Description
Enjoy the classic flavors of carrot cake in a nutritious, whole food-based smoothie! This five-minute recipe is naturally sweetened, dairy-free-friendly, and perfect for a quick treat.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk
- 1 cup shredded carrots (or 1 carrot, peeled and diced)
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt or canned coconut cream (thickened portion)
- 1 small banana (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice or 1 small mandarin (clementine), peeled (See notes for substitutes)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg and ground ginger (or to taste)
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
Optional Boosters:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons flaxseed or chia seed
Optional Toppings:
- Toasted coconut
- Orange zest
- Honey roasted pecans
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of non-dairy milk to your blender to start (you can add more later if needed for consistency).
- Add the shredded carrots, Greek yogurt or coconut cream, banana, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, nut butter, and maple syrup.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If the smoothie is too thick, add additional non-dairy milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- If using optional boosters, add them during blending.
- Pour into a glass and top with toasted coconut, orange zest, or honey roasted nuts if desired.
- Enjoy immediately.
Makes 16-20 ounces (about 2 small servings or 1 large serving), depending on the amount of liquid used and any optional add-ins like protein powder.
Notes
Substitutes – If preferred, 2 pitted dates may be substituted for banana. For a tangier flavor substitute ¼ c pineapple juice or ⅓ c diced pineapple in place of orange. Cashew butter or sunflower seed butter may be substituted for the almond butter. I don’t recommend using peanut butter as that would overpower the flavor of the smoothie.
Meal Prep Tip – To save time, you can make a smoothie pack in advance: Mix maple syrup and spices with yogurt or coconut cream, then portion the mixture into ice cube trays. If using almond butter, add a small amount to some of the cubes before freezing. Steam chopped carrots, then freeze them along with diced banana and the frozen yogurt cubes in a ziplock bag (keeps for 3 months). When ready to blend, add the frozen ingredients, non-dairy milk, and juice.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: n/a
- Category: drink
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10-12 ounces
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 22.4 g
- Sodium: 129.2 mg
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.6 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 3.3 mg
