3 Delicious Winter Smoothies For Runners

For the time-crunched athlete, smoothies offer a quick, simple, and delicious way to get the nutrients they need. Usually, summer is the season that springs to mind when it comes to cranking up the blender. However, with a simple twist, you can turn summer fresh into winter warmer. Using ingredients such as oats, dates, almond butter, winter fruits and spices, you can make the coldest of days a little more motivating.

Winter Smoothies For Runners

Peanut Spice Smoothie

Peanut butter contains satiating fat and is an excellent source of magnesium, a critical nutrient for healthy muscle function. This peanut butter–based smoothie is protein boosting, bone strengthening, and aids digestion.

Serves: 1 | Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• ⅓ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon smooth natural peanut butter
• 2 Medjool dates, pitted
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Cherry Bomb Smoothie

Cherry juice is high in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation. With yogurt, oat milk, and flaxseed, this smoothie is vitamin boosting, mineral enriching, and aids digestion.

Serves: 1 | Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup cherry juice
• 1 cup oat milk
• ⅓ cup plain yogurt
• ⅔ cup pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 banana, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Oaty Apple Smoothie

Apples are high in potassium—a vital mineral for healthy blood pressure. Throw in oats and spices for a protein-boosting, vitamin-boosting, and digestion-aiding smoothie.

Serves: 1 | Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 apple, cored
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon natural smooth almond butter

Place all the ingredients in a blender with ½ cup water and blend until smooth.

RELATED: Three Summer Smoothies For Endurance Athletes

These recipes are from the VeloPress book Sport Smoothies, which offers nearly 70 fully illustrated smoothie recipes for before and after workouts, for building muscle, and for carb-loading.