Here's to an even more delicious 2016! While some of you may have made New Year's resolutions to eat better, I've spent the past week dreaming about what kind of cookie I want to make next (chewy gluten free oatmeal toffee cookies sweetened with dates in case you're wondering - no shame). Then I promptly ate all the leftover holiday cookies and toffee and desperately needed something green in my diet. And fast.
As the voice of reason and self-control, my mom warned me that cookies were no way to start out the new year (even though cookies = more friends amiright? Now that I'm stocked up on gluten-free oats, we'll eat those oatmeal cookies together soon, my friends, don't worry). But for now: we'll ring in the new year with this quick and easy sweet zing ginger oatmeal green smoothie. The perfect refresher while you check items off your 2016 to-do list.
We started to set-up #cheesebabygirl's nursery last week - I got through a billion loads of laundry while Lucas built her crib. We made a special trip for unscented detergent and I meticulously read the tag on just about everything I washed, but still managed to ruin my first load of baby laundry.
I melted a sheet. A SHEET! Turns out the quilted bassinet sheet is "drip dry" only (the one item I didn't think to check the tag on because: it's a sheet!). What kind of new mom has time to drip dry a sheet?! Also, notice the language: they didn't say line dry. They're like "nah, we know this is going to be soaking wet. Welcome to motherhood."
In other news, the cats think we got them the best cat bed ever for Christmas. They're making sure baby girl doesn't have cat allergies one nap at a time.
The flavor combo in this ginger oatmeal green smoothie is based on one we've been paying way too much for at the market at the end of our street. We discovered their green smoothie just about the same time the pregnancy exhaustion kicked in, making it a way-too-tempting quick meal.
But seriously - how hard is it to just keep smoothie ingredients on hand? Then you don't even have to leave the house or feel guilty forking up $7 for a 12oz smoothie. Plus, if you make it at home, you can easily toss in add-ins like oatmeal that make it all the more delicious. Orange juice and frozen mango & pineapple make it sweet, ginger adds a spicy zing, and a handful of spinach is thrown in for extra veggies.
The real key is the oats, though. If you're not already blending oats to your smoothies, you're missing out. Adding Gluten Free Quick 1-Minute Oats to the smoothie makes it extra thick and creamy (even more so if you blend it up ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for the oats to thicken!). With spinach, fruit, and oats, this smoothie becomes a meal that stands on its own.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 ice cubes
- 1¼ cups frozen pineapple
- 1¼ cups frozen mango
- 2 cups packed fresh spinach
- 25 fresh mint leaves
- 3 cups of fresh squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup Quaker Gluten-Free Quick 1-Minute Oats
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
- Optional: bee pollen for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Layer all of the ingredients in order in a high-powered blender.
- Purée until completely smooth, adding more orange juice it needed.
- Divide between two large glasses and serve immediately (or keep it overnight in the fridge to thicken up even more!)
Notes
Disclosure: Special thanks to Quaker for sponsoring this post! And thanks to you for supporting the companies that keep Snixy Kitchen cooking!
Deryn @ Running on Real Food -
Looking around your site you have so many beautiful photography backgrounds and surfaces, can I ask where you get them from? Did you make them? They look amazing!
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you so much! This particular one I made with my husband - it's bed slats from Ikea that we stained brown then white washed and nailed together (ha!). I have one double-sided board from Erickson Woodworks and two more salvaged wood ones that my husband made for me. I also have a couple salvaged metal pieces!
Jasmin -
I have to admit, I never ever put oats into my smoothies... So, thanks for this idea Sarah... :)
Izzy @ She Likes Food -
These are so bright and beautiful!!! I love the green color and I imagine I would feel so good after drinking one of these :)
Maria -
I am loving everything about this smoothie and these beautiful pictures!
Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire -
What a delicious way to detox from all those holiday cookies. (I can't wait to see the oatmeal toffee cookies though!) I am obsessed with smoothies, but I've only been making my pb&j smoothie over and over again. This is a great way to break that up, and I love the zing from the ginger! Baby clothes are so tricky sometimes. And they grow out of them waaaay too fast! I've never heard of a sheet bring drip dry only though. Not even a baby sheet. That's just setting us up for failure!
Aysegul -
What a great recipe.. I need this smoothie in my life right now!
Cheers to a happy and healhty(-ier) 2016!
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal -
Looks delicious and your photos are beautiful!
Carla (@charliesue) -
CLEARLY I SHOULD BE IN THE SMOOTHIE SELLING BUSINESS. $7? 12 OUNCES? MAN. I pick this smoothie over all other smoothies, overpriced or not. Mmmmm.
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables -
YUM! Why have I never put ginger in my smoothies before?! I love it in green juice but never thought about putting it in a green smoothie! YUM!
Veronica -
This looks so delicious! I love my oatmeal for breakfast and now I have another reason to love it even more! Yum!
Amy @BellyFull -
I've never wanted a smoothie so badly in all my life.
Karen @ The Food Charlatan -
Okay I didn't even know drip drying was a THING. These people clearly don't have children, or they do but have forgotten everything (like my mother in law who just bought my 3 year old nephew a toy GUITAR for Christmas). I am seriously craving this smoothie now. I LOVE putting oats in my smoothies!
Sheri -
Green IS my favorite color and these look delicious!!
Alanna -
These are RIDICUlOUSLY pretty miss Sarah!! The mint, ginger and bee pollen sound perfectly refreshing. I've been on a green smoothie kick too and can't wait to make this one. <3
Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen -
Yummmm that looks so tasty and refreshing!
Laura (A Beautiful Plate) -
This is absolutely stunning!