Published: by Lexi
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These 3 easy, nutritious immune boosting smoothie recipes feature ingredients like fresh ginger, turmeric, citrus and berries. All 3 recipes take less than 15 minutes to prepare and make for a healthy breakfast or snack.
Why we love these immune boosting smoothies
Smoothies are my go-to breakfast, but I find smoothie bowls to be far more satisfying. With the option to add just about any topping, they'll keep you full for much longer!
As we head into winter, we could all use a bit of immune boosting. These 3 recipes feature a plethora of antioxidant-rich, immune-boosting ingredients to help you stay in tip-top shape!
The smoothies include: Pineapple Turmeric Ginger (yellow), Citrus Berry Ginger (red) and Citrus Carrot (orange). There's a little something for everyone, and you can switch up the smoothies throughout the week to keep things fresh.
Immune boosting smoothie ingredients
The key ingredients in these immune boosting smoothies include:
- Fresh ginger: ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. It's also an effective remedy for indigestion, making it a fantastic ingredient to add to your daily smoothie.
- Turmeric: curcumin, the active compound found in turmeric, has several impressive benefits and has been used as a natural remedy for centuries.
- Citrus: each of these smoothies contains at least one form of citrus, including lemon, grapefruit, orange and clementine.
- Yogurt: look for a nondairy (or regular dairy) yogurt that has little (or no) added sugar and specifically notes live probiotics on the label. Probiotics are essential for a healthy gut and a healthy immune system!
Ingredient Notes
- Whenever we note lemon juice as an ingredient, make sure to use freshly squeezed. The bottled, store-bought stuff almost always contains preservatives and tastes a bit muted.
- We use ground turmeric (found in the spice aisle) in these recipes, but you can also use fresh turmeric. 1 tablespoon of fresh, grated turmeric is about equal to 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, so adjust accordingly.
- Note: some turmeric spice blends contain other savory spices, so be sure to use 100% turmeric.
- Black pepper enhances the absorption of turmeric, so we always add a tiny pinch when using turmeric in recipes. You should not be able to taste it at all.
How to make these immune boosting smoothies
These immune boosting smoothie bowls are super easy to make.
Start by prepping all of your ingredients. The only ingredients that need a bit of extra prep are the citrus fruits.
To prep fresh citrus for a smoothie, we suggest supreming the citrus, which is a method that removes the bitter pith and peel so you just get the sweet, juicy pulp.
Use a sharp knife and carefully slice off both ends of the orange (or other citrus), revealing just a bit of the flesh. Then, use the knife to completely remove the peel in long vertical strips.
When the peel is removed, carefully use a paring knife to cut between each slice's membrane to remove each segment. (See here for visual tutorial.)
Next, simply add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure the smoothie is fully blended.
FAQ's and Expert Tips
How do you thicken a smoothie bowl?
The key is the perfect ratio of frozen and fresh ingredients to liquid. Frozen fruit helps make the smoothie thicker, while some fresh ingredients and a small amount of liquid help the smoothie blend. To make a smoothie thicker, we suggest adding more frozen fruit or a banana.
We suggest starting with a small amount of liquid. You can always add more if necessary, but you may find that the smoothie will blend well without it.
Do NOT add ice to a smoothie bowl. It will just make your smoothie grainy and watered down.
What should you add to make a smoothie sweeter?
We suggest using a natural sweetener, like medjool dates, agave, pure maple syrup or raw honey. Start with 1-2 teaspoon and add more if desired.
When using dates in a smoothie, it's best to soften them in warm water for about 10 minutes before blending, otherwise they may not blend well. Be sure to drain and remove the pit before adding to your blender.
How do I get a smoothie bowl to blend easily?
Instead of adding more and more liquid, my best tip is to slightly soften the frozen ingredients before blending. Frozen fruit blends SO much better when it's not rock hard.
You can either defrost at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave for 30-45 seconds before blending.
What can I top my smoothie bowl with?
Pretty much anything!
My favorite toppings include fresh berries, nut butter, coconut, granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, banana, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, etc.
Can I add greens to these immune boosting smoothies?
Absolutely! You can add a handful of spinach or baby kale to any of these recipes. Alternatively, you can add a green powder blend. It's always better to start with less and add more if you don't mind the taste.
How do I make smoothie bowls into smoothies?
Simply add more liquid until the smoothie reaches your desired consistency.
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Immune Boosting Smoothies
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- Author: Lexi
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings per smoothie 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These 3 easy, nutritious immune boosting smoothie recipes feature ingredients like fresh ginger, turmeric, citrus and berries. All 3 recipes take less than 15 minutes to prepare and make for a healthy breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Pineapple Turmeric (Yellow):
- 1 ½ cups frozen pineapple
- 1 frozen (or fresh) banana
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tbsp agave or raw honey (optional)
- ½ inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric + a small pinch of black pepper*
- ¼-⅓ cup coconut water
Citrus Berry Ginger (Red):
- 1 large orange, peeled and halved
- 2 cups frozen strawberries, halved and thawed 10 minutes at room temp
- 1 tbsp tart cherry concentrate (can sub with juice)
- ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp nondairy milk (oat, almond, etc)
- 2-3 teaspoon liquid sweetener of choice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Citrus Carrot (Orange):
- ½ cup fresh grapefruit, peeled and supreme cut*
- ½ cup fresh clementine, mandarin or cara cara orange slices
- ⅓ cup peeled and diced carrot
- 1 cup frozen peaches (or mango)
- ½ cup nondairy vanilla yogurt
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp ground turmeric + a small pinch of black pepper
Instructions
Pineapple Turmeric:
- For easy blending, let frozen fruit thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds to help soften.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid depending on your blender.
Citrus Berry Ginger:
- For easy blending, let frozen fruit thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds to help soften.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid depending on your blender.
Citrus Carrot:
- Prep the citrus. Let frozen peaches thaw at room temp for 15 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds to soften (this makes blending much easier).
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more liquid or yogurt depending on your blender.
Notes
*Black pepper enhances the absorption of turmeric, so we always add a tiny pinch when using turmeric in recipes. You should not be able to taste it at all.
*How to supreme cut any citrus: Use a sharp knife and carefully cut off both ends of the orange (or other citrus), revealing just a bit of the flesh. Then, use the knife to completely remove the peel in long vertical strips. When the peel is removed, carefully use a paring knife to cut between each slice's membrane to remove each segment.
Optional: feel free to add up to 1 tablespoon raw honey, agave, or a medjool date to each smoothie if you prefer a sweeter blend.
Optional: add a pinch of salt to each smoothie to balance the flavors.
*1 teaspoon fresh ginger = ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 132
- Sugar: 18.2 g
- Sodium: 29.8 mg
- Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.9 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
More Vegan and Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
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- Sheet Pan Frittata
- Watermelon Smoothie Bowl
- Silken Tofu Scramble
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