The warming spices in this creamy Gingerbread Smoothie provide so much comfort against the rain and cold. Not to mention it’s oh so nutrient dense!

It’s high in fibre, protein, and calcium, and a good source of vitamin C (banana) and iron (molasses and chia seeds), protecting our immune system and keeping us healthy and strong.

And because of the blended nature of smoothies they are really gentle on our digestion which makes it that much easier for our bodies to assimilate and utilise all the nutrients.

This Gingerbread Smoothie can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or packed in an insulated drink container and sent to school.

If you’re looking for some lunch inspiration, take a look at my recipe ebook,  Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Cinnamon powder
Ginger powder
Cardamom powder
Nutmeg Powder
Chia Seeds
Oats

Print

Gingerbread Smoothie

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 7 minutes

Servings 1

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
• 1 large banana
• ¼ cup cashews
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon yoghurt optional
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or 2 Medjool dates
• 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 x 1 cm fresh ginger peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
• pinch of allspice
• pinch nutmeg

Instructions

• Pop all the ingredients into a blender, blend for a couple minutes or until smooth

Notes

I like to let the smoothie sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the chia seeds to swell and thicken the smoothie. You can also store this smoothie in the fridge.

If you make this smoothie please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

Some other warming recipes you might like

7 Soups To Soothe the Soul
10 Warm and Hot Meals to Pack for School Lunches

Bren x

A hot lunch on a wintery day is like a big warm, welcome hug for our kids when they need some comfort from the cold.

I’m often asked how to keep the food hot until lunchtime.

Well, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Boil the kettle and then pour the water into the insulated jar, be sure to pop the lids on
2. Heat up the food
3. Pour out the hot water  add the warmed up food into the container, then pop the lid on immediately.

Here are my fave insulated jars which have lasted years. Note, I got these when my kids were a bit older hence the understated silver and black vibe. Biome sell lots of other types and colours which might appeal to a younger crowd:

Thermos 450ml Wide Mouth Food Jar with Folding Spoon
In these containers I pack soups, pastas, any hot meals and also cold salads.

Kleen Kanteen TKCanister with insulated lid 8oz 237ml

I like this smaller size option to keep things warm like the chicken nuggets or smaller serves of things like soup, stew, pasta and even dumplings. They’re also great to keep things cool like yoghurt, granola and fruit, overnight oats.

10 WARM AND HOT LUNCH RECIPES

SOUP – Serve the kids their favourite soup and some bread for dipping. Find my super easy Pumpkin and Root Vegetable Soup here.

Or Spinach Lentil and Lemon Soup here.

CHICKEN NUGGETS – The morning of packing kids lunches, put some nuggets in the oven, pop into a thermos and send to school with a little tub of tomato sauce. Here’s the recipe.

PORRIDGE – Porridge is comfort food to the max, especially in the winter time. Oats are rich in the B-complex vitamins which help convert our food into fuel, keeping our bodies energised throughout the day and help us have great hair and skin. Just stir through some fruit like stewed apples. blueberries or strawberries. Find my recipe for pimped up oat porridge here.

Or Spiced Quinoa Porridge here if you’re gluten free.

CASSEROLE – Filled with chunky meat and vegetables, you guys have written to tell me how much you love my Easy Chicken and Vegetable Casserole. Here’s the recipe.

CRUMBLE – Warm up some leftover Pear and Ginger Crumble in the oven and pop into thermoses for a cosy and warming  recess or lunch. Find the recipe here. 

BAKES– Simply heat up some of this Creamy Cauliflower and Bacon Bake with some spelt pasta, pack with a fork  and voila, kids will be begging for more! Grab the recipe here.

Or this Slow Cooked Lamb Shank and Pearl Barley Soup

RICE – One of our favourite meals, Mjaddra (otherwise known as lentils and rice) derives from Lebanon. This humble dish packs a punch of flavour and can simple mixed together when heated up and just add a side of vegetable stick to munch on. Find the recipe here. 

OTHER HOT MEAL IDEAS WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN MY EASY, WHOLEFOOD LUNCHBOXES RECIPE EBOOK

Curried Lentil and Vegetable Sausage Rolls

Creamy Bacon Pasta Bake

Kale and Cannellini Bean Minestrone

If you’re looking for some sweet as well as savoury recipe inspiration, take a look at my new recipe ebook which is getting rave reviews, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

While you’re here, take a look at The Best Kids Lunchboxes for Kids(and the whole family), 10 Savoury School Lunchbox Ideas and 17 Sweet and Easy Lunchbox recipes.

Bren x

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Here are the favourite ways we enjoy it…

• • • Serve with vegetable crudités and Mountain Bread Chips
    • Spoon over steamed green vegetables, fritters, chicken or fish
    • Use as a dressing on salad
    • Stir through pasta with some sustainable tuna and olives
    • Spread on some sourdough with some feta, tomato and rocket
    • Fold through scrambled eggs
    • Serve on baked potato

  If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration, take a look at my lunchbox recipe ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

  It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar-free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

• 

  Print

  Lunch-box Friendly Pesto

  Prep Time 5 minutes

  Cook Time 5 minutes

  Total Time 10 minutes

  Author Brenda Janschek

  Ingredients

  • 4-5 healthy bunches of basil or a mix of greens coriander, parsley, baby spinach or rocket
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts or pepitas
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Good squeeze of lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients except olive oil in food processor or thermomix and blend to form a paste. Add olive oil and blend to preferred consistency.
• If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

  And remember, if you haven’t already, grab your copy of Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes here.

  Here are is another dip recipe for you to enjoy, Roast Pumpkin Dip and a round up of some of my favourite dips here.

  Bren x

  • 

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