Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons and invites a lot of unique produce items. A lot of those ingredients lend themselves to hearty soups and stews, but there are quite a few that go great in smoothies. And yes, you can still enjoy smoothies even when the mornings are a little colder. This immune-boosting persimmon smoothie is loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. It is a great smoothie that may help boost digestive health and enhance immune function for cold and flu season.

Persimmons have a limited window of availability, so make sure you get them while the gettin’s good. There are two persimmon varieties: Fuyu and Hachiya. The former is a non-astringent persimmon and tends to be more popular, as they are usually sweeter than the latter (Hachiya), which is an oblong fruit can be bitter until ripe. For reference, Hachiya persimmons are more common in baked goods, such as persimmon bread, and infrequently used in raw or fresh preparations. You can enjoy Fuyu persimmons out of hand, just like apples. Today, California growers produce about 10,000 tons of Fuyu persimmons every fall.

Although this is a persimmon-forward smoothie, it contains other nutrient-dense ingredients, including mandarins and ginger. Both of those ingredients contain immune-boosting properties, in addition to anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Finally, to make the smoothie creamy and delicious, you have homemade almond milk. That’s the real game changer of this recipe. Homemade almond milk offers a unique nuttiness and creaminess that you don’t get from processed store bought varieties. Enjoy!