One food that I’ve been incorporating into my diet every day is fresh ginger. Before I started researching anti-inflammation foods, I’d never used fresh ginger in a smoothie. I’ve used it countless times in meals as it’s one of my favorite flavors, but never in a smoothie. Now I’m kind of obsessed. I think I had this pineapple-ginger smoothie with my lunch for a week straight. It’s strong, but oh-so-good.
Even if you don’t need the anti-inflammation benefits of fresh ginger (but really, who doesn’t?), it boasts a whole bunch of other health benefits. Fresh ginger is great for nausea (I drank ginger drinks a lot when pregnant), is said to help keep blood-sugar steady, improves the absorption of essential nutrients, and can increase energy. I’ve noticed after having a smoothie with fresh ginger for lunch I don’t have my usual dip mid-afternoon energy slump, so it works for me!
This spiced banana almond smoothie is a lovely blend of sweet and spicy. The fresh ginger adds a little bite, but the almond and banana flavor are still able to shine. Banana and almond is a classic smoothie combination, but adding fresh ginger and cinnamon take it in a different direction and give it a fresh and fun flavor profile.
As you can probably tell from the pictures, this is not a super thick smoothie. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a thick, creamy smoothie, other times I really want one that is on the thinner side. For a creamier smoothie, use frozen bananas. You could even add an extra banana or reduce the water/milk if you want it extra thick. I love this smoothie as-is, though. It is light and refreshing, yet has enough protein to be quite filling. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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Spiced banana almond smoothie
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
A classic smoothie combination is given a new twist with the use of fresh ginger and cinnamon. This vegan smoothie is a great anti-inflammatory smoothie and is packed with protein from the almond butter.
Ingredients
- 1 large banana (frozen first for a creamier smoothie)
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/2 cup-1 cup coconut water, water, or almond milk (coconut water is my favorite here, but they all work)
- ~1/4″-1/2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of ice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Notes
Edit: I have been making this smoothie almost everyday since posting the recipe, and I keep changing the liquid amount I use, so I edited the recipe to reflect that. Use 1/2 cup for a thicker smoothie, and add more for a thinner smoothie.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 338
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 22mg
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Protein: 7g
P.S. I won’t be posting for Fitness Friday this week. Have a great Easter weekend, everyone!
I think when it comes down to it, my all-time fave smoothie is banana, almond butter and cinnamon. SO creamy and delish! Can’t wait to try your version with ginger.
The ginger adds a nice bite! I love it.
Yum. Do you peel the ginger first?
Yes! I will edit to clarify that. 🙂