Winter Smoothie Blend (Printable version)

A nourishing blend featuring seasonal fruits and spices for a refreshing boost.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 large ripe pear, cored and chopped

02 - 1 small apple, cored and chopped

03 - 1 ripe banana, peeled

04 - ½ cup frozen cranberries or mixed berries

05 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or dairy milk if preferred)

06 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (substitute plant-based yogurt for dairy-free)

07 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

08 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

09 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

10 - ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

11 - 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseed

12 - 1 tablespoon rolled oats

01 - Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender in the order listed.

02 - Blend on high speed for 45 to 60 seconds until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

03 - Taste and adjust sweetness or spices according to preference.

04 - Pour into two glasses and serve at once. For a colder texture, add a few ice cubes before blending.

01 -

It tastes like comfort without feeling heavy, and your body actually feels the benefits of all those warming spices.
You can throw it together in the time it takes your coffee to brew, yet it feels intentional and nourishing.
The flavor balance shifts depending on what fruit you have—it's forgiving and adaptable, which somehow makes it more trustworthy than most recipes.

02 -

Don't skip blending the frozen berries long enough—they need time to thaw and release their color and flavor into the whole drink, or it'll taste like you're blending ice.
The spice amounts seem tiny, but they're precise; I learned this the hard way by dumping in a teaspoon of cinnamon and creating something that tasted like chai instead of a smoothie.
A high-powered blender makes a genuine difference here—regular blenders sometimes leave a grainy texture that's less satisfying than the creamy result you're after.

03 -

If your blender feels like it's struggling, add the liquid first and let it sit for 30 seconds—it helps soften the frozen berries slightly so they blend faster and smoother.
Make it thicker by using less almond milk and more yogurt, or thinner by adding extra milk; consistency is entirely about what you're in the mood for that morning.