It’s October in Illinois, and with that comes falling temperatures and the chance of snow! At least this year it looks like Halloween will be snowflake free! I often struggle this time of year, even more than I do in January and February, as my body is not yet accustomed to the chill. My autoimmune symptoms always seem to hit with the drop in temps. My joints start to ache and actually tend to “freeze” up. My Raynaud’s kicks in big time and those pesky white fingers and toes can make some tasks challenging. I find myself doing anything I can to warm myself up including non-stop tea-drinking, wrapping myself in a fuzzy blanket, lighting a fire, taking a hot bath, jumping in my sauna (yes, it is worth the $$), eating a lot of soup, and drinking my smoothies WARM.
Warm smoothies are a way to warm yourself from the inside out!
When I mention that I drink warm smoothies, many of you may cringe, but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Seriously, what’s not to love with warm chocolate and peanut butter?? The sea salt topping gives it just a little bite. And even though this is a SALTED PEANUT BUTTER HOT CHOCOLATE WARM SMOOTHIE (just typing that feels decadent!), I’m still managing to fit in 2 servings of vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.
Remember I always say to start your day with protein, fat, and fiber, and this smoothie checks off all of those boxes while tasting amazing.
This salted peanut butter hot chocolate warm smoothie only requires one extra prep step beyond a traditional smoothie. You will need to first warm the non-dairy milk on the stovetop to simmering before throwing everything else in the blender. If you have a soup setting on your blender use that to keep it extra warm, but it should work just fine without. Make sure you are using a vented lid to let the steam escape! I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. Hello, blue ceiling:)
Feel free to top how you would like, although I wouldn’t skip the coarse sea salt as that adds such a nice texture to the smoothie. I also like a little crunch so I threw on some cacao nibs. Extra serotonin for the win!
I hope this helps you get through the fall & winter this year. I know it will be a staple in my home.
Just a few of the health benefits in this smoothie:
- Did you know one serving of cauliflower has your RDA of Vitamin C? It also provides, fiber, vitamin k and is a good source of antioxidants.
- Bananas aid in digestion, are a good source of fiber, potassium, and contain vitamin C.
- Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, C, and folate and they also contain magnesium and iron.
- Cacao is rich in polyphenols (antioxidants) and helps raise serotonin (mood-elevating) levels.
- Sea salt can help keep you hydrated and your electrolytes balanced. It also contains numerous minerals.
Equipment
- High-Speed Blender
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cup unsweetened almond mil
- 1 cup cauliflower rice not frozen
- 1 banana not frozen
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate protein powder
- 1/4 cup raw cacao
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
- In a small saucepan bring almond milk to simmer
- Add almond milk and remaining ingredients into high speed blender
- Blend carefully with vented lid. If you have a soup setting on your blender use that
- Serve warm and top with sea salt! Additional possible toppings include cacao nibs, granola, unsweetened coconut flakes, bananas or berries.
