Carrot Cake Smoothie

Carrot Cake Smoothie- A breakfast smoothie loaded with veggies that actually tastes like a dessert treat.

November 1, 2022 by Nicole Collins

I. AM. OK.

Let me just get that out of the way now before anyone starts to worry when they see today’s recipe.

I’ve always said that you’ll know I’m in trouble the second I start promoting anything orange. I saw a meme once that was something along the lines of “what would you text your loved ones to tell them you need help if you got kidnapped”. And my answer was “I love carrots.”

I DO NOT love carrots.

AT ALL.

They are the ultimate torture for me.

BUT, lately I’ve been trying to sneak carrots into meals where they’re completely hidden so that I can still get some of the benefits from them without knowing they’re there.

And, that’s actually what I was doing when today’s recipe was born.

So today, we’re making a Carrot Cake Smoothie!

This recipe is not one that I would ever in a thousand years ever expect to make. EVER. My loathing of carrots is way too strong. But, I had some matchstick carrots that I used for hiding in another recipe. And, the back of the bag had a recipe for a carrot cake smoothie on it. Don’t ask me why, but I was totally intrigued.

All I could hear was Gordon Ramsey yelling in my head “Are you ok????”

So, I took what I know about carrot cake, took what I know about smoothies, and made some tweaks to that bag recipe based on what I had on hand and what I liked. And shockingly enough, the smoothie was actually pretty good. Like couldn’t wait to make another one, good.

So, here we are!

Our smoothie starts the same way that pretty much every smoothie starts…with a super ripe frozen banana. To the blender we’re also going to add a whole cup of matchstick carrots. I like using store bought matchstick carrots for a couple of reasons. One, it’s easy. All the work of peeling and breaking down the carrots is already done for you. And two, the smaller size is a little easier for the blender to process. If you want to make this with a regular carrot, just shred it first.

Now I made carrot cake once for a friend, and I remembered adding crushed pineapple to the batter. So immediately, I knew for my own good that I needed to add some pineapple to this smoothie. About a half cup of frozen pineapple chunks goes into the blender, and it is absolutely the right move.

To hide the carrot flavor…I mean sweeten up the smoothie…we’re going to use some vanilla Greek yogurt, some unsweetened vanilla almond milk, some pumpkin pie spice (which in my mind is the closest blend of spices to what’s used in traditional carrot cake), some cinnamon, and a splash of maple syrup. Then, we’ll add some ground flaxseed for a little extra protein. And, we’re just about ready to blend.

You could blend your smoothie right now, but it comes out a little thin. So, I like to add some ice to help thicken up the drink. Hit the button on the blender, and it’s time to enjoy.

All I have to say is thank goodness for cinnamon. The warm spices, the vanilla kisses, the sweet pineapple…these are all the things that help to tame down that earthy carrot flavor. If I tell you that the number one carrot hater on the planet actually, dare I say, craves this smoothie; that should really be all you need to know about how delightful this actually tastes.

I want to be clear here. I AM NOT a carrot convert. We are still not friends. I will never say, “mmm lemme at that carrot”. But this carrot cake smoothie? We can hang, for sure!

Alright, everyone! Let me know if I have any other carrot haters out there drooling too!

In the meantime, enjoy! And, let’s eat!

Carrot Cake Smoothie

Serves: 1 Print

Ingredients:

½ very ripe frozen banana
1 cup matchstick carrots
½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
½ tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
½ cup ice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. Serve immediately.

Recipe notes:

**I keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer at all times for smoothies. When the bananas are very ripe (more black on the skin than yellow), peel and chop them into quarters. Space them out individually on a plate or tray, and place them in the freezer. After a few hours when they're completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag until ready to use. Freezing them separately keeps them from clumping together in the bag and being frozen with an undetachable buddy. I'll do the same with any fruit when it's in season, and I have an abundance.

*Using store bought matchstick carrots helps to save on prep time (no peeling the carrot) and gives our blender thinner pieces that are easier to blend.

*This smoothie is a little thin without the ice, so don’t skip it!