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Thursday, April 18, 2013

Green Monster Smoothie

This is what I had for breakfast.
You are probably wondering two things.
Q1. What in the world is it?
Q2. Why in the world would I drink it?
A1. This is a Vegan Detox Green Monster Smoothie. I got it from Ambitious Kitchen. It is
  • 3/4 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup cucumber peeled, sliced
  • 1 large frozen banana, sliced
  • 1 1/2 cup milk (I used Vanilla Almond Milk)
  • 1 1/2 cup kale, loosely packed (just the leaves--not the stalks!)
  • Large handful of Spinach
Throw it all in a high-powered blender and go! It makes a LARGE glassful of smoothie!
A2. I am currently on the Paleo diet... but that's a topic for another day... so this smoothie is perfect for me! Plus it's fast and easy to "eat" breakfast this way... And it does NOT taste like veggies at all. It tastes fresh and smooth and cold. This one is a keeper for sure!
Why should you eat Kale? WebMD says:
"One cup of kale is a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds. Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw."

Obviously you could use regular cow's milk in this smoothie. The benefit of using almond milk is that it becomes dairy-free and can assist you in getting rid of toxins in your body. You won't miss the milk, I promise! And if you are someone who can't have milk--well then this is just for you!