Superfood Morning Smoothies set me up for the day to have a clear mind, no aches and pains. I am feeding my body information that is going to set me up for feeling great all day long! Liz Lipski, from The Future of Nutrition Conference
Of course I have consumed smoothies, but mainly fruit blends made at Kauai (serving deliciously good and good for you food fast in South Africa). I first read about the idea of consuming super nutrient smoothies regularly in August 2012 when I read Abs Diet by David Zinczenko. At that stage I didn’t have a blender, so I just made a mental note that it was an interesting idea. My daughter-in-law made me my first super nutrient smoothie in June 2013. She told me about the ginger and lemon – which I have come to realize are absolutely essential for a great tasting smoothie!
I’ve been practicing making and drinking superfood smoothies for over six months now and would like to share my method. It’s not a recipe, because no two batches are ever the same. It is a method for using what you have and making something nutritious and delicious. I LOVE my superfood smoothies.
I think of the ingredients for the smoothie in terms of three categories: items I collect from the Cupboard, Refrigerator, and Freezer.
I try to keep these three places stocked with what I am going to be needing. However, if I run out of anything, I simple make it without!
- Cupboard
The ingredients that I store in the cupboard I usually purchase on-line from either Vitacost or Amazon. If you find a better source, or better prices, please let me know.
- Goji berries*
- Raw Cacao* (powder, nibs or whole beans)
- Maca powder* (a high priced item that I don’t always have available due to budgetary constraints!)
- Aloe Vera* bottled gel or fresh aloe vera (my local Kroger stocks whole fresh aloe vera)
- Spirulina* powder (when I have it. Beware, the strong green color TOTALLY DOMINATES the smoothie, which is fine for me, but some newbies might object)
- Coconut flakes* (once opened I keep in the freezer, sometimes I also add a Tablespoon of coconut oil)
- Hemp seeds* (once I open them I keep them in the refrigerator)
- Chia seeds
- Honey*, 1 Tablespoon (or to taste)
- Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon or to taste
- Pinch Himalayan crystal salt
* Superfoods that made David Wolfe’s Top 10 list
How much?? Well, that is entirely up to you. Do you have a huge stock on hand – be generous! Not too much left in the bag? Then go a bit easier. Generally two heaped spoons of most of the items, except for the honey, cinnamon and salt.
2. Refrigerator
- 1 – 2 apples** I put the whole apple, cut into quarters – seeds, core and all
- 1/3 – ½ lemon – organic preferred because I use the peel, but remove seeds
- fresh ginger – gives it a bit of a bite. I use about 1 inch, but you might start with less
- 1-2 sticks Celery**
- 1/3 – ½ cucumber**
- fresh coriander
- kale**
- kefir or yogurt (don’t always use this, but I intend to start making kefir and will include it regularly)
- kiwi or other seasonally available fruit
**These are part of the dirty dozen so you should really buy organic, or at least peel them.
3. Freezer
±1 frozen banana. I buy extra bananas, peel them and chop or break them into a container and keep them in the freezer.- Any other frozen fruit: blueberries, mangos, peaches, etc.
- Ice cubes made with raw milk or spring water (sometimes)
- Coconut flakes* a handful
I have a Vitamix. I just dump everything in, and then add spring water. I process on high till it seems like it is all mixed, pushing down with the tamper as needed. I haven’t ever tried with any other brand of blender. You can let me know how it goes, or what modifications you have to make if you have a different type.
I distribute the mixture evenly among 4 x 16 oz containers (500 ml) and they are usually 3/4 full. It makes enough for John and I to have one today and have two to put in the freezer for tomorrow. For the freezer, if I remember to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator just before I go to bed, it is the perfect consistency in the morning.
Since organic fruit and vegetables are so expensive, I try to utilize every bit. I sometimes collect the little bits of leftover apples, or celery and put them into a container and store in the freezer for the next smoothie.
I love my morning smoothie. I love the taste. I love the fact that the cucumber, celery and cilantro are naturally helping my body to detox. I love the fact that the Superfoods are providing my body with nutritious dense ingredients. I love how I feel all day long. I love the fact that I’m not hungry for a long time and even if there aren’t too many options for lunch, I know my body has what it needs!
Tell me about your best habits that promote your health….
Pingback: Delectable, Light, Easy, Gluten Free Waffles | Journey Boost
Pingback: Rationing Onions | Journey Boost
Pingback: Making Kefir | Journey Boost
Great to hear from you Kim. Yes I have sometimes added an egg to my smoothie, but not too much recently. I am blessed to be able to buy fresh organic eggs and organic raw milk. I think eggs are great and enjoy lightly frying them in coconut oil. I’ve also discovered that if you scramble eggs in lots of coconut oil they are really really delicious! Ordering poached eggs is about the healthiest option I can find in a lot of restaurants. I know the eggs might not be the best, but at least I’m not getting fats, wheat, etc.! Navigating this modern nutritional world in a cost effective manner is challenging, but I’m trying to help others figure it out – thanks for your insight. I love the idea of harvesting and making smoothies in advance. Have you ever investigated the impact of freezing on all the superfood nutrients? I’ve so far just wondered about it!
Yes, I have wondered about losing nutrients due to freezing, too, but we both know it is a lot better option than canning!!! In all my reading I don’t remember any mention of research being done about freezing but it’s on my “watch list.”
Good tip about ordering poached eggs in restaurants 🙂
I love the taste of coconut oil but it doesn’t seem to like me…gives me a stomach ache for some odd reason and if I consume too much of any oil, like I did yesterday:( , my liver, or something in that area, really acts up. I had my gall bladder taken out about 4 years ago and now I wish I had tried to dissolve the stone (3cm) instead of losing the GB…miss it a lot and now will try to address problems before they get out of hand. Will have to take a look at the liver cleanse articles that I usually pass up bc I didn’t think they pertained to me!!! Thankfully, the Lord is impressing on me to seek His wisdom and really trust Him for my body instead of obsessing about it and spending hours trying to find a solution because then He will lead me to just what I need to do, if anything but wait! It’s just so facinating to learn how these miraculous bodies work! Thanks for your time and articles. The perfect parent one was spot on for me 🙂
The smoothie sounds great and very healthy. I like to have them for breakfast because it is full of good nutrition and can be consumed while doing other things. Last fall I made smoothies as the harvest of veg/fruits came in and froze them in glass jars (I refuse plastic as much as possible.) As you mention, IF I remember to take one out before bed it is thawed for breakfast. 🙂 I also add something to my drink that many find repulsive and controversial…why? I don’t know. Sometimes I also include a raw egg that I know is fresh and inspected by me for a completely intact shell…no cracks, etc. I use to be ok with store bought eggs years ago when our food supply was safer but now I don’t use them (or buy them unless I have to and then for cooking/baking.) I have access to locally produced eggs and know without a doubt they are fresh, nutritious and very safe. Eggs are incredible sources of protein and other essential nutrients, and as with so much of our food supply, its the way food is grown or processed that makes them dangerous and unhealthy. It has always saddened me that the American public bought into the lie that eggs are dangerous and detrimental to good health; this has cheated our children of a wonderful source of nutrition for growing. I might mention also that years ago I developed an intolerance of gluten, dairy and eggs 🙁 but have found I can consume “real milk” and “real eggs” (meaning animals raised on local farms the way they were meant to be) without reactions as long as I don’t consume them every day, esp. milk. Well, guess I better stop for now as I could go on and on about health and nutrition; like you, I have found it to be a very interesting and necessary topic. Thanks for the post:)