Smoothies!

Smoothie time!!!!!!! 

Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrients into the body at once. The natural vitamins and fiber make it like a multi-vitamin but better! They are also a fantastic way to promote healthy and efficient systems function while providing a great energy boost to your day.



This recipe makes two smoothies, so it's great both for couples to have one every day or for single folks to store one in the fridge for tomorrow. I have a smoothie each day in the morning, and it is the only food I consume for the first half of the day (not counting a cup of black coffee and water).

Ingredients can vary seasonally, though the basic materials are the same. Amounts are approximated:



- Fresh or frozen fruit - 2 cups (this could be a frozen fruit mix, or a combination of fresh fruit such as banana, pear, berries, pineapple, apple, mango, kiwi, etc.)
- Almond or Coconut milk - 3/4 cup (you can also use raw nuts such as cashews and 1/2 cup water)
- Seeds, Powders, etc. - a few shakes of items such as flax seed, chia seeds, maca powder, spirulina, matcha powder, cocoa nibs, acai powder, etc. Try starting with one or a few, and experiment from there.
- Dark Greens - 2 cups (this could be kale, beet greens, carrot greens, spinach, broccoli leaf, dandelion greens, radish greens, etc.)

Start with fresh fruit and either nuts with water or almond/coconut milk. Then add seeds, powders, etc. Add greens on top, and finish off with a handful of ice cubes and/or frozen fruit pieces to make the smoothie nice and frosty.



Next, blend!



While a more powerful blender will make short work of the mixture, most any blender will work. For smaller/ more conventional models especially: make sure your fruit and greens are cut into smaller pieces. Always put frozen items on the top. Use a wooden spoon to tamp down the mixture if necessary while blending, and add a little water if it's too thick initially (carefully though, or you'll end up with juice instead of a smoothie!).

The fruit will give your smoothie sweetness while the greens, seeds, powders, etc., will impart their own varying leafy, mineral and earthy flavors. The color will be that of the dominant leafy green(s) while being accentuated by whatever fruit you put in (strawberries and beet greens will create a red hue, etc.). The consistency should be thick but still drinkable with or without straw.

Experiment with different combinations of fruit, greens, seeds, etc. to discover the things that your body responds to!