Now that it’s autumn, root vegetables are in season.

Here’s a yummy smoothie recipe using carrots and sweet potatoes, both of which are in season right now!

Autumn Smoothie Recipe

• 4 oz carrot juice (buy it organic pre-juiced or juice it at home if you have a juicer)
• 4 oz almond milk
• 3-5 pitted dates, depending on size
• ½ sweet potato, cut into cubes
• ½ avocado
• 1 tbsp coconut butter or ½ tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• handful of ice
• optional extra agave or stevia if more sweetness is desired

You can use this creamy, grounding smoothie as a meal replacement or as a hearty snack. It’s filling and fulfilling- because of all the nutrients.

Carrots have tons of vitamin A, which is great for the eyes (to adjust to light), skin and is a cancer preventative. Intake of foods such as carrots that are rich in carotenoids may be beneficial to blood sugar regulation. Research has suggested that physiological levels, as well as dietary intake, of carotenoids may be inversely associated with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels.

Sweet potatoes are a rawkstar vegetable-amazing dietary fiber, vitamin A and C, iron and calcium! The numbers for the nutritional sweet potato speak for themselves: almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits with only about 130 to 160 calories! Among root vegetables, sweet potatoes offer the lowest glycemic index rating. That’s because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied longer. It’s time to move sweet potatoes to the “good” carb list!!

Heather and I visiting Boston in the Fall!