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Try a unique new treat this holiday season, my fig smoothie. It’s delightfully refreshing and beautifully seasoned for a tasty treat the whole family can love.
Fresh figs are everywhere this season, so I created a fig smoothie recipe to share. This is the perfect way to wakeup for any holiday this season, especially if you’re about to head into a day of eating heavy foods. This take on figgy pudding flavors will refresh your stomach and provide some natural energy to tackle the day.
Table of Contents
Why I Love Figs in Smoothies
Fresh figs are rich in natural sugars and minerals including potassium, calcium, iron, and copper. They are good sources of vitamins A, E, and K. Figs also contain a proteolytic enzyme that is considered to be a digestive aid—dessert with nutritional benefits!
What could be better than a fig smoothie the gives your morning a jumpstart? Note that fresh figs are lower in sugar than dried. Since figs are in season such a short time, don’t hesitate to use them to sweeten other smoothies.
This recipe is from my book, Simple Green Smoothies, along with over 100 other fresh green smoothie recipes.
Where to Find Fresh Figs
Figs originated in the Mediterranean. They gained popularity centuries ago, and were found in many ancient civilizations. They are grown on tall trees that can live up to 100 years… so this fig smoothie can become an annual tradition! Most figs bought in the US today come from California and Texas.
You can also use frozen figs in this recipe. I can find them at Trader Joe’s in the frozen fruit section, which leads me to believe there’s prob a few other stores that have them too.
Fig Smoothie Ingredients
I wanted to create a recipe that highlighted the natural sweetness, as well as the flavor of figs. Yet I also wanted a smoothie packed with nutrients. The fat from the unsweetened coconut milk (I preferred canned) helps the body process the sugar from the figs. If you’re looking to cut down on the natural sugars in this fig smoothie recipe, then you can use just 1/4 a banana. Or take the banana out completely, customize it your way.
A Plant-Based Holiday
I firmly believe a daily green smoothie sets the tone for how I eat all day long. This especially rings true over the holidays. If I start out a ‘big food’ kind of day with a green smoothie like this fig smoothie, I eat more mindfully.
It’s also not hard to incorporate plant-based dishes throughout your next holiday meal. Check out my guide for a whole food, plant-based Thanksgiving feast. I make these recipes for family and friends alike, and no one ever leaves my house hungry.
Fresh fig recipes
Before running to the store for another batch of fresh figs, let me give you some fresh fig recipes. Who knew these delicious, tiny fruits were so versatile!
- Sweet and salty fig toast, by Bon Appetit
- Fig and kale salad, by The Spruce Eats
- Toasted coconut bake oatmeal, by Minimalist Baker
- Fig flatbread, by Love and Lemons
- Homemade fig bars, by Weelicious
Now I’m off to the store because these fig recipes are making me hungry!
How do you like to use figs throughout the season? Leave a comment and let me know!
Vanilla Fig Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup spinach
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup figs fresh or frozen
- ½ banana
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Blend the spinach and coconut milk until smooth.
- Add the figs, banana, cinnamon, and vanilla and blend again.
Equipment
Notes
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- To lower the natural sugar in this recipe, swap banana with 1/2 avocado or 1/4 cup cauliflower.
- Swap spinach with the leafy greens of your choice.
This looks so good! Would soaked dried medjool dates be a good substitute for the figs?
Medjool dates would be a great swap for figs! Great thinking, Kelley! 🙂
I just picked some figs from my tree ( had to beat the birds – but I do love them. Guess I’ll share : )) and I was wondering what to do with them (apart from eating them and sharing with the birds and neighbours) now I know! Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe, I’m off to try it now.
Stay safe!
This wasn’t too sweet, I loved it!
So good, isn’t it?! 🙂
Hi SGS
This sounds ahmazing…but for the first time in my life I am really having to watch my calories. Is 558 per serving correct? That is almost half my days calories. Just curious. I can’t tell you how many receipts I have handed my customers with your website on it after talking healthy eating.. <3
Yikes! That was definitely an error in the computation Carol. So glad you called it out! If you used “full fat coconut milk” it can get up there in calories, yet if you use light or refrigerated unsweetened it should be around 275 calories. Thanks for sharing our recipes with your customers! That means soooo much to me!
Love that I can enjoy some holiday flavors without the holiday guilt!
Isn’t that the best?! 😀
I love your recipes, I have a tablet and no printer is there some way I can download into my pdf file
Hi Denise,
No printer? Have you tried “selecting print” and then “print as a PDF” – my computer has that option for documents. Or have you seen our mobile app, Daily Blends. It’s not yet for iPads, but you can download it to your mobile device and have over 200 recipes at the touch of a button!
Yummy! This is green smoothie awesome! My favorite green smoothie material is all kinds! thanks for sharing…
Thanks for blendin’ with us, Ellie! <3
This green smoothie Looks delicious! I was surprised how well avocado works in smoothies. It gives it a really nice job! thanks for sharing….
We love avocado too! Not only does it make our recipes super creamy, but it’s packed with healthy fats!
The figs do you peel them? or blend them whole? I would like to try this new treat. I am a new 1 smoothie a day person. Got started to help my husband with health issue but found I felt better my self. I used to get heart burn allot and it is very rare that I get heart burn any more. I went with out smoothies nearly a week and quest what. Heart burn in the night. Got back to one smoothie a day. No heart burn. Something yum make me feel better and stops heart burn. Beginners luck is my go to smoothie when in a hurry. I am still working on trying them all.
Hi Lavinia,
YAY! So happy to hear your heartburn is under control! Isn’t that the worst, especially when it wakes you up at night!
And great question! The skin of the fig is edible. As a result, you do not need to peel the fig before eating it or blending. Merely twist off the stem and eat the fig skin and all.
I have recently been on the smoothly train…one a day, but just had the figgie pudding, what a delight yum. From Tasmania Australia
YAY! Thank you so much for reaching out + sharing the green smoothie love, Haidee!
I only used 1 cup of figs and I still found it far, far too sweet. I’m going to try subbing an avocado for the banana next time and add more greens.
Hi Tasha,
That’s a great idea! The avocado will still add the creaminess we love, without the added sweetness of bananas! Make sure + reach back out after you try this recipe again!
Cheers 🙂
If fresh figs are not available, can I use soaked dried figs instead?
Hi Verena,
I personally haven’t tried this recipe with dried figs, but it’s worth a try!! Soaking them before blending is the way to go!!
Cheers 🙂
Hi Verena! I tried it by soaking dry figs for a couple of hour. The taste is god, but really sweet. Hope it helped you! 🙂
Always an inspiration to do what is right in the world. I love your work! Thank you
Thanks for blendin’ with us, Mary! 🙂
Lovely recipe. Would love to try it but can provide measurements in grammes please?
Hi Dayo,
Great idea! Here’s our current conversions. We have a post with even more conversions in the works, so keep an eye out! Can’t wait, check out a copy of our book. We have a detailed section all on measurement conversions!
Spices | Proteins | Superfoods:
½ tsp = 2mL
1 tsp = 5mL
2 tsp = 10mL
1 TBSP = 15mL
2 TBSP = 30mL
Fruits:
Mango | Pineapple | Strawberries | Beets | Carrots | Blueberries | Raspberries | Leafy Greens
1 cup = 250mL
1 ½ cups = 375mL
2 cups = 500mL
Liquids:
Water | Coconut Water | Coconut Milk | Almond Milk | Fresh Squeezed Juice | Rice Milk
½ cup = 125mL
1 cup = 250mL
1 ½ cups = 375mL
2 cups = 500mL
Grams:
1 cup of leafy greens = 30g
2 cups of leafy greens = 60g
I absolutely love figs, can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Reach back out + let us know what you think!! 🙂
I made this according to the recipe. Very delicious and refreshing!
Rawesome! Thanks for sharing the leafy love, Tyler!