Ashwagandha.....ashwagandha. It has such a nice ring to it - the word just rolls of the tongue, no?. Except for the fact that the word translates from Sanskrit to English as "horse's smell" or "the smell of a horse" which most likely originated from either the odor of the root or the stallion-like power that the root imparts when taken internally.
Personally, I don't find the powder has too much of a harsh smell (nothing compares to maca, am I right?). Otherwise known as "Indian Ginseng," ashwagandha is a poweful herb used in ayurvedic healing practices. It has an incredibly calming effect, and can help top alleviate levels of anxiety and stress. In fact, the first time I used this potent herb in my morning smoothies, I noticed an immediate calming effect, unaware of the fact that this was one of its therapeutic properties.
Seeing as autumn is a major time of energetic transition, ashwagandha is a perfect herb to add to your smoothie repertoire (note: woman who are pregnant should not take this herb. You can read more about the benefits of ashwagandha here).
Sweet Potato and Sesame Bliss Smoothie
Serves 1-2
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup sesame seed mylk (fresh and homemade)
1/2 cup water
2 heaping tablespoons lucuma powder
2-3 dates (optional - if you desire more sweetness)
1 tsp ashwaghanda
1 tsp maca (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon + cinnamon for dusting
Blend ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. Serve with a dusting of cinnamon and enjoy.
No need to fret about eating raw sweet potato - once it is blended, it will take on the creamy and sweet flavours of the other ingredients and will be easy to digest.
Sesame seeds can also make for a fun pattern-making activity -
flowers, stars, even spelling out the name of your special someone.
flowers, stars, even spelling out the name of your special someone.
5 comments:
I do like using sweet potatoes in my smoothies cause they come out so thick! yum!
I've never put sweet potato in a smoothie! Do you just throw it in raw? Probably. I am going to try this sometime, sounds good!
Whitney
Hey Marlie, I just gave you a Liebster award on my blog. Thank you for all the amazing recipes and reviews this month. xo
Hey everyone!
@vegansunshine - you can just throw the sweet potato in raw, but make sure to wash and peel it first. Also, it might not taste so great in a green smoothie - the more sweeter and creamy the smoothie base is, the better it will taste.
@Lisa - thank you SO much :) And right back at you - your recipes and veganmofo contributions have been amazing!
Wow, this sounds fantastic!
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