Cold Brew Smoothie

The pandemic has led to many new habits, both good and bad. I walk a fraction of what I used to walk, but I get more accomplished. I rarely drive, but I’m saving a ton on gas and I drink more wine and coffee. Those two last ones are the more questionable ones, but I’m working on it. The coffee one still surprises me. Hard to believe I used to hate the stuff, and now I really can’t be spoken to in the morning until my first cup is safely in my hand. I’ll never be a morning person.

My husband has also picked up some new pandemic habits, I won’t put him here on all of them, but cold brew is one of them. I think it’s fair to say he is cold brew-obsessed. So-much-so, a cold brew maker now takes up some precious counter real estate in our kitchen for “easy access“. With all the cold brew around, this cold brew smoothie was bound to happen.

What is Cold Brew?

Cold brew, in a nutshell, is coffee that is made called and never heated. To make cold brew, coarse-ground coffee is steeped in cold water for at least twelve hours. The longer the coffee sits, the stronger the flavor. Because cold brew uses time instead of heat to extract the coffee’s oils, sugars, and caffeine, the result is generally less acidic and bitter than iced coffee. Cold brew is my husband’s afternoon drink of choice, along with some baked goods I’ve whipped up. This right here is a silver lining of COVID life, he was not getting such treats at the office.

Like many other smoothie recipes, this one is also rather straightforward and does not require too many complicated ingredients. I opt for dairy-free milk, here I use homemade almond milk, but oat or soy milk also works well. Dates are my natural sweetener, cinnamon, and vanilla are my spices, and maca powder is my secret ingredient.

Maca Powder + It’s Origin

Maca powder is from the maca plant and is something that exploded in popularity in recent years. It’s a plant native to Peru and is commonly available in powder form or as a supplement. The maca plant, known scientifically as Lepidium meyenii, is sometimes referred to as Peruvian ginseng. It mainly grows in the Andes of central Peru, in harsh conditions and at very high altitudes, above 13,000 feet to be exact. Maca is a cruciferous vegetable and therefore related to broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale.

The main edible part of the plant is the root, which grows underground. It exists in several colors, ranging from white to black. Maca root is generally dried and consumed in powder form, but it’s also available in capsules and as a liquid extract. The taste of maca root powder can best be described as earthy and nutty. Maca powder elevates this cold brew smoothie to a whole new playing field. So if you’re looking for a morning or an afternoon pick-me-up that’s also healthful, look no further, this creamy, nutty, dairy-free cold brew smoothie is just what you need.