This easy Orange Ginger Carrot Smoothie is healthy, nutrient dense and perfect when you need a little pick-me-up. It’s naturally sweet, loaded with vitamins and boosted with turmeric and cinnamon powders. Raw ginger also gives it a nice kick.
I prefer smoothies over juices because smoothies are higher in fiber. This is because you usually add whole pieces of fruit and vegetables to smoothies. Juices, on the other hand, are made by filtering out the fiber.
Is orange juice good in smoothies?
Depending on your goals, it may not be a good idea to use orange juice in your smoothies. This is because orange juice is a more concentrated form of sugar than fresh oranges. It takes roughly three to four whole oranges to make one cup of juice. That’s why I prefer to use a maximum of one fresh orange in my smoothies. Using the fruit in its natural form also gives you a boost of fiber.
Can I put raw ginger in my smoothie?
You can certainly put raw ginger in your smoothie. Start by cutting the amount of ginger that you want to use off the root, then wash it well under running water. Next, peel off the skin by either cutting it off with a knife or using a teaspoon to scrape it off.
I also often add frozen ginger to my smoothies if I don’t have fresh ginger on hand. I explain below how you can freeze fresh ginger in portions so that you always have some ready to go.
How much ginger should I add to my smoothie?
Raw ginger has a strong and spicy flavor, so the amount to add to your smoothie will depend on personal taste. You can start with a thin slice, or approximately one to two grams, then taste your smoothie and blend in more if desired.
How to store fresh ginger
- Room temperature: You can store fresh ginger on your counter at room temperature for about one week. However, for maximum freshness, I prefer to store fresh ginger in the fridge.
- Refrigerator: Place your whole, unpeeled ginger root in a zip lock bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing it, then store it in the crisper drawer of the fridge. It should keep this way for up to two weeks.
How to freeze fresh ginger
Freezing fresh ginger is a great idea if you don’t use it regularly. Fresh ginger root is expensive, so you don’t want to waste it. By freezing it, you will always have some on hand for smoothies or to use in other recipes.
- Wash and peel: Wash your piece of fresh ginger root and peel off the skin.
- Cut into portions: Cut your washed and peeled ginger into slices to portion it out. If you want to control the size of each portion, you can weigh the slices on a food scale.
- Seal and freeze: Place the ginger slices in a zip lock bag spread out in a single layer so that they don’t stick together. Store the bag in the freezer for up to three months.
When ready to use frozen ginger in a smoothie, simply add a slice straight from the freezer into your blender cup. If you need minced ginger for a recipe and only have frozen slices, you can grate the frozen slices using a fine or microplane grater to add straight into sauces or curries.
Can raw carrots be blended?
Yes, you can blend raw carrots into a smoothie. High powered blenders do this well. To avoid small chunks of carrot in your smoothie, blend the smoothie until you don’t hear any bits clattering around the blender cup. If you have a less powerful blender, grating the carrot before blending makes the process easier on the blender. Also, remember to wash your carrot thoroughly, and peel off the outer layer if needed, before use to remove any dirt and bacteria.
Ingredients for orange ginger carrot smoothie
- Orange: Fresh orange is the base flavor and sweetener of the smoothie. You can use any variety of orange. Blood orange would also be nice.
- Carrot: Raw carrot is added for extra nutrients and fiber. Any variety will work.
- Fresh ginger: For a spicy kick and added nutrients. If you don’t have any fresh ginger, you could add half a teaspoon of ginger powder instead.
- Turmeric powder: For a boost of beneficial nutrients. Turmeric also provides a subtle earthiness. You can leave it out if you don’t have any at home.
- Cinnamon powder: The sweet spice of cinnamon works really well with the orange and ginger flavors. Ceylon cinnamon, also known as true cinnamon, is best if you can get it.
- Water: To help everything blend smoothly. I use filtered tap water. For a slightly sweeter and refreshing twist, you could use chilled coconut water.
More healthy breakfast ideas
- Creamy Homemade Oat Milk
- Banana Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Protein Bars
- Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Chocolate Brownie Batter Chia Pudding
- Savory Sweet Potato Muffins
You can find more healthy breakfast ideas on the Breakfast Recipes page.
Orange Ginger Carrot Smoothie Recipe
Serves
1
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
0 mins
Ingredients
- 1 small / 140 g orange
- 1 medium / 60 g carrot
- 1 slice / 3 – 4 g peeled fresh ginger (see Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 cup / 120 ml / 120 g water
Method
- Peel the orange, or cut off the rind, and chop it into wedges. Chop the carrot into pieces, or grate it if you don’t have a high powered blender.
- Add the orange, carrot, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and water to a blender cup. Blend until smooth.
- Serve straight away with an extra sprinkling of cinnamon powder if desired.
Notes
- Fresh ginger – Fresh ginger is quite strong and spicy. If you haven’t tried fresh ginger in a smoothie before, you could start with half the amount, blend the smoothie, then taste and blend in the rest if you wish.
- Protein boost – Sometimes I add 2 tablespoons / 12 g unflavoured collagen powder to the smoothie for a boost of protein. When doing this, I make sure to blend the smoothie in a large blender cup with the liquid below the maximum line, since the collagen powder will froth up and expand the smoothie in volume.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 serve
- Energy: 99 Calories / 413 Kilojoules
- Total Fat: 0.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 24.4 g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.7 g
- Sugars: 16.1 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Potassium: 488 mg
