Carrot Cake Smoothie

It tastes like homemade spiced cake and it reminds me of the Fall and Thanksgiving.  Would you believe it's veggies, fruit and coconut milk?

Since joining the program at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition-I have bought a blender.  Through the program at IIN, we get the opportunity to have conference calls with people from all over the world!  It was really cool.  We had specific discussion questions and there would be a few of us (students) on the line discussing the topics.  I got the opportunity to speak to a lovely lady from New Zealand.  Far out!  She told me about juicing and blending.  And I got off the phone that night thinking, why on earth do I not have a blender.  So I jumped onto Kmart.com and bought an Oster Blender.  When blending, I have been told a Vitamix blender rules, but it's a fortune, and I am a gal on a budget, so my $33.00 blender from Oster is just fine.  And I have made a TON of smoothies, and it works great. 

**To make this smoothie Dairy-Free/Vegan/Vegetarian-Eliminate the 1 TBSP. Greek Yogurt, or add in your non-dairy yogurt.

CARROT CAKE SMOOTHIE

1 1/2 cups of baby carrots

3/4 cup sliced organic cucumbers

1 small handful of organic Cilantro

1 1/2 cups coconut milk (regular)

1/2 frozen banana

4-5 medium-large organic frozen strawberries 

1 Tbsp. non-fat Greek yogurt-plain

1-2 pinches of cinnamon 

1 pinch cloves

1 pinch nutmeg

Water if needed to blend

6-8 ice cubes

1.  Add carrots, 1 cup coconut milk, Cilantro, 4 strawberries and liquefy/blend till there are no carrot and cilantro particles in the mixture.

2.  Add in cucumbers and blend some more.  Too thick?  Add the remainder of Coconut milk.

3.  Add the frozen banana and blend again.  (still too thick?  Add a bit of cold water)

4.  Add 1 tbsp. yogurt and spices and blend again.

5.  Add ice cubes and use the ice crush button.

Makes 2 servings.

**Need to conserve your fruit?  Freeze it in zip lock bags!  That what I do with my fruit.  

**Frozen banana?  Simply peel bananas, and drop into a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months!