Decorating sugar cookies at this time of year is a great family tradition. This protein-packed smoothie lets you have your cookie and eat it too, while fueling up for all the merriment of the season. This recipe will make more coconut sprinkles than needed, but they’re great for adding a festive touch to plenty of seasonal dishes.
Tip
Try experimenting with different natural colour dyes for the sprinkles. Just mix 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fruit or vegetable juice with 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut. Carrot juice, raspberry juice, blueberry juice, and kale juice will all yield beautiful results.
Sugar Cookie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water, divided
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) spirulina powder
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground turmeric
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) beet juice
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) medium firm tofu
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) gluten-free large flaked rolled oats
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened cashew milk
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) raw cashew butter
- 2 tsp (10 mL) maple syrup
- 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (10 mL) light agave nectar or clover honey
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories292
- protein9g
- fat18g
- saturated fat8g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates24g
- sugars9g
- fibre3g
- sodium111mg
Directions
01
To make sprinkles, preheat oven to its lowest setting, about 170 F (77 C). Line rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
02
Divide coconut equally among 3 bowls, 1/4 cup (60 mL) in each.
03
In 2 separate small bowls, place 1 Tbsp (15 mL) water into each. Into one bowl of water, whisk spirulina powder. Into other bowl of water, whisk turmeric.
04
Add beet juice to one bowl of coconut and stir until well combined. Stir spirulina mixture into second bowl of coconut until well combined. Finally, stir turmeric mixture into third bowl of coconut until well combined.
05
One at a time, tip each coloured coconut onto prepared baking tray and spread into thin layer roughly covering one-third of baking tray. Place in oven and dry for 60 to 75 minutes, until dry but not toasted. Occasionally toss sprinkles to encourage even drying. Allow to cool completely on tray before transferring to airtight container. Sprinkles may be made up to 1 week ahead of time.
06
To make sugar cookie smoothie, add all ingredients, except agave nectar or honey, to blender and combine until smooth and creamy.
07
To serve, brush or smear agave nectar or honey around outer rim of 2 serving glasses. Roll each coated rim in coloured coconut sprinkles. Pour sugar cookie smoothie into rimmed glasses, garnish with additional sprinkles, if desired, and enjoy.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblano Peppers
In this enchilada riff, we stuff everything into a roasted poblano pepper shell, rather than tortillas, to pack an extra veggie serving into your meal and trim the starchy calories. If you can’t find poblanos, which are mild, dark green Mexican peppers, you can substitute green bell peppers. Flour power Made from nixtamalized corn (corn soaked in limewater), masa harina flour adds a touch of corny flavour to enchilada stuffing or a pot of chili.
Crab Cap Salad
These crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms can do double duty as a fancy starter for a casual dinner party or a light main course on any given night. Meaty and umami-rich portobellos serve as a holder for a light-tasting seafood salad. Gills begone Even though the gills of mushrooms are edible, they will darken and discolour everything they touch. Besides, after you scrape out the gills, you’ll have more room for stuffing. And don’t discard the stems; they can be saved and used when making veggie stock.
Curried Lentil Stuffed Squash
Serving saucy lentils in squash halves is a sure-fire way to elevate your plant-based menu. And, yes, the whole bowl is edible, skin and all. If desired, you can add dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Spice of life Garam masala, a blend of spices traditionally used in Indian cooking, usually includes cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, fennel, cumin, and coriander. It’s great on roasted meats and vegetables.
Kartoffelknödel Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Toasted Bread and Spinach
“Germans do potatoes in general very well,” says Canadian expat Chris Gilles, who now lives in Munich and has celebrated many an Oktoberfest there. “Knödel seem kind of rubbery. You don’t really think it’s potato when you first see it, but it’s tasty.” But he might be surprised to find that this alive -inspired version of Bavarian potato dumplings is made with a combination of potato and cauliflower, because as anyone who’s eaten cauliflower gnocchi knows, the low-carb vegetable is a great way to lighten up starch-heavy foods (and Biergarten menus). Happy Knödelfest! The original version of these snacks are so popular that it even gets its own food fest: Knödelfest, which happens in September in Austria, about a 1 1/2-hour drive from Munich. If alive threw a Knödelfest, these dumplings would definitely be on the menu, served simply as snacks with sliced radishes and fresh parsley or dill, or topped with butter, beer gravy, or mushroom sauce. The dumpling test You can test one dumpling by shaping it and then boiling it before shaping the rest. If the water is lower than a boil and it still falls apart, add more starch to the batter before shaping another ball and testing again.