  Blueberries are packed with Vitamin C, which contributes to a healthy immune system.  They also contain fiber, vitamin K and manganese, which contribute to energy, gut health, and cardiovascular health.

Cucumber is a great way to add some extra water and nutrients to your smoothie without changing the flavor.  Try adding a variety of different vegetables to your smoothie and see what you like best!

Similar Pages

Want to try some other smoothies?  Try my Wild Blueberry Warming Smoothie, Strawberry Banana Smoothie, and Green Berry Kefir Smoothie.

References

“Blueberry Nutrition.” U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-nutrition/.

“Colorado Spinach.” Farm to Table – Grow Prepare Eat – Colorado State University – Colorado Spinach, farmtotable.colostate.edu/eat-resources/spinach.php#.XjLxPi2ZPs2.

“Nutritional Content of Kefir.” Kefir RSS, Body Ecology Inc, www.kefir.net/nutritional-content-of-kefir/.

Winter Warming Smoothie

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: greek yogurt, smoothie, snack

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

• ½ cup frozen wild Blueberries
• ¾ cup plain kefir or yogurt
• ½ cup baby spinach
• ½ cup cucumber chopped
• ¼ teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Optional: dash of vanilla extract

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in blender or vitamix and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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