Now that it’s spring and half the world is starting to get out of freezing temperatures and polar vortex slumps, smoothie season is getting underway.
I know what you’re thinking: I live in California and can pretty much drink smoothies year-round. But the truth is, here in the south bay area, the temperature swings are pretty nutty. It’ll get up to 75-80 degrees during the day, then drop down to 35-40 degrees at night. Literally, the temperature doubles most days! When I first moved here I couldn’t believe it.
While I drank smoothies somewhat often during winter, my smoothie habit wasn’t nearly as frequent as it has been the last few weeks and will be probably until late fall. You see, the house I’m living in stays really cool – as in, it’s 80 degrees out but I’ll work from my office with a sweatshirt and slippers on, my dog generating heat at my feet, and a hot cup of tea in hand because it’s chilly inside.
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Lately, due to the nights being more mild and the days being warmer in general, the house has been staying around a nice 70 degree temperature…which means that my teeth aren’t chattering when I sip on a protein shake. Yes, smoothies have been drank all winter, but they’re so much more enjoyable when you don’t have to bundle up first!
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And so, I know that I just posted a smoothie recipe recently, but I’m posting another one today because my smoothie obsession is fully back in action! This vanilla peanut butter cinnamon smoothie was inspired by Sprouts Natural Foods Cafe in Lake Tahoe (you can read all about my eats in Tahoe here), where I recently had a delicious, creamy drink that I wanted to recreate at home.
I’m not pretending like this is one of the most innovative smoothie recipes you’ve ever heard of, but it sure is a winning combo. It may be my new favorite simply because it highlights a few of my long-standing kitchen obsessions: cinnamon, banana and peanut butter. I’m not going to lie to you, I could eat all of these things every single day. Oh wait, I pretty much already do.
Vanilla Peanut Butter Cinnamon Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- 6 oz vanilla bean Greek yogurt or regular vanilla
- 1/2 TSP cinnamon
- 2 TBSP peanut butter
- 1/4 TSP vanilla extract
- Ice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smoothie.
- Pour into a large glass and enjoy immediately!
Vanilla peanut butter banana cinnamon smoothie…get in my belly! 😉
Have you been drinking smoothies? What’s your favorite smoothie combo?
Kinda random, kinda not – I found your blog through healthylivingblogs.com and noticed you lived in the SF Bay area AND are now a FitFluential Ambassador as I read your second latest post (I am too!). I’ll be adding you to my blog-reading list that just keeps on growing 🙂
I just moved here with my husband a little over a month ago – it’s incredible here. I probably don’t want to move back to Canada!
Hi Nancy! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Awesome, we’re California transplants too and we love it here!
Yum! You’re making me want a smoothie right now!
Try it! 🙂
I never considered adding cinnamon to a smoothie before but I’m loving this combo! I can’t say I have one favorite smoothie combination because I feel like everytime I make a smoothie I do something different. I guess I just throw in whatever I have on hand! I do love smoothies that either have a base of berries or bananas or tropical fruits!
Me too, banana or berries are my go-to fruit in smoothies, especially banana. Actually I feel like I add banana to every smoothie and pancake batter I make! And cinnamon in smoothies is awesome. You should try it!
Yum! I’m starting to get more into smoothies lately, partly because it feels more like spring/summer, and partly to finally use up all the Costco-sized bags of organic berries I always buy and never use! Cinnamon in a smoothie sounds divine.
Ha! Oh my gosh I’m the opposite – I go through a big bag of frozen strawberries so quickly.