I think by now all of my friends and followers know how much I love making and drinking healthy nutrient-packed smoothies and juices. I of course have my typical go-to favorites, but I really love experimenting with my #SusiesSmoothies. Williams-Sonoma loves smoothies just as much as I do, and inspired me to create a unique one.
Last August, I had a hankering for something fall flavored, but to my dismay, I was out of pumpkin! Gasp! Even in the summer I usually have at least one or two cans. Luckily, my house is always loaded with fresh fruits and veggies – I’ve been known to be a produce hoarder. So while I didn’t have exactly what I was looking for, I did have a bunch of sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes? I admit it seemed like an odd main ingredient, and I think I can honestly say I’ve never set foot into a smoothie or juice bar and found one on a menu. But, I love being innovative so I went for it. I raided my fridge and cabinets while my mind cranked at high speed. I wanted thick, creamy, sweet and savory with just a little bit of zing. It also needed to be healthy. Damn – that’s a lot to jam pack all in one smoothie. But ladies and gents – I did in fact make it happen.
When I want a smoothie, I want it NOW! There was no way I was waiting for my oven to heat up and to cook a sweet potato. So I nuked the sucker! When it was done I stuck it in the freezer for about 20 minutes, long enough cool it down and then started tossing ingredients into my Ninja and blending up yet another delicious smoothie. It was bold and a bit out of the ordinary from anything I had ever made or tried, but it was delicious. And yes, I liked it so much that I’ve made it again and have perfected it to my liking! So, without further adieu, here’s my personal recipe a Sweet Potato Smoothie!
- 1 Sweet potato, cooked, peeled, cubed and frozen
- 1/4 cup of golden raisins
- 1 1/2 cup of vanilla almond milk
- 1 small piece of ginger root peeled (about 1/4 of an inch)
- Cinnamon to taste
- Nutmeg to taste
- Now that I know I love this smoothie I try to plan for it. So I bake a sweet potato the night before, let it cool, peel of the skin and cut into cubes. I place it in a freezer bag and let it freeze over night.
- Blend frozen sweet potato and coconut milk until mixed.
- Then add the rest of your ingredients until blended and smooth.
- If you haven't prepped for your smoothie, simply let it cool in the freezer or fridge for 20-30 minutes and add some ice to help make it icy cold.
- When adding your ginger root, remember that a little goes a long way. So depending how much zing you're looking for depends on how much you should add. I'd start off with a small amount and if you want to add more, you can easily do so.
Blending Techniques: I’ve learned that depending on which smoothie I’m making, I cannot always just throw all my ingredients in and hope for the best. I absolutely always put my liquid in first followed by my main ingredient, which is usually a banana and some greens. I blend until mixed and then add everything else I’m using. For example, this smoothie I placed my almond milk and frozen sweet potato in first and blended. Then I added my golden raisins, ginger and spices and blended until completely smooth. At this point you can do a taste test to see if you want to add anything else before serving. If you’re ever using kale in a smoothie, I recommend blending that with your liquid first, and slowly add the rest of your ingredients in. This helps break down and smooth out the kale so you’re not left with chunks. No one likes to chew their smoothies! 😉
Blenders & Juicers: If you’re on the market for a new blender, I highly recommend checking out Williams-Sonoma. They have a variety of great options to choose from including the Vitamix (which is next on my list!) and the Breville. Aside from smoothies, my husband and I are also “juice junkies.” So if juicing is something you’re also interested in, we absolutely love Hurom Slow Juicer.
I just made this smoothie this morning and although I can usually drink it all by myself, my 11 month old daughter sucked down half of it with me. She absolutely loves my smoothies, and as you can see from a few pictures, this one was a hit 🙂
If you try my Susie’s Sweet Potato Smoothie, I’d love to know what you think so drop me a line and leave me your rants or raves. Also, if you change it up and add something different or unique to my recipe, I’d love to hear about how you made it your own!
Enjoy blog lovers!
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