Want two smoothies that help me over colds, give me energy, and reduce inflammation? Thought so. These are gonna do the trick! One is a green smoothie and the other is sort of a Kitchen Sink kind of recipe where I throw all the nutrients I want in my blender to make sure I get them in my system daily. Then I might add some clean flavorings for taste. Give them a try. Fair warning. They may be an acquired taste, but remember: they will give your body what it needs, and the tradeoff to eating well and feeling fantastic beats out taste for me every time! Here goes:
SALLY’S ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POWER SMOOTHIE:
8 oz. coconut or almond milk
1 tsp turmeric powder
dash pepper (helps turmeric absorption in the body)
Tbsp organic fiber (such as Dr. Formulated pre-biotic from Garden of Life)
Tbsp hemp hearts
1 tsp maca powder
1 tsp organic sprouted flax seed powder (This may make it too thick. You may leave out this ingredient or add more coconut or almond milk)
½ tsp moringa leaf powder (powerful superfood)
1 tsp matcha green tea powder
1 scoop multi-collagen protein powder (I use Ancient Nutrition. Different types of collagen do different things for us. This particular product has several types of collagen.)
Tbsp MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides are healthy fats that improve workout performance, cognitive ability, weight mgmt., gut and heart health. I might add another oil instead: milk thistle oil, a powerful detoxifier for the liver.)
dash cardamom (helps manage blood sugar levels)
dash cinnamon or add to taste (cinnamon also lowers blood sugar, reduces heart disease risk, other benefits)
dash nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coffee extract (if desired)
Add all ingredients and blend until smooth. You can use a regular blender for this one. Add more nut milk if too thick.
NEXT…
SALLY’S FAVORITE GREEN ENERGY SMOOTHIE:
8 oz. clean water, spring or purified
½ orange, peeled
1 bunch (or large fist full) spinach or spring greens
1 pear
6 chunks pineapple (optional, only use if you have no blood sugar issues or borderline insulin resistance)
1 small granny smith apple (this can be used in place of the pineapple for sugar sensitivity. Granny Smiths have the lowest sugar content of any apple)
2 stalks celery cut in chunks
3,4 sprigs of cilantro, or to taste
juice of ½ or ¼ lemon, or to taste
Blend in a high-speed blender like a Vitamix. (If you don’t have one it’s well worth the price for the health it can help you create for yourself and your family.) If you use a Nutribullet you will probably have to reduce the amounts of the ingredients to make sure you stay under the mixing line so the blender works properly. This smoothie tastes so fresh and clean…it’s almost as if you can feel your body thanking you for the boost! Yields about 24 oz. You can have some for breakfast and maybe save some for later if you are full (covered to keep the oxidization down).
Hope you give them a try. That said, it is also important for you to know that we are all such different beings, an often-confusing mix of heredity, environmental triggers and the nuances of the lives we have lived to this point. You may have the kind of body that responds better to whole foods in the morning, especially a good quality protein that sets you up for fat burning throughout the day. The only way to know is to give all these ideas a try and see what helps you feel better, help you lose extra pounds or positively impact your blood sugar levels the next time you have lab work done..
If you try them, let me know what you thought of them below. Cheers!