Last Christmas I bought my husband a Vitamix blender (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). I have been wearing it out, and we absolutely love it! It has allowed me to be very creative and make delicious organic smoothie recipes that I love sharing. When creating smoothies I like to not only make something that is delicious, I like to include the health benefits as well. In addition to the recipe, I have included a break down of the ingredients for this smoothie as well as the health benefits for each ingredient.

Cucumbers. Cucumbers are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The electrolytes in cucumbers can help prevent dehydration, and cucumbers are super easy to add to your diet. Enjoy them in a vegan salad, smoothie, or eat them sliced with guacamole.

Red Delicious Apples. There are over 7,500 varieties of apples throughout the world, and 2,500 of those are grown in the United States. Apples are rich in fiber and can aid in digestion. Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol and can also lower your chance of type 2 diabetes.

Ginger. Ginger is classified as a superfood. Superfoods are foods that are thought to offer maximum nutritional benefits. Research shows that ginger helps reduce nausea and can calm an upset stomach. Ginger can also help reduce inflammation, and it has antibacterial and immune boosting properties.

All of the ingredients above have a long list of health benefits, including aiding in weight loss. This is one of my favorite "slimming" smoothies. There are no added sugars, only the naturally occurring sugars in fruit.

This recipe makes two servings, but you can adjust it to make more or less. My husband usually makes four 18-oz. smoothies every morning that he drinks throughout each day. Each serving in this recipe is about 16 ounces.

I enjoy using fresh fruits and frozen fruits in my smoothies. I will be posting more smoothie recipes soon, and I look forward to sharing my top favorite recipes that have helped me keep off all of the weight I lost. Check out my vegan journey.

Refreshing, nutritious, and only four ingredients!

Author: The Sensible Vegan
Recipe Type: Smoothie
Cuisine: Vegan
Serving: 2

​Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of apple juice
• 1 large sliced Red Delicious Apple
• 1/2 large cucumber, or 1 medium cucumber sliced
• 1 tbsp sliced ginger

Directions:

• Place the juice, cucumbers, apples, and ginger in a blender.
• Blend until desired consistency. I don't always blend my smoothies until they are completely smooth. I sometimes like to taste bits and pieces of fruit.
• Pour into glasses and enjoy.

Nutrition Info: Serving size: 16 oz.    Calories: 128   Fat: 0.2g    Saturated Fat: 0g    Protein: 1g  Sugar: 15g    Fiber: 3.3g   Sodium: 19mg   Carb: 19g


Did you make this recipe? Please tag me on Instagram @thesensiblevegan.

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During this time of year I love stopping by Starbucks to get a vegan peppermint hot chocolate with coconut milk. It's one of my favorite holiday beverages, and I am so happy that Starbucks is starting to offer more vegan options. It's an occasional treat because those dollars start to add up if you're regularly spending $5 or $6 on a cup of hot chocolate. 

A lot of times during different holiday events at my daughter's school I have had to make vegan hot chocolate mix for her and send it to school. Last night we were at home, and I noticed that I had all of the ingredients to make our own hot chocolate so we did. I had plenty of cocoa powder left over from my vegan brownie recipe. 

Being that I love all things spicy, I decided to be adventurous and top mine with a pinch of cayenne pepper while my daughter watched with an I-can't-believe-you-did-that look on her face. Needless to say, the finished product was fantastic, so I wanted to share it with you! The hot chocolate is rich and sweet, and then you get the kick of cayenne. It's perfect if you like spicy drinks. If not you can certainly leave off the cayenne.

​Rich, creamy, sweet, spicy, and only five ingredients.

Author: The Sensible Vegan
Recipe Type: Drink
Cuisine: Vegan
Serving: 1

​Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsps confectioners powdered sugar by Wholesome
• a pinch of cinnamon
• a pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

• Pour milk into a microwave safe mug and microwave for two minutes. 
• Stir in cocoa powder and cinnamon until smooth and creamy. 
• Stir in powdered sugar. (Sweeten to your desired taste.)
• I topped mine with a handful of Dandies marshmallows. This is totally optional.
• Add the pinch of cayenne and enjoy.

Nutrition Info: Serving size 1 cup   Calories: 115   Fat: 3.5 g    Saturated Fat: 0.5g    Protein: 2g  Sugar: 16g    Fiber: 3g   Sodium: 150mg   Carb: 20g