Super Rich Goji Berry, Orange Banana Green Smoothie

It’s smoothie time again!

What shall I create today?

Hmmm…

Well, it all depends upon what I have on hand in my kitchen today.

Lucky for me, I had enough organic fruits and vegetables left from my last

shopping trip to whip up a thick, rich, sweet and creamy, “super”green smoothie.

With the addition of chia seeds and flax seeds, my smoothie was thick enough to eat

with a spoon.

This is actually a good thing because, ideally, smoothies should be “chewed” and then

swallowed for better digestion and to derive optimum nutrition.

Benefits of Drinking Smoothies

* More Nutrients

Let’s face it, it’s not always so easy to consume as many fruits, vegetables and other important

nutrients as we need each day.

Carefully-planned smoothies can help you get your RDA in every single day.

Think about it, if you have one breakfast smoothie you may easily consume four to five servings

of fruits and vegetables in one beverage.

Consume two smoothies in a day and you can count that day a vegetable success!

* More Fiber

Smoothies provide the fiber you need to reduce bloat, lose weight, and improve your

digestive system.

* Better Health & Stronger Immune System

Studies have shown that people with a diet high in vegetables and fruits have a lower risk of

heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The antioxidants and vitamins help protect you from common viruses and infections too.

* More Energy

When you drink a smoothie you get an instant dose of energy.

The digestive process is hastened; you digest smoothies quickly, and receive the nutrition and

benefits almost instantly.

And if you add protein to your smoothies or juice then your energy will last several hours

because the protein helps control the release of sugars into your blood stream.

Nutritional Highlights

Today’s green smoothie was packed with fresh, organic green vegetables:

* Parsley

Parsley isn’t exactly a green.

It’s an herb, like cilantro or basil.

With high levels of chlorophyll, it fights parasites, cleanses the liver and is a detoxifier.

(And if you add garlic or onions to your smoothie parsley can help your breath.)

It has a mild flavor so you can add it to just about any juice.

* Spinach

Popeye loved spinach and there’s a reason why.

In addition to a bit of calcium it also contains an abundance of vitamin K and folic acid.

It’s packed with many other important vitamins and minerals including A, B, and E

and it has the minerals your body needs.

Like kale, spinach pairs nicely with many fruits.

* Celery

Celery is an excellent vegetable blend.

It has diuretic properties and is a detoxifier.

Celery helps cleanse uric acid from digestive system and it’s very alkalizing.

It also contains potassium and has been used to lower blood pressure.

Celery stalks, including the greens, can be washed and popped into the blender or juicer whole.

No trimming or peeling required.

* Kale

Kale is the king of dark leafy greens.

There are different types of kale but they’re all extraordinarily nutritious.

A cup of kale provides 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C,

and an impressive 684% of vitamin K.

It is also a good source of minerals potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus and manganese.

Kale is excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K–and sulphur-containing phytonutrients

Plus, it is rich in eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Kale’s carotenoids and flavonoids provide powerful cancer-fighting health benefits.

What’s more, the fiber content of raw kale especially, binds bile acids and helps to lower cholesterol

levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, it tastes quite nice with apples, bananas, and berries.

*Fruits

Today’s smoothie contains several fruits as well including banana, orange and goji berries to

provide sweetness as well as important nutrients.

Fruits are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A.

Antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and reduce the risk of cancer.

Berries such as goji berries have the highest amount of antioxidants.

But choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for maximum health.

The antioxidants in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body.

*Goji Berries

The real stars of today’s smoothie are the super-nutritious goji berries.

They are very expensive, so I don’t always buy them, but when I find them

on sale at my local health food store I stock up.

Goji berries have been used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries.

They are the richest known source of beta carotene of all known foods or plants.

They contain polysaccharides which are considered a healing catalyst–fortifying the

immune system and stimulating the secretion of natural ani-aging HGH.

*Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

They also contain omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.

You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes with this

mighty seed.

Ground flax seed can be added to your smoothies and blends well.

*Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a full-spectrum “super seed” and a free radical fighting super food.

They are loaded with omegas 3, 6 and 9 for heart and digestive health.

They provide complete protein and are rich in amino acids–in addition to potent

antioxidants and fiber.

Goji Berry, Orange Banana Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
(Organic)

1 Banana

1 Orange

2/3 cup Goji Berries

1 cup Kale

1 cup Parsley

3 stalks Celery

1 cup Spinach

2 tablespoons Chia Seeds

2 tablespoons Flax Seeds

1 cup Coconut Water

Directions:

Wash, peel and break fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces.

Add items to a high speed blender such as a Vitamix, in the order above.

Blend until smooth.

This smoothie will be especially thick and creamy due to the chia seeds.

You can add additional liquid for a thinner consistency, if desired.

Drink up and enjoy!

What’s in your smoothie today?

Share your favorite smoothie ingredients with us!

“Shared at Healthy Vegan Fridays”

“Shared at Weekend Wholefood Blender Party”

“Shared on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday”

“Shared at Raw Food Thursday”