My doctor tracks my nutrient levels very carefully every few months and a recent blood test revealed low iron for the first time in recent memory. I'm not crazy about the nausea that ensues from iron supplements, but half a tablet doesn't bother me, so I've added that to my arsenal of meds. My doctor also provided a list of foods that may improve the iron situation with bioavailability that surpasses what I can get from a pill. It turns out that raisins are an excellent source! So I began to experiment . . .
I really think of this smoothie as a special treat since it is pretty sweet. It tastes like rum raisin ice cream to me, but there is no rum. There's a scant bit of alcohol from the vanilla extract but you could leave that out of the mix if you prefer and I bet it'd still be luscious. Here you go:
Rum Raisin Smoothie!
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 a frozen banana
1 Tbsp. almond butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
a generous shake of nutmeg, with more on top, if you like
a shake of cinnamon
a small handful of organic raisins
a couple of ice cubes
If you don't have a high-powered blender, soak the raisins in the milk for 15 minutes or so first. Otherwise, no pre-soak needed. Blend all ingredients until most of the raisins are minced finely. Enjoy -- this makes about 2 cups.
It's definitely worth it to splurge on the organic raisins, which are superior in nutritional value, and they are juicier and more flavorful too. I'm a huge fan of nutmeg, so I use a lot of it. You can obviously tweak this recipe to suit your preference. If you'd like it a little sweeter, you could use a whole banana and/or more raisins. I've just learned there's a whole subset of folks who don't enjoy autumnal spices, so if you are one of those, this smoothie probably won't appeal at all. For all the rest of you -- you're gonna love it!
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