Spring is around the corner and most of us want to start looking and feeling our best in preparation for summer. One excellent habit to get into is to consume a green smoothie daily to nourish you from the inside out, keeping you healthy and improving the complexion of your skin. Leafy greens are called nature's blood because they are packed with chlorophyll which is necessary to make green leaves, vegetables and fruits grow. Greens help remove toxins from our bodies, cleanse and oxygenate our blood. Also, when greens like kale and collard greens are pureed in the blender, this releases more nutrients in their cell walls that become more bio-available to us.
Adding your favourite fruits, vegetables and any super foods to your daily smoothies makes it a complete vitamin kick that's more wholesome than taking supplements.
Here are a couple of great recipes to start with:
Basic Green Smoothie
-2 cups cold filtered water
-1 banana, cut into chunks
-half a squeezed lemon
-1 apple (any type that is your favourite), peeled, cored and cut into chunks
-1/2 piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced
-2 cups of kale or spinach (or any leafy green you desire)
Boost options:
1 handful of goji berries for vitamin C and/or a teaspoon of maca powder for energy.
Cucumber Pear Green Smoothie
-1 cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
-2 pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
-2 cups fresh baby spinach (or any other leafy green)
-1/2 cup of filtered water
Directions:
Blend smoothies to desired consistency, adding water if it is too thick.
Tip: If you don't want to drink the whole smoothie all at once, you can store the extra juice in mason jars and even bring it with you on the go in a cool bag to work. Fresh smoothies are best consumed within the same day it was made.
Enjoy and stay nourished!
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