Show Your Tummy Some Love With This Incredible Green Smoothie Recipe

Samantha Keene – There’s no better way to start your day than with a refreshing and energizing green smoothie. It’s an easy way to incorporate extra vegetables into your diet and makes for a great time-saver on busy mornings.

gingerThis smoothie in particular is absolutely incredible. It’s become my new favourite, and I even make it on days when have the time to make a proper breakfast! It’s so easy and so delicious that it feels like I’m being naughty even when I know I’m doing something good for my body. As someone who has struggled with digestive issues for a long time, I can say without a doubt that this powerful combination of ingredients really does help to get things moving. Designed to help aid digestion using a few key ingredients, this will wake you up at least as well as coffee and stimulate your digestive system to start producing all those gut-friendly enzymes in the process.

If I could sum up the taste in one word, it would be vibrant. Between the tartness of the lemon, the kick of the ginger, and the freshness of the parsley, it really tastes like a happy garden in a glass.  And since it’s really well balanced with protein, healthy fats, fibre, and vitamins, I can feel confident in the knowledge that I’ve started my day off right.

What Makes it So Great?

Parsley

An effective treatment for constipation and a wonderful digestion aid, parsley has many benefits. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamins, including Vitamin C, B12, and K, and a natural diuretic, helping to relieve congestion and inflammation in the kidneys and bladder and alleviate pain in the joints. Chewing parsley at the end of a meal also aids digestion and freshens the breath – no chewing gum necessary!

Romaine Lettuce

Another diuretic and digestive aid, romaine (along with other large, leafy lettuces) helps flush toxins from the body and can sooth gastric distress and bloating. It is full of soluble fibre – another bonus for digestion – along with beta-carotene, iron, and vitamin C. Lettuce also contains lactucarium, a natural sedative.

Ginger

Ginger is well-known for its ability to combat nausea and other stomach upsets, but it also helps move food through the digestion tract and alleviates gas and bloating. Ginger in the morning is especially useful, since it stimulates the digestive enzymes in your mouth and stomach to “wake up.” Ginger is also powerfully anti-inflammatory.

Lemon

Despite being acidic, lemons actually have a calming effect on the gut, helping to relieve heartburn, nausea, indigestion, and stomach aches. They are highly alkalizing and antibacterial, and can reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood. Another diuretic, lemons reduce bloating and water retention.

Coconut Oil

Despite being pure fat, coconut oil is high in medium-chain-triglycerides (MCTs), meaning it can actually help with weight management by reducing appetite, boosting metabolism, and increasing the activity of fat-burning cells. MCTs also help lower the risk of heart disease. Coconut oil also fights bacteria, viruses, and fungi, as it is a natural antibiotic and antifungal.

Matcha

Packed with antioxidants called polyphenols (137x more than regularly brewed green tea!), matcha offers protection against various forms of cancer and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. It is also an effective detoxifier, and has been shown to boost the metabolism and provide a steady dose of energy, enhancing mood and aiding concentration throughout the day. Matcha also contains a good amount of fibre, along with vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc, and magnesium.

This recipe comes from my blog, The Healthful Hoard.

Spring Detox Smoothie (serves 1)

~ gluten free, vegan, raw, soy free, no added sugar ~

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy beverage – I use my vanilla cashew-almond milk)
  • 1/4 cup filtered water
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 2 cups romaine lettuce (or spinach, kale, other greens)
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
  • a generous squeeze of lemon
  • 1 serving raw vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3-4 ice cubes
  • 1 tsp matcha powder
  • 1 tsp maca powder (optional)

Directions

  1. Add the almond milk, water, frozen banana, lemon juice, and ice cubes to the blender, along with all of the dry ingredients (protein powder, matcha, maca if using).
  2. Blend on high until mostly incorporated, then, with the blender still running, slowly add in the various greens, ginger, and coconut oil. Continue blending until completely smooth, adding cold water a splash at a time if necessary.
  3. Enjoy immediately.

gingerSamantha Keene is an editor, food blogger, researcher, and wellness enthusiast. She is the author behind the gluten free and vegetarian blog, The Healthful Hoard, which features whole-foods based recipes designed to enliven and empower. Samantha believes in a simple mantra: “Eat better. Feel better. Repeat.” For more information or for healthy meal inspiration, visit: thehealthfulhoard.wordpress.com.

SF Source Collective Evolution  May 2015

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