The BEST Dairy Free Sweet Potato Smoothie

I was really surprised this time.  Sweet Potato Smoothie?  What?

Being a curious person, I had to take the leap though.  In I went, like a mad scientist, looking for the answer.

Since I have made several recipes using sweet potatoes and smoothies, I had a little confidence.

But, how do you find, and what makes a recipe work?

Well, for one – this healthy sweet potato smoothie is packed with nutrients.

Health Benefits of a Sweet Potato Smoothie –

Sweet potatoes have lots of great nutrients.  Rich in vitamin A, B5, B6, they are reported to be beneficial in controlling blood sugar, helping with stress, digestion, and are great for skin and hair.  Some (especially purple variety) are reported to have cancer prevention properties.  They are also considered an anti-inflammatory, which I personally love.  And, they are fat-freeI do love green smoothies and fruity smoothies, of course, but this Sweet Potato is a completely different flavor profile and I love it!      Check out some of the other smoothies on the site.

TRY THIS FOR SMOOTHIE SUCCESS:

I find that in order to be successful in my smoothie a day habit, I need a good routine where ingredients and tools are easily accessible.  The ten minutes it takes to pull my blender out of the cabinet, and chop up fruits and veggies will come between me and my smoothie, especially during a particularly busy morning.  However, with a few easy strategies, smoothie success is a breeze, even on the busiest of days.

• A GREAT BLENDER – WHILE I HAVE A LARGER BLENDER FOR CERTAIN RECIPES, IT IS THIS SMALLER BLENDER WHICH YOU WILL FIND ON MY COUNTER.
  • Make my daily smoothies with this blender.
  • Strong enough to whip up frozen fruit, ice, and nuts
  • Easy to rinse cups (vs. harder to rinse and clean blender pitcher)
  • Portable caps for the blender cups (so I can take my smoothies to-go!)
  • Less clunky than a larger blender and fits perfectly on my countertop.
• FROZEN FRUIT IN PLASTIC BAGS READY TO GO:
  • It is super easy to buy frozen, pre-chopped fruit from the grocery store.
  • Reasonably priced and organic produce available.
  • If buying fresh produce, freeze by placing the fruit on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread fruit in an even layer with no pieces touching. Freeze completely and then place in plastic bags.  If you place fresh fruit in bags and freeze, you will have frozen clumps of fruit that are hard to separate and use.
  • Have your favorite smoothies all year, not just when the fruit is in-season.
  • I often transfer the contents into resealable individual clear plastic bags for easy use. It is easy to monitor when the supply is running low.

Making Your Sweet Potato Smoothie:

Prep by baking and pureeing your sweet potato in advance.  Better yet, use leftovers from a meal as you only need one cup.  I used “Hannah” sweet potatoes in this recipe, which have a whiter flesh vs. many sweet potatoes or yams that have orange flesh.  Either variety, however, should work fine.

PREP AHEAD:

I usually have sweet potato puree available most days, as I tend to use it quite often in recipes.

Microwave Method:  One simple way, especially with a large sweet potato, is to microwave on the potato setting.  Wash and dry your sweet potatoes.  Pierce them with a fork or knife to help steam escape as they cook.  Cooking time is usually about 7 minutes.  I only microwave one sweet potato at a time with this method.  Once done (stick a knife in to make sure it is tender and you will know it is done), I place the cooked sweet potato on a plate.  When all are done, I wait until they are completely cooled and then I scoop out the potato meat into a glass container with cover and store in the refrigerator until I need it.  If you make a large batch, you could also freeze into cubes for future use.  Using the frozen cubes might actually be really great for this smoothie.

Oven Method:  Another option is to use the oven and bake several sweet potatoes at once.  Using a baking pan lined with parchment paper, wash and dry your sweet potatoes.  Pierce with a fork or knife to let the steam escape as they bake.  For average size sweet potatoes, cooking time is about 45 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Use a knife to check that the sweet potato is tender and you will know it is done.

Why Pierce Sweet Potatoes (goes for all potatoes) Before Cooking?

I know you.  You and I are alike.  We want easy, great-tasting recipes without too much fuss and definitely no tricks!  Well, if you don’t pierce your potatoes with a fork or knife before cooking/baking, your potato could explode!  Yes, that’s right. All over your oven!  We don’t want that.  Because, in addition to a mess to clean up, the potato is no longer usable.

There is a science behind the reason that piercing your sweet potatoes before cooking/baking is required.

1. creates holes for steam to escape during the cooking process
2. helps sweet potato separate from the skin (you might be able to just peel off the skin when the cooked sweet potato has cooled).

So, using a fork or knife insert two deep incisions inside of the potato and you have pierced your sweet potato.

Related:

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Sweet Potato Truffles

Dairy-Free Egg Nog

Crockpot Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Delicious Sweet Potato Brownies

This is one leap I am glad I took! Because – healthy, delicious and fun smoothies. 🙂

5 from 1 vote

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The BEST Dairy Free Sweet Potato Smoothie!

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

 

This smoothie tastes like Eggnog and is a great egg-free variation!

Course: Dessert, Drinks, Smoothie, Snack

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Dessert

Servings: 2

Calories: 111 kcal

Author: Christine Galvani

Ingredients

• 1 cups and 1/2 unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup cooked (cooled, cubed sweet potatoes)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons golden flax seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I like Ceylon)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 4 ice cubes

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in your blender and blend away for several minutes until completely smooth and to your desired consistency.
2. Serve and enjoy!
3. Note: the prep time does not include time to roast sweet potatoes.

Nutrition Facts

The BEST Dairy Free Sweet Potato Smoothie!

Amount Per Serving

Calories 111 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Cholesterol 4mg1%

Sodium 309mg13%

Potassium 162mg5%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 4765IU95%

Vitamin C 1.3mg2%

Calcium 187mg19%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.