Now You Can Drink Your Greens, Fight Infection & Actually ENJOY It!

Smoothies. Some of us can’t live without them. Some of us don’t get what all the hype’s about! No matter which category you vibe with – the ingredients in this recipe will very likely have you skippin’ over to your trusty blender by the end of this post …

Let’s first talk about WHY the smoothie. Like WHY lug your multi-piece blender up on your counter and mega mix a bunch of foods together when you can just eat them all separately? Well I’ll tell you:

1. By blending a mix of ingredients together you can include special powders (think ginger, maca, cacao powder) & frozen foods that are otherwise difficult to chow on their own.
2. Blending up frozen foods like banana, avocado & even CAULIFLOWER add a rich, creamy texture that make it feel like you’re eating ice cream – ICE CREAM, people!
3. Creating smoothies is a BLAST! You can play with any recipe out there to make it your own and come up with unique, custom, go-to recipes.
4. It’s never been easier to sneak in vegetables for you AND your kids! By blending up veggies with the right amounts of fruits & other flavors, no one will taste the kale. Pinky swear!

Today I’m sharing with you my VERY FAVORITE green smoothie recipe. It’s based on Tone It Up’s Coconut Kale Beauty Smoothie but with my own lil spin…

THE GOODS

• 1 to 2 Cups Kale, Spinach or a mix of both
• 1/2 Cup Frozen Mango
• 1/2 Frozen Banana
• 1/2 Avocado if you have one on hand (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut or Almond Milk
• 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (Plant-based is aces)
• 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (check Trader Joe’s)
• 1 Teaspoon Ground or Fresh Ginger (game changer in the recipe!)

THE WORK

• Put all the goods in your trusty blender and BLEND UP!
• Sprinkle with some extra coconut flakes on top
• Snap a pic, post it to Insta, and tag me letting me know how you like it!!

Final thoughts:  Don’t skip the ginger, dolls!!! I’m tellin ya. You NEED this ingredient. Not only does it make this green smoothie taste next level DELISH, but ginger has SUPER POWERS! Dig this:

1. It’s high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
2.  Ginger can help prevent & relieve nausea. This can apply to sea sickness, surgery-related nausea, and morning sickness. It’s even been said to reduce monthly cramps!
3. Some studies have shown that ginger can help reduce muscle pain and exercise-induced muscle soreness. So chug this smoothie after your next HIIT routine!
4. My personal fave: Ginger has been known to speed up the emptying of our stomachs, helping peeps like me who suffer from indigestion and related stomach discomfort. Smell ya later over-the-counter meds!
5. Want more mental clarity? Add the ginger, ya’ll! Several studies explained that ginger can protect against age-related damage to the brain and improve brain function in elderly women. Prevent that brain fog now!
6. Stay healthy no matter the season! Gingerol, that main bioactive compound in ginger I mentioned, can help lower the risk of infections and inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria – including oral bacteria linked to inflammatory diseases in the gums. Fresh ginger may also be effective against the nasty RSV virus we all dread in preschools & day cares…

So there you have it. I can’t say enough about smoothies, and I can’t say enough about GINGER! Smoothies are the perfect way to pack a TON of power foods into one delicious meal, and adding super herbs like ginger is the cherry on top… {ooo fresh or frozen cherries … another excellent choice for a smoothie!!}

What’s your can’t-live-without-it smoothie ingredient?? Comment below!

Happy Blending,
Katie

PS: If you wanna get your ginger kick but aren’t a smoothie fan, check out this Whole30 Approved Stir Fry recipe that has this super food, too! So easy. So yum. So healthy.

Resources:

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger#section2
• https://www.toneitup.com/recipe/coconut-kale-beauty-smoothie/