Tag Archives: healthy green drink
Smoothies and Green Juices

Apple Pie Smoothie

By on Thursday, January 2, 2020

Happy New Year!

After all of the holiday treats, you may be looking for some healthy and nutritious recipes. This smoothie is the perfect thing to get you back on track. Not only is it healthy, but it’s delicious! It tastes exactly like apple pie. And it’s so quick and easy to throw together.

I like to make smoothies for breakfast, but you can have it as a snack before or after a workout, or even as a dessert.

You can use kale or spinach, along with an apple, some raw nuts, ground flaxseed, a dash of cinnamon and natural protein powder.

I use the NutriBullet high speed blender which works really well to puree everything, even apple peels and nuts.

Just add your greens to the container, then the apple slices, flaxseed, nuts and cinnamon, along with about a cup of water. Blend thoroughly, then add a scoop of protein powder and blend again, just until combined.

I find that if you add the protein powder in the beginning along with everything else, sometimes the mixture can expand too quickly and start leaking out of the container before everything else is fully pureed. So it’s best to have a fully blended and uniform mixture before adding the protein powder.

After blending, pour into a fresh glass and enjoy!

Apple Pie Smoothie

Servings:  1

  • 1 cup (packed) raw organic kale or spinach
  • 1 small granny smith apple, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons raw walnuts, pecans or almonds
  • 1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 scoop natural vanilla whey protein powder (sweetened with stevia)

Directions:

Add the first 5 ingredients to a high speed blender cup, such as the Nutribullet.  Add 1 cup of water and blend until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Add protein powder and blend for a few more seconds.  Serve.

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Smoothies and Green Juices

Immune Booster Green Juice

By on Wednesday, November 20, 2019

As winter approaches, along with cold and flu season, you may want boost your immune system with a healthy green drink. This one is refreshing, slightly sweet and sour, but balanced.

I know that when I start to feel a dry, scratchy throat, sneezing or a stuffy nose, I immediately take extra vitamins to ward off a possible virus. This drink provides essential vitamins, minerals and fiber to help keep your system running smoothly.

I find that using a high-powered blender (like the NutriBullet) is essential when making this kind of drink. Otherwise, you just end up with juice and lose all the fiber.

Here’s everything that I included in my drink (except the lime is not shown in this photo). Below I’ve listed a few of the health benefits of each ingredient.

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is also important for maintaining bone health.

Parsley can reduce cancer risk, reduce inflammation, protect blood vessels and boost your immune system.

Mint is a calming and soothing herb that has been used for thousands of years to aid with upset stomach or indigestion. Mint is thought to increase bile secretion and encourage bile flow, which helps to speed and ease digestion (and which may also support healthy cholesterol levels).

Ginger can aid in digestion, provide cold and flu relief, pain reduction, reduce inflammation and promote cardiovascular health.

Granny Smith apples can help combat against chronic inflammation, which can lead to diabetes, and are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C.

Celery is rich in vitamins and minerals with a low glycemic index. It contains vitamins A, K, and C, plus minerals like potassium and folate; it’s also low in sodium.

Lemons and limes are high in vitamin C, an important antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage. Vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron from foods and supports the immune system.

To make the drink, wash the greens, then stuff them into the NutriBullet container. Add roughly chopped celery, peeled ginger, and (unpeeled) apple, as well as the juice from half of a lemon or lime, and a small amount of water.

Note that once everything is blended, it will be very thick. Feel free to thin it with more water, but I find that it helps to stir it a couple of times while drinking to keep it mixed properly. (The fibrous elements tend to rise to the top.)

Immune Booster Green Juice

Servings:  1

  • 1 handful fresh organic spinach leaves
  • 1 handful fresh parsley
  • 1 handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger root, peeled
  • 1 small granny smith apple, cored
  • 1-2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • The juice from half of a lemon or lime
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender, such as NutriBullet.  Blend until everything is liquefied, adding additional water, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.

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Smoothies and Green Juices

Refreshing Pear-Ginger Cooler with Lemon-Lime

By on Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Here is another healthy smoothie made with fresh organic greens, cucumber, pear, ginger and citrus juices.

Ginger has many beneficial properties. It can help with digestion, nausea, cold and flu relief, pain reduction, inflammation, and cardiovascular health. It gives the drink a spicy kick!

Pears are a great source of fiber, are a low-glycemic fruit, a good source of antioxidants, including potassium, which helps to flush out excess sodium from the body, and can also help reduce high blood pressure. In addition to vitamin C, pears contain electrolytes, magnesium and copper, an antioxidant that helps the central nervous system and boosts brain power.

Parsley provides a concentrated source of nutrients. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, may improve bone health, protect against chronic diseases, and has antioxidant benefits.

Fresh lemon and lime juice: loaded with vitamin C which boosts the immune system, helps prevent asthma, increases iron absorption, contains collagen which improves the complexion, lowers risk of stroke, lowers blood pressure, assists nervous system, relieves constipation, highly alkalizing (once metabolized), anti-viral and anti-inflammatory.

The great thing about high speed blenders like the NutriBullet, is that you don’t have to peel any fruits. It grinds everything up so you get the added fiber and nutritional benefit contained in the peels. (A traditional juicer removes all the fiber.)

I don’t like drinks that are too sweet, so this one has just a hint of sweetness from the pear, a spicy kick from the ginger, and the tart flavor from the lemon and lime juice gives it a nice balance. It turned out very thick when I first made it, so I just added water. Feel free to add as much water as you like to get the proper consistency. You can also add crushed ice to make it super cold and thick. Enjoy!

Refreshing Pear-Ginger Cooler with Lemon-Lime

Servings:  1

  • A handful of organic baby spinach leaves
  • A handful of organic parsley
  • 1 medium pear, cored and cut into large pieces
  • 1/4 of a seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • The juice of 1/2 lemon
  • The juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 cup filtered water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender, such as NutriBullet.  Blend until everything is completely smooth.  If you prefer a thinner consistency, add additional water. 

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