Holly’s Green Smoothie

When my friend Holly Shelowitz posted her favorite green smoothie recipe on Facebook, I wanted to try it immediately. I did…and I loved it.

Holly is holistic nutritionist. We only just met a few months ago, but we have so much in common that it feels like I’ve known her much longer. She and I share a love for high quality nutrient dense food, and I’ve been wanting her to do a guest post for a while. So without further ado, here’s Holly and her green smoothie recipe!

I eat greens every day, both cooked and in salads, but I was craving something more. The color green is associated with refreshing, vital energy and nutritionally, dark leafy greens are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. One cup of most dark, leafy green vegetables supplies the daily requirement of beta carotene, as well as vitamins C, E and K. Dark leafy greens are also high in fiber, folic acid, and dozens of trace minerals and nutrients.

For the nutrients to be most available for our bodies, greens should to be enjoyed with good quality fat like avocado, coconut oil, olive oil or ghee. Good fats help to transport the minerals into our bodies in a way that can be easily absorbed; a lack of good fats is one of the reasons low fat diets can be harmful!

Eating dark, leafy greens can benefit your body in a number of ways:

• chlorophyll helps to purify and build the blood
• improved immune system function
• promotion of healthy intestinal flora and better digestion
• improved liver and kidney function
• the clearing of congestion, especially in the lungs and intestines

So while you can buy all those green powders, there’s just nothing like live greens. You can really feel the vitality as you drink it. Green smoothies are truly nourishing and uplifting; they can improve your energy levels, lift your spirits and help you fight depression too.

The key here is to taste the smoothie after you blend but before you pour it so you can adjust the ingredients, if necessary. Greens can be strong, especially if you are not used to having them in a smoothie. So taste and fuss with the levels of the ginger/apple/lemon accordingly. I suggest not going overboard with the lemon, but increasing the apple, in particular, makes this sweeter and more palatable for just about anyone.

Holly’s Green Smoothie Recipe

Use organic ingredients:

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/4 lemon, skin and all
1-2 cored apples
5 stalks kale (stems removed)
flesh from 1 avocado
pinch of celtic sea salt
dash of water

Directions:

Using a high speed blender, process until super smooth. Eat with a spoon. You won’t believe how great it tastes!

Check out Holly’s Website and blog for more information about her nutritional counseling practice, her cooking classes, and her recipes. She also makes her own line of Nourishing Wisdom Skincare Products, so be sure to check those out, too!

And if you’d like to know more about green smoothies, please visit my website.

This post is linked to this week’s edition of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

Tagged as: green smoothie, smoothie