autumn/ drinks + potables/ recipes/ season

Superfood Caramel Apple Smoothie

Superfood Caramel Apple Smoothie | Well and Full | #vegan #smoothie

Full disclosure: this smoothie doesn’t actually contain any caramel. HOWEVER, thanks to the magical power of maca, a deliciously caramel-y superfood, this smoothie will be a treat for your tastebuds.

If you’ve never had maca before, imagine a ground-up powder that tastes a little maple-y, a little earthy, a little nutty, and a little butterscotch-y. It can have a slightly bitter aftertaste when eaten straight, but that’s where the maple syrup in this recipe comes to the rescue. Paired with all-natural applesauce, the maca makes this smoothie a dead ringer for a caramel apple. Plus, there’s the added bonus of maca being a adaptogenic superfood. And while there aren’t many peer-reviewed, scientific studies regarding the benefits of maca, it has been used for centuries as an anti-depressant, libido booster, and hormone balancer. (For more information, I highly recommend this article by Sarah B. of My New Roots.)

In summary – this smoothie tastes like a caramel apple, but it’s made with superfoods and whole food ingredients, and provides mood-boosting health benefits. And did I mention that it takes just minutes to throw together in a blender?! It’s the whole package!

Just a quick note about the applesauce – I love to make my own raw vegan applesauce loosely based on this recipe. However, you can absolutely use store-bought for this smoothie! Just take care to make sure you buy a natural brand (preferably organic) without a lot of added sugar or preservatives. 

Caramel Apple Smoothie | Well and Full | #vegan #smoothieSuperfood Caramel Apple Smoothie | Well and Full | #vegan #smoothie

Caramel Apple Smoothie | Well and Full | #vegan #smoothie

Superfood Caramel Apple Smoothie

This superfood caramel apple smoothie is made entirely from natural, healthy ingredients - but tastes just like a caramel apple!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 Smoothies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1 1/2 Cups Natural Applesauce
  • 1/2 Cup Frozen Kale
  • 1/2 Cup Almond Milk
  • 1 Tbs Maca Powder
  • 1 Tbs Maple Syrup or more to taste
  • Pinch of Cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend on high until everything is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust if necessary - i.e., add more maple syrup.
  • Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Superfood Caramel Apple Smoothie | Well and Full | #vegan #smoothie

Links of the Day:

1 // Instant Calm Latte by The First Mess (+ some adorable puppy pictures). I love everything about this.

2 // Vegan Chocolate Walnut Cookies by Butter and Brioche. Thalia’s blog is just gorgeous – her photos (to me) evoke a sense of home and comfort and beauty.

3 // Three Everyday Oatmeals by Wholehearted Eats… Sophie uses a maca-based caramel too, great minds think alike! :)

4 // This Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chai-Spiced Icing by The Almond Eater is just stunning.

5 // Vegan Chocolate Caramel Bounty Slice by Blissful Basil. That vegan caramel looks AMAZING!

6 Comments

  • Reply
    Meredith Youngson
    November 21, 2016 at 9:31 am

    Im pretty OK with the lack of real caramel in this smoothie- it sounds DIVINE. Plus any way that I can get maca tasting a little more yummy into my smoothies. Im getting off coffee this month (yikes) i’ll take a little boost where I can get it. Yum!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      November 21, 2016 at 1:03 pm

      Oh jeez!! I tried getting off coffee once and it went terribly lol. I wish you luck, girl!! <3

  • Reply
    Rachel @ Baking Up Bliss
    November 21, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    This sounds like the perfect way to start off an autumn day! I love that you added kale because it reminds me of those bright green caramel apple lolipops I ate when I was little. Except, you know, this isn’t nearly as artificial or yucky!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      November 21, 2016 at 1:04 pm

      Oooh I used to love those lollipops!! They sold them at the orchard where we went apple picking. But yes, I agree, the lack of artificial ingredients is much better!! ;)

  • Reply
    Christine | Vermilion Roots
    November 22, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    I really need to include maca in my diet! I’ve had it in store-bought granola and energy bars but never knew it could deliver that caramel-y quality. Thank you for enlightening me. :-)

    • Reply
      Sarah
      November 23, 2016 at 8:19 am

      And it has so many added health benefits!! :D I hope you like it, Christine :)

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