My Eyes-On-The-Prize Vitamin A Packed Carrot Smoothie is the perfect breakfast to bring us into spring! The freshness of the mangoes and carrots really reminds me how much I’ve missed warmer weather. This smoothie is so easy to make for a quick breakfast or snack. Greek yogurt rounds out the fruits and veggies with its high fat and protein content, making this a very satisfying smoothie.

This recipe has double the vitamin A from both the mangoes and carrots making it great for our eyes, hence the name. This sunny smoothie is best served in a clear glass so you can admire its vibrant colour while we wait for spring to truly arrive! Keep scrolling for the full Vitamin A Packed Carrot Smoothie recipe, some awesome health benefits, and TWO healthy springtime recipe roundups. Enjoy!

Eyes-On-The-Prize Vitamin A Packed Carrot Smoothie Recipe

gluten-free

Prep time: 5 minutes | Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup mango, diced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 4 ice cubes
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp almonds
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

PER SERVING: CALORIES: 463, FAT: 9 g, SAT. FAT: 2 g, CARBS: 80 g, FIBER: 8 g, SUGARS: 68 g, PROTEIN: 22 g, SODIUM: 161 mg, CHOLESTEROL: 15 mg

Health Benefits of Mangoes

Mangoes are considered to be the “king of fruit”, not just for their fragrant juicy flavour or beautiful sunny colour, but also because they are packed full of nutrients.

Mangoes are full of antioxidants that have been proven to fight all sorts of cancers including colon, breast, leukaemia and prostate cancers. We can thank the phytochemicals in mangoes for helping to make them anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and antiobesity.

They are also super high in vitamin A which is great for your eyes and immune system. Mangoes are high in fiber, pectin and vitamin C which help lower serum cholesterol levels, including LDL cholesterol. Finally, mangoes are great for your skin! They help clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples. What can’t mangoes do!?

Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are an awesome ingredient to add to any meal (including this Eyes-On-The-Prize Vitamin A Packed Carrot Smoothie) because they are one of the richest sources of provitamin A carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene which convert into vitamin A).

As you may already know, vitamin A is a great way to support your vision, it also helps to boost your immune system. Vitamin A is considered an antioxidant which can help protect you against cardiovascular disease. Carrots are rich in fibre and water, but low in calories, so you can munch away on them totally guilt-free!

Did Someone Say (Healthy) Carrot Cake?!

Calling all of the office easter bunnies! Do I have a fun and delicious surprise for you. If you love carrots as much as I do (scroll up to see why we love carrots and my Vitamin A Packed Carrot Smoothie), then my latest corporate wellness creation has your name on it. Introducing my Carrot Cake Two Ways Cooking Class!

In this class, we’ll welcome spring with two fresh carrot cake-inspired recipes. It takes too long to actually bake a cake in an hour, so during this class, we make Carrot Cake Cupcakes (yum!) and a Carrot Cake Smoothie. You all know how much I love eating dessert for breakfast AND having kid-friendly goodies at the ready! This cooking class will give you all of the tools you need to make both of these delicious (healthy) dishes!

Corporate wellness is on everyone’s mind these days. How about we take health and bring it into the office to boost morale, increase engagement, and increase productivity, all while supporting our teams? I love helping your team to feel their best and nothing seems to bring people together quite like yummy foods. I’m so excited to invite you into my kitchen (virtually) to teach your team how to make these delicious, festive recipes!

If you’re looking for a way to prioritize your team’s health and wellness this spring, email me at info@jesselanewellness.com for more details on how you can register for this engaging team-building cooking class!

Easy Everyday Carrot Recipe Roundup

Carrots for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Don’t mind if I do!

Anti-inflammatory Carrot Muffins

These are the perfect breakfast (or snack) muffins in my opinion. I love the mild sweetness mixed with the carrot and spices. These muffins are anti-inflammatory for two reasons. Firstly, they’re gluten-free and made with almond flour. Gluten can be a seriously inflammatory food for many people and so opting for foods that are gluten-free can reduce our risk of gut inflammation. Secondly, they also contain my favourite anti-inflammatory spice, turmeric! Turmeric gives these muffins their beautiful vibrant colour but the flavour is very subtle. They are moist thanks to the carrots and have a delicious texture thanks to the shredded coconut. I like to enjoy them two at a time with some extra tahini and a warm cup of tea! Yum!

Sunshine Carrot Soup

My Sunshine Carrot Soup is a fresh and creamy vegan soup that brings some much-needed sunshine into a long winter day. Coconut milk gives this soup an indulgent creamy texture, orange juice adds a beautiful tang, and fresh ginger adds some spice. I played around with the spices by adding curry, caraway or allspice, but I like the simplicity of the flavours that really let the carrots shine. This soup is so easy to make with only eight ingredients, it is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and paleo. Make a big batch and freeze it for later!

Carrot Molasses Muffins

These vegan Carrot Molasses Muffins are super moist and taste just like gingerbread. They are made with nutty spelt flour, sweetened with iron-rich blackstrap molasses, and filled with walnuts and ginger. The fiber-packed carrots keep these muffins deliciously moist, and they are a great way to use up that carrot pulp leftover from juicing. These muffins are a satisfying make-ahead breakfast and make an excellent health-promoting addition to a brunch spread!

Gluten-Free Easter Recipe Roundup

As a bonus, I’ve included some inclusive Easter recipes to help get you in the holiday spirit!

Chocolate Sunflower Butter Eggs

One of my all-time favourite Easter treats is peanut butter eggs. I love peanut butter, but so many people are allergic so I decided to create a nut-free version using sunflower seed butter. To make my chocolate eggs even better, I added puffed quinoa to add some crunch. And of course, they are completely coated in chocolate!

Easter Eggie Bites

These gluten-free, vegetarian bites are the perfect snack to have on hand during Easter time. They are a healthy, protein-filled option to break up all of the sugary treats we eat at Easter. Ready in under an hour, this is the perfect quick and easy inclusive dish to add to your Easter brunch table!

Chocolate Coconut Easter Nests

Nothing beats a good chocolate and coconut combo, especially when they’re together in this fudgy festive treat. Chocolate Coconut Easter Nests are packed with fibre and sweetened with honey so they won’t spike your blood sugar (or your kids’). They are super easy to make (no baking required), and can even be used as cute decorative additions to your Easter table!

Almond Crispy Rice Easter Eggs

Almond Crispy Rice Easter Eggs are a fun and healthy way to celebrate this spring holiday. They are made with whole-food ingredients like crispy brown rice, almond butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup. They taste great as is, but I like to top them with a little melted chocolate and naturally coloured sprinkles. I can also assure you that Almond Crispy Rice Easter Eggs are toddler and preschooler approved. My son said “So yummy, crunch!” when he first took a bite.