Chai Squash Smoothie

Blessed with sweet, buttery flavour, butternut squash is a stellar addition to your winter lineup of smoothie ingredients, although this drink would also work with cooked sweet potato or pumpkin purée. Kefir adds tang along with a healthy population of probiotic bacteria for better digestive and immune health. You want to use the kefir that has a milk-like consistency as opposed to the thicker yogurt-like versions.

Stealth health

A British study found that subjects perceived creamy drinks (this one fits the bill) to be more filling than noncreamy ones, even when they contained the same number of calories.

1 cup (250 mL) plain kefir beverage (noneffervescent) 
1 cup (250 mL) cubed butternut squash, cooked and cooled
1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ginger powder
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) nutmeg
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cardamom
1 small frozen banana, chopped

Place all ingredients in blender container in the order listed and blend until smooth.

Serves 1.

Each serving contains: 294 calories; 16 g protein; 13 g total fat (4 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 33 g total carbohydrates (22 g sugars, 4 g fibre); 146 mg sodium

source: "Whip It Good", alive #388, February 2015