Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

As regular readers of The Food Effect blog will know, I’m both a big shake drinker and sweet potato lover, so in an effort to combine some of my favourite things, as well as come up with even further ways to be creative with this wondrous vegetable, I created this super simple, sweet and delicious smoothie recipe that’s both healthy and indulgent – quite literally a sweet potato pie in a glass!  This is a true “comfort food” in a healthy shake form, and will also save you the hassle of ever having to bake one! 🙂

It’s so rich, filling, smooth and creamy, that if I didn’t stick a straw in it, it could easily be mistaken for a jar of nut butter (another personal favourite!) rather than a smoothie!  It’s also the perfect thing for the autumn season – ideal to carry your shake drinking habits through to the winter.

Made with wholesome ingredients that are all natural and refined sugar-free, this smoothie is perfect for a power breakfast, mid-afternoon snack, or a post-workout nutritional “pick me up”.

Sweet potatoes provide a satisfying sweetness as well as hunger-busting, super-satiating fibre that won’t spike your blood sugar like other types of potatoes or a refined sugar-laden milkshake.

Apart from being tantalisingly tasty, sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of antioxidants and Vitamin A.  This superfood is packed full of fibre, Vitamin C, potassium, folate, magnesium, iron, copper and, perhaps most importantly, the anti-oxidant beta-carotene, which helps protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer.  High carotene intake has also been linked to a 20% decrease in post-menopausal breast cancer and up to a 50% decrease in incidence of cancers of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, lung and oesophagus.  Additionally, not only do sweet potatoes pack in a good amount of iron, they also contain copper – a mineral that helps your body absorb iron!

To make this simple Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie you can either use leftover cooked sweet potatoes that were once destined for regular consumption, or, if you rarely find yourself with any leftovers because you just can’t help yourself (like me!), simply wash the sweet potato, pierce it several times with a fork, and pop it in the microwave until soft (about 6 minutes on High) – by far the quickest and easiest way to cook it!  Then all you need to do is scoop out the flesh and whizz all the ingredients in the blender.

To flavour the smoothie and give it the authentic “pie” taste, I use cinnamon (which has been shown to help stabilise blood sugar levels) and sweeten it with low GI, agave syrup.  I also use coconut water, which provides added potassium – ideal for post-workout replenishment and an endless array of health benefits – as well as adding to the sweetness of this light smoothie.

So as the days draw shorter and the temperature drops, (symbolically) stick a straw in a sweet potato à la the Caribbean and enjoy!  Turns out you really can have your pie – and drink it too! 🙂

Recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 medium size sweet potato, cooked (skin removed) (~1 cup cooked flesh)
½ cup coconut water
¼ cup milk of choice (skimmed / soya/ almond/ coconut milk)
1 heaping Tbsp. peanut (or almond) butter
1-2 Tbsp. agave syrup
1 cup ice cubes
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon, plus additional for serving
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Place ice in the blender and blend until crushed.  Add all remaining ingredients and blend on high speed, until smooth.  Pour into a tall glass and dust with additional cinnamon.  Serve with a straw, and enjoy! 🙂