Smoothie Staples

Besides my usual smoothie base of organic frozen fruit, organic almond milk, and dark leafy greens, I mix up what nutritional supplements I toss in depending on my needs or mood. Here are some of my go-to staples:

• Sunwarrior Protein Powder (vanilla): raw, whole-grain, sprouted, vegan rice protein powder. Silky smooth texture that blends really well and tastes great.
• Sunwarrior Ormus Supergreens: raw, certified organic green super food. Peppermint and stevia leaves make these greens easy to drink and very palatable.
• MSM Powder: a good source of organic sulfur for the amino acids that are essential to internal cleansing. MSM is a naturally-occuring form of dietary sulfur found in fresh raw foods that are involved in the cycle of rain. Because MSM is deficient in foods grown in greenhouses or grown through irrigation it's hard for us to get it naturally. MSM is also volatile and destroyed by heat when you cook your food.
• Chia Seeds (soaked in water): http://www.rawreform.com/content/view/345/127/
• Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil: a healthy fat that adds a light and not overpowering flavor to smoothies. Coconut oil supports a healthy metabolism, immune system, and heart health.
• Flaxseed Oil: a rich vegetarian source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins and magnesium. Flaxseed oil also protects against inflammation and high blood pressure.

Be a green machine

I've been addicted to green smoothies lately. They're so easy and quick to make (and clean up!) and they give me an awesome energy boost in the mornings or on nights when I don't have time to cook dinner. On mornings when I make these green monsters, I love how I get a full serving of vegetables in before 9 a.m. without even noticing! Most people I know have exposure to smoothies, albeit mostly fruit based varieties. But I think you should drink more dark leafy green based smoothies instead!

Why go green?

How many of us naturally munch on raw kale, Swiss chard, collard greens or spinach during the day? And how many of us choose to eat a big healthy salad for lunch or dinner? The truth is, most people do not like to eat dark leafy greens. Many of us may not mind the taste of greens, but few people actively reach for lettuces in the kitchen. Many people find dark greens unpalatable and bitter to taste. Because our modern diets have changed our palates so drastically, most people are no longer naturally attracted to the taste of greens.

Yet there's overwhelming amount of research that tells us there's nothing more healthy on this planet for us than greens. Leafy greens are a vital source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, chlorophyll and fiber. Plus when you liquefy your greens in a smoothie, they're easy to digest because the blender has already "chewed" up your food for you (therefore your body doesn't have to work as hard to get the good stuff out of your food). When you toss sweet frozen fruit into the mix, the naturally sweet flavor from the fruit dominates the taste of the greens and makes the drink more palatable and therefore "tricks" your body into consuming more leafy goodness.

By making green smoothies at home with your own controlled whole food ingredients, you're guaranteed to be doing something good for yourself. I've personally found that I crave more and more greens as I drink these smoothies regularly. As our bodies are nurtured and cared for with nutrients that are abundant in greens, it tends to start to crave more and more greens on it's own.

Try to introduce green smoothies into your daily food regimen. You can start with any combination of fruits and greens you like (spinach, for example, has a milder taste than Kale). When I make my smoothies, I like to include other powerhouse nutritional add-ins such as chia seed, macca powder, sun warrior protein powder, raw cocoa powder, almond milk and flax seed oil.

Green Fuel Smoothie

2 cups organic spinach

1/2 cup frozen organic mango

1/2 cup frozen organic pineapple

1/4 cup organic almond milk (you could use hemp, rice, soy milk or even just H2O)

1/8 cup filtered water

1 tablespoon chia seeds

Wynne's Green Machine

2 cups organic arugula

1/2 cup organic frozen mango

1/2 cup organic frozen peaches

1/2 avocado

1 scoop sun warrior protein powder

add filtered water if too creamy

Green Smoothie Monster

4 leaves kale (stems removed)

4 leaves chard (stems removed)

1 chilled pear

1/2 frozen banana

2 cups filtered water

ice cubes

1 tablespoon soaked chia seed

Green Zing

1 bunch romaine or dandelion greens

1 medium cucumber

2 cups filtered water

1/2 inch fresh ginger root

fresh lime juice to taste

ice cubes

1 tablespoon flax seed oil

Coco-Chocolate Greenie

Thai coconut meat

5 kale leaves (stems removed)

1 frozen banana

1 tablespoon raw cocoa nibs

1 teaspoon raw cocoa and goji powder

ice cubes

filtered water to desired thickness

Wynne's Green Machine

So if you do nothing else that's healthy all day long, please make one of these raw green smoothies. The recipes here are not intended to be an exact science. Please play around with them! Add or take away whatever works for you and your taste buds.

Dust off your blender, buy some organic frozen fruit and dark leafy greens, and blend your way to improved health and energy! These smoothies are not only smooth and nutritious treats but they're fun to drink.