Green Smoothie Obsession!!

I’m pretty sure everyone who knows me and who sees me on a daily basis knows my absolute love (and partial obsession) for green smoothies. I’m always carrying one in my hand, walking up to the bakery (Kelly’s Bake Shoppe) in the early AM, or grabbing one in the afternoon from Kindfood (my favourite spot to make smoothies). Every morning, I start my day with 1- 2 litres of the addictive stuff! (It can keep me going until at least noon every day).  I love the feeling of nourishing my body and fueling it as best as I possibly can for the day ahead…which can usually be pretty crazy!! :))

Some of the notable health benefits of drinking green smoothies (and some that I’ve noticed myself) are: weight loss, digestive health, mental clarity, and supporting the immune system. I’ve found this to be particularly true in my own life. Before I began my green smoothie quest I always felt like I was missing something in my daily routine, something nourishing, healing, and satisfying. I felt like I was healthy, but my body wasn’t functioning “optimally”. Since I was little I’d had digestive issues, and what I used to call ‘bellyaches’. After I started drinking green smoothies on a regular basis, those severe digestive issues disappeared and I was back on track!! They also helped my mental clarity….which I noticed tremendously throughout my University Career at McMaster. I felt like I didn’t have to study half as hard, and was able to come out of those big scary exams feeling like I’d aced it! It used to feel like a chore to make sure I was taking in enough greens on a daily basis, but now there’s no need to think twice about it!

I start with dark leafy greens as my base…. kale, spinach, romaine are the usual suspects. It’s good to change up the greens in your smoothie a few times a week, as your body can build up alkaloids in your system, creating bloating and an inability to absorb those nutrients. Variety is the spice of a “healthy” life!!

Using dark leafy greens in a smoothie are great because your body can easily digest the broken down fibres of the greens and will use it right away!!! Blending helps make greens’ full spectrum of nutrition readily available to the body. Nutrients are encased inside plant cells and getting their benefits requires these cells’ walls to be ruptured. Greens need to be worked down to a creamy consistency, but most people simply don’t chew that much! Blending addresses this problem, helping your body absorb the maximum amount of nutrition from your greens.

So enough talking…here’s my favourite smoothie! We first tried it at our go to restaurant in Palm Springs, California, called Palm Greens. They’d named the smoothie after Tim Bradley (World Boxing Champion), who just so happens to be completely VEGAN! Go Tim Bradley!! For all of you out there who say vegans don’t get enough protein, you haven’t seen Tim Bradley.  He’s a world-class athlete!!

My Favourite Green POWER Smoothie!

1 Cup Kale (stems and all)

1 Cup Spinach

2 frozen Bananas, diced.

1 Apple, (cored)

1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, peeled.

2 Tbsp Fresh Mint

2 Cups, Fresh Filtered Spring Water (no TAP WATER!)

This smoothie is so fresh and delicious. I’m totally addicted!!! (Michael will tell you!) 🙂 If I’m ever looking for an extra kick of protein and nutrients I use either Vega or SunWarrior Protein (Vanilla is best for this recipe). They are really great companies, that make 100% RAW vegan protein powders loaded with plant-based nutrition!!!

You can really jazz up any green smoothie to taste like whatever you want. Use blueberries, raspberries, and oranges with kale and spinach to make a super antioxidant smoothie. Or, a simple chocolate (cacao), almond butter, spinach and banana smoothie is a great start for those who are a little weary of the green stuff…and also great for those of us who LOVE chocolate and nut butter combo (I’m guilty!).

Any way you put it…green smoothies are where it’s at. They have protein, tons of fibre, vitamins and minerals, and are a great way to start your day. So ditch the coffee and take the plunge to green smoothies!! I promise you won’t regret it!

xo

Erinn