Smoothies, especially ones with made with green ingredients and vegan protein, are a great way to make sure you start the day off with a happy stomach.

My morning smoothies are typically made with ice, frozen fruit, leafy greens and cold non-dairy milk, but that’s not exactly appetizing on a cold winter morning.

Enter the warm smoothie!

There’s no unwritten rule that smoothies HAVE to be cold, and in fact there are lots of heated smoothies recipes that will both fill your belly and warm your bones. If you’re craving a hot breakfast (or lunch or snack), but don’t have the time to cook, give one of these warm smoothies a try.

Related: The Autumn Smoothie That Will Dominate Your Breakfasts

Health Benefits Of Warm Smoothies

Now, if you’re not a regular smoothie maker, you might be wondering why you should bother trading your oatmeal or scrambled eggs for a blended breakfast. Here are just a few benefits of having a smoothie now and then:

Fast & Convenient – Add ingredients, pulse your blender, pour into a travel cup and you’re out the door!

Instantly Up Your Fruits & Veggies – If your meals tend to be mostly one color and comprised of carbs, dairy or sugar, smoothies are a great way to up your daily allotment of nutrients that can only come from from fruits and veggies. Even the ones you don’t particularly like. 

Improved Digestion – If you have a sensitive gut, letting your blender do some of the “chewing” for you can be a great way to avoid issues like constipation or indigestion. Even though your food is blended, the fiber is conserved so it’s the best of both worlds!

Warmth – The best way to warm up on a cold winter’s day isn’t to crank the heat, it’s to increase your body temperature. Warm drinks, like these smoothies, do that FAST!

OK! Now let’s learn how to build a delicious warm smoothie.

(SAFETY NOTE: Adding hot liquid to your blender is DANGEROUS unless it’s specifically allowed in the instructions! In all the recipes below–and any you create on your own—hot water/milk is added AFTER the blending or the entire smoothie is heated once blended.)

Warm Smoothie Recipes You'll Love!

1. Orange + Ginger + Carrot

Think of this as a warmer version of your morning OJ…with an immune boosting kick! Get the full recipe at Kitchen Sanctuary.

2. Banana + Walnut + Date

This is a perfect warm smoothie for the entire family, with natural sweetness delivered by the bananas and dates, with walnuts adding vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats and antioxidants! Get the full recipe at Clean Cuisine.

3. Apple + Oats + Cinnamon

Looking for a warm smoothie that'll “stick to your ribs”? This delicious combo tastes just like your favorite flavored oatmeal, but without all the trashy ingredients and added sugar. Get the recipe at Prevention.com.

4 . Kale + Apples + Dates

For smoothie lovers who must have greens, this smoothie incorporates kale AND hot green tea for a taste that can’t be beat! Get the recipe at Kitchen Sanctuary.

 5. Pear + Almond Butter + Ginger

Bursting with fall flavors, and added protein thanks to the almond butter, this warm smoothie can be breakfast or dessert! Get the recipe at Prevention.com.

This article was originally published on www.Care2.com. Read the original here.