Whether you’re on the go or staying in for the day, a healthy homemade smoothie is one of the simplest and most satisfying breakfasts or lunches. This lavender smoothie is loaded with nutrition, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from how creamy and delicious it is. Or maybe that’s exactly what your satisfied mind and body will attest to after a glass full! Get all the health benefits this herbal smoothie has to offer in under 5 minutes of prep.
Lavender Healthy Smoothie
One of my favorite aspects of being a gardener is eating seasonally (and locally). Where we live, lavender bushes bloom all year round, so I especially love finding new ways to incorporate both fresh and dried lavender into our regimen. Lavender steals the stage with its vibrancy in the garden, but it also has many beneficial properties that can help reduce anxiety, improve digestive health, and more when included in your balanced diet. This healthy smoothie recipe makes use of this fragrant herb in a scrumptious way.
Ingredients
Lavender– If you have access to fresh lavender, use it! But, dried lavender tastes just as great. Look for food-grade lavender, or make sure any lavender you’re picking fresh is grown organically.
Lavender is widely recognized for its calming effects. If you’re looking to de-stress or put your anxiety to rest, lavender is a wonderful natural relaxant. Lavender can also help improve sleep quality, alleviate pain, relax the digestive system, and support respiratory health.
Frozen Blueberries– While contributing to the bold purple color of this smoothie, they also make a valuable health contribution. Their antioxidant properties help improve heart health, improve brain function, reduce inflammation, manage weight, and support the immune system.
Frozen Blackberries– These nutrient-dense fruits are rich in antioxidants and can help improve general health by supporting heart health, aiding digestion, improving cognitive function, increasing bone health, and reducing inflammation.
Vanilla Extract– There’s nothing better than a whiff of pure vanilla. It’s used as a flavoring agent to round out the flavors of this smoothie.
Raw Cashews– Cashews give this smoothie its creamy texture. They contain many essential vitamins and nutrients that play important roles in bone health, energy production, and immune function.
Milk– Choose whatever type of milk you enjoy! While we drink cow’s milk, oat, almond, coconut, or soy would all work well to make this smoothie vegan.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
It’s not recommended to use essential oils in food unless they are specifically labeled as food-grade and used in very small amounts. Even then, the concentration can be quite strong, so it’s safer to stick with fresh or dried lavender buds.
You can easily make this a dairy-free lavender smoothie by using plant-based milk such as almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
We usually buy fresh fruit in season and keep it in the freezer for smoothies, but you can buy packaged frozen fruits or choose to use fresh fruit. You might have to add additional ice to thicken the texture if using fresh fruit or just enjoy it thinner in consistency.
More Recipes Using Herbs
Incorporating homegrown or store-bought herbs into your diet can be empowering and nutritious.
Lavender Smoothie
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 c frozen blackberries
- 1.5 c frozen blueberries
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ c raw cashews
- 2 tsp lavender flowers fresh or dried
- 1 c milk any kind
- ½ c ice
Instructions
- Add frozen fruit to blender.
- Add vanilla extract, lavender flowers, and cashews to blender.
- Pour milk into blender.
- Blend ingredients well.
- Add ice to blender and blend well. Add additional ice for a thicker consistency.
Notes
- For a vegan smoothie, choose oat, soy, almond, coconut, hemp, or another nut milk.
Leave a Reply