Dust off the blender and let your spice cupboard lead you to a whole new world of easy and original breakfast options.
Stuck in a breakfast rut? Whether your go-to is cereal, eggs, and toast, or Nihari, sometimes we all need to take a little break from our morning routines.
Here’s a healthy and creative way to get you out of your funk while adding some health benefits to your diet: smoothies loaded with common spices.
Spices have been used for thousands of years for their healing properties. By adding a pinch to your breakfast smoothie, you can crank up the flavor while giving your body the fuel it needs to get through your morning in top form.
Ready to spice up your morning? Try out these 4 unique and healthy breakfast smoothie recipe ideas.
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Mango Ginger Kale Smoothie
Looking for something healthy and delicious but not too sweet to get your morning started on the right foot? Try this healthy, gingery green smoothie packed with fresh fruit, kale, and ginger paste. Not only will the ginger paste add a little zing to your drink, but it also has incredible health benefits: it aids digestion, helps with nausea and gas, and even reduces inflammation.
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Turmeric Banana Black Pepper Smoothie
Feeling a little sluggish? This spicy Turmeric Banana Black Pepper smoothie is sure to wake you up quickly. It’s rich (thanks to the coconut milk), sweet (thanks to the banana), complex (thanks to the turmeric powder and ginger paste), and, of course, spicy (thanks to the black pepper powder). Looking at the list of ingredients in this smoothie, namely the black pepper, it seems like it shouldn’t work. But it just does. In addition to offering spice, the black pepper in this drink is also rich in antioxidants.
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Green Smoothie with Cucumber and Cumin
This green smoothie is a bit like an Indian or Pakistani lassi with a little heat and some lovely spice. It contains kefir, celery, cucumber, parsley, fresh mint leaves, greens, ginger paste, chia seeds, cumin seeds powder, fresh lemon juice, and cayenne. While cumin might seem like an unusual ingredient to add to a smoothie, it pairs well with kefir and cucumber and is often used when making raita, a South Asian yogurt-based side dish. Cumin is also good for your health: several studies have shown that cumin may help control cholesterol levels. “In one study, cumin powder dissolved in yogurt helped reduce “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing “good” (HDL) cholesterol,” according to WebMD.
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Chili Powder Hot Chocolate Smoothie
This protein-packed Mexican hot chocolate smoothie combines whole almonds, dark chocolate, rolled oats, cinnamon, milk, chia seeds, and chili powder. Not only will this drink soothe and give you a little extra pep in your step, but it’s also good for your heart. Capsaicin, an ingredient found in chili powder, has been shown to help reduce inflammation and decrease the chances of heart disease.
Next time you find yourself in a breakfast rut, don’t forget to leave the hard work to your blender and seek inspiration from your spice cupboard: You never know where the flavors might lead you.
