Loaded with vibrant flavors and colors, this frosty smoothie is sure to help you beat the winter blues. This fresh and delicious drink tastes like summer in a glass!
When the cold weather hits, it’s easy to drag in the morning. The nice warm bed feels so good, and the still dark morning isn’t very inspiring in the winter months.
Sometimes it’s hard to be excited about getting up and eating breakfast, especially in the winter months. A warm breakfast can be something to look forward to, like fluffy dairy free pancakes or fresh baked chocolate donuts.
On other days, you might want a fresh, light breakfast with lots of vitamins and fiber, like this super delicious berry smoothie.
A smoothie is a great way to jump start your morning with a good serving of fruits or vegetables. This berry smoothie is like a taste of summer – strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple make this smoothie very easy to drink.
Ingredients
- strawberries
- blueberries
- mango
- pineapple
- orange juice or non-dairy milk
- chia seeds and coconut flakes if desired
Fresh or frozen fruit for smoothies
You can use either fresh or frozen fruit for smoothies, depending on what your preference is.
If you use frozen fruit, your smoothie will be very thick and frosty, which is delicious.
However, if fresh fruit is what’s available, that can be used in a smoothie as well. I like to freeze fresh summer fruit when it’s in season. When I freeze berries myself, I find they have a better flavor than the store bought frozen fruit.
If your frozen berries are very tart (and sometimes they can be when they come from the store), you can add a bit of maple syrup or a different natural sweetener when you blend this.
Which liquid to use
You can use water or non-dairy milks like rice, coconut, oat, or soy, or juice to blend this smoothie. Fortified orange juice, pineapple juice, or cranberry juice are all good options.
Any liquid that works for your dietary needs is a good choice for this recipe.
Benefits
This smoothie contains strawberries and blueberries, both of which are full of fiber and antioxidants. Strawberries are high in vitamin C, which is great for your immune system and may help with fatigue and your mood.
Mango is high in fiber, vitamin B6, as well as vitamin C. Pineapple is also high in vitamin C, as well as potassium.
Adding chia seeds to your smoothie is a great way to boost the protein in this fruity, frosty drink.
Optional smoothie additions
There are lots of things you can add to a berry smoothie. Try any of these to mix things up a bit!
- Spinach or kale for some greens
- A scoop of your favorite protein powder
- Non-dairy yogurt
- Soaked oats to add fiber and protein
- If you’d prefer to make this drink into a smoothie bowl, just add a little less liquid so that the mixture is nice and thick. Then you can add your toppings and eat it with a spoon.
Substitutions
- Try peaches instead of mango
- Use any type of berry that you like – raspberries or blackberries are good choices, too
- Use any liquid that works for your dietary needs
What kind of blender is best
I know lots of people prefer a Vitamix for its powerful blending abilities. I agree, it is a great blender, and if you are wanting to make things like nice cream in a blender, a Vitamix is a great choice.
I have an Oster Beehive blender, and it works super well for smoothies, plus it’s pretty affordable. It’s about $70 on Amazon. I’ve had mine for about 6 years, and it’s still going strong!
More dairy free smoothie recipes
One thing that makes me look forward to my smoothie is my glass straw from Strawesome. I really like drinking my smoothie out of a teal glass straw. So fun!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Beat the Winter Blues Berry Smoothie.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ¾ cup frozen mango
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- ¾ cup calcium fortified orange juice or water, or non-dairy milk
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds optional
- ½ Tablespoon coconut flakes optional
Instructions
- Place the frozen fruits in the blender and let them thaw for about 15 minutes. If you have a super powerful blender, you may be able to skip this, but it does make it easier to blend it if it's a bit thawed.
- Add the juice and chia seeds and blend on high until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add a little more liquid so that it blends easily.
- Top with more chia seeds and coconut flakes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January 2015. It has been updated.
Darryl
Simple and delicious!
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven
This is such a gorgeous smoothie, Kelly! I’m definitely feeling a little down with the winter blues and this is just what I need! Just looking at that gorgeous color is enough to cheer me up!
Arman @ thebigmansworld
I’m so glad you posted this, Kelly. I’m getting abit overwhelmed seeing stews, chillis and all that jazz with it being 30 degrees celcius outside here (I think in your terms, nearly 100?).
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving
That looks delicious, Kelly, but it’s been so cold here in Indiana that I’m drinking hot chocolate in the morning instead of smoothies. :-)
Kelly
Thank you! I love hot chocolate in the morning, too, Kristen!
whiskandshout
I’ve kept up with mine! I think this is the longest I’ve lasted. However, the cold weather and short days are definitely getting to me… this smoothie could not have come at a better time :)
athleticavocado
This looks uber tasty! Mango smoothies are my fav, def wanna try that combo with chia seeds! yum yum!
Sarah Grace
WOW yum!! This looks amazing. I love putting chia seeds in my smoothies :)
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
thespicyrd
Sometimes it’s the pretty accessories that make keeping resolutions much more fun :-) Love your smoothie, and since I am currently sick, it’s just what I need. If only I could convince my sick daughter and sick husband to make one for me :-) I haven’t made resolutions for several years now, but this year I have done some serious goal planning (after reading The Happiness Project-great book BTW) and my big goals is to be more productive/manage my time better. So far, I’m off to a great start! Wishing you a happy, healthy, joyous New Year!!
Kelly
Oh no, I hope you are better now! I have wanted to read The Happiness Project for awhile, thanks for the recommendation!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
Drink more smoothies is such a great resolution! So much better than my “keep better track of receipts to make taxes easier”. Ha! This smoothie sounds delicious, will definitely help me beat the winter blues : )