Not your typical smoothie recipe. This is called a green smoothie because you will be adding leafy greens which are vital to increasing our energy and overall well being. Great for sustaining energy levels over a long period of time. Please don't let the color turn you off, green is good, green is life!
Research has shown that in order to digest the nutrients in the leafy greens they need to be chewed to a consistency of 1-2mm. This is because of the tough cellulose fiber which needs to be broken open to release the nutrients. Now that's a lot of chewing! Since most folks don't even chew properly anymore because of the food they're eating is predominately cooked, it doesn't allow them to exercise their jaw muscles which in turn helps to keep them strong and in shape. This is where the blender comes in, it basically does most of the chewing for you. Green smoothies are also fantastic because they can last for up to 3 days refrigerated and have all of the fiber intact which is important for elimination.
A few tips to get the most out of consuming green smoothies:
- Drink within 20 minutes or so after making and be sure to swish your mouth with water afterwards so that the sugar isn't just sitting on your teeth.
- Chew the smoothie each time before swallowing. This will help to produce saliva that whitens the teeth and allows you to digest it better.
- Always use variety. Meaning-don't drink the same exact concoction of greens for more than 30 days at a time. Each particular green has a way of protecting it's species in nature and releases a small amount of toxins that if consumed for a prolonged period of time in massive quantities, isn't so hot for you.
- I always find that most people do well adding more fruit in the beginning than greens, until the body becomes acclimated to the taste and naturally craves more greens than fruit.
Island Paradise Smoothie
Ingredients:
* 2 cups filtered water
* 2 ripe bananas
* 1 handful stemmed strawberries
* 1 mango of your choice, chopped and
* 3-4 pitted and soaked medjool dates, any dates will do but these taste best
* 2 collard leaves (stemmed)
* 2 kale leaves (stemmed)
Directions:
There are two ways to make this depending on which type of blender you have. The first set of directions is for high speed commercial blenders only. Pour the water, a few ice cubes (optional), and place the rest of the ingredients into the blender and turn on high for 30 seconds. Pour and enjoy.
For department store blenders. Because the motors on most department store models are not that strong you will need to do it in steps. First pour the water, a few ice cubes (optional), and the chopped banana and dates and blend on high speed till creamy. Next add the chopped mango and strawberries and blend again on high speed. Lastly, add the collards and kale but be sure to chop the leaves finely before adding. This will help to take the strain off of the motor and make the smoothie creamy.
Suggestions: Pour into a beautiful glass and garnish with a slice of fruit like pineapple, strawberry, or mango. Sit out in the sun, sip, and enjoy.
