Apples are my fall-liaison. As a lover of summer, at the end of August I work myself into an annual funk. Where did the summer go? Why didn’t I do more?? Where is my life even going anyway??? And then, the apples appear! Beautiful red and green apples, the sweet ones and the crisp ones, all begging to be blended with and baked with and snacked on while strolling leisurely past rows of changing leaves. It’s a romantic picture, and I’m into it. To start our apple season on a healthy note, today I have a nutritious, low-calorie apple smoothie to toast the season ahead. This is just the right apple recipe for right now. Like my favorite green Apple Avocado Smoothie, it’s cool and refreshing; ideal on a still-warm September day. The flavor profile, however, is different. This vanilla apple smoothie is spiced in a way that feels warm, homey, and hints at fall days (and, fall desserts!) to come.
How to Make a Healthy Apple Smoothie
I took the flavor inspiration for this Apple Smoothie recipe from my absolute favorite Vegan Apple Crisp. Like that recipe, it’s pure fall comfort, but done in healthier way!
The Ingredients
Apple. I like a medium sweet-crisp apple for this recipe (like honeycrisp, gala, or fuji) but if you have green apples on hand, you can certainly use one of those too.Oatmeal. It makes the smoothie rich and creamy (why I love this Oatmeal Smoothie so much!). Rolled oats or quick oats both work well here. Don’t use steel cut oats (which will be too crunchy), and I am not a fan of instant oatmeal packets, which have a terrible texture and often lots of extra sugar included.Maple Syrup. For natural sweetness, hominess, and warmth.Almond Milk. To help the smoothie blend. You can use any milk you like (but, if you need the apple smoothie vegan, be sure it’s a non-dairy milk).Peanut Butter. My secret ingredient! It adds healthy fats, makes the smoothie filling, and its subtle richness is why this smoothie tastes reminiscent of apple pie. You can also use a different nut butter or sunbutter to make it nut-free.SPICES. Cinnamon is essential; a pinch of nutmeg and allspice make it truly scream FALL!Vanilla. Once you start adding this to your smoothies, it’s hard to go back.Banana. Like my Blackberry Smoothie, a few chunks of frozen banana makes this vanilla Apple Smoothie extra thick, rich, and more naturally sweet. If you’d like to make the recipe with NO banana, you could swap in a few pitted dates.
The Recipe Steps
This apple smoothie couldn’t be easier. Once you have your ingredients, simply place them in your blender and puree away.I like to add a handful of ice to the smoothie at the end to make it extra thick. Since the apple isn’t frozen, the ice gives it the right amount of body and makes it cool and refreshing
Preparing Apples for Smoothies
You don’t need to peel apples to make an apple smoothie. In fact, I recommend NOT peeling the apples, since the peels contain vitamins, fiber, and nutrients. To prepare an apple for smoothies:
Wash and dry the apple. Leave the peel on.Stand the apple on its base. Place your knife on top, near the stem. Cut straight down along the core. The first side of the apple will come off. Set it aside.Lay the apple flat, cut-side down. Cut off the right and left sides, keeping your knife as near the core as possible.Turn the apple and cut off the one remaining side. You should have a long, rectangular piece that contains the core, and 4 nice big chunks (the ones you cut away).Discard the core (I nibble off any extra apple that’s around it first).Cut the four pieces into 1-inch chunks.Add to your blender with the other ingredients, and make yourself a delicious apple smoothie!
Blender Notes and Recommendations
I recently purchased a new high-powered blender and absolutely love it (I actually bought a certified refurbished version directly from the manufacturer, which reduced the price).You do not need a high-dollar blender to make this apple smoothie. Fresh apples blend into smoothies easily. If you use a high powered blender (like the one I listed above), your smoothie will have a finer, more even consistency, but you can certainly make this recipe in a regular blender too.For a regular blender, I owned this option for a while. While it doesn’t get things as smooth as quickly as a high-powered blender or come with the same bells and whistles, it’s a good option for the price.Don’t miss these stainless steel straws. They make everything you drink through them from smoothies, to iced tea or iced coffee, to even water taste extra refreshing. I also keep a few in my purse for when I’m out and about, so I don’t need to ask for a (plastic or paper) straw.
This healthy apple smoothie is here to ease you into autumn…but don’t be surprised when you fall for it head-over-heels! ^^ Couldn’t resist! Cover your groan with a big sip of smoothie and forgive me for my love of terrible puns?
