Lately I have been drinking a version of this smoothie every morning. I have to insist the easiest way to eat your vegetables for breakfast is in smoothie form! This particular smoothie is so refreshing, cleansing and even a bit spicy due to the ginger and parsley. These two special ingredients are also powerful medicinal foods. Ginger has powerful anti-oxidants which may play a role in cancer prevention. The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger also help reduce pain after intense exercise (just what we need during triathlon training!). I often recommend ginger for joint pain in my patients with arthritis. Parsley has an amazing array of health benefits as well: packed with nutrients and antioxidants it is also a natural anti-inflammatory and diuretic. This smoothie also provides 100% of your daily need for calcium! Just don't forget to take that Vitamin D supplement if you live in the Pacific Northwest!
This recipe is forgiving and easy to add to / subtract from, so have fun and get creative with your morning dose of greens!
GINGER PEAR & GREENS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SMOOTHIE:
YIELD: 2 - 20 oz glasses TOTAL TIME: 7 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
4 ice cubes
1 ripe banana
1 pear
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 Tablespoon PBfit or other powdered peanut butter
1 Tablespoon chia seed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup parsley
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
METHOD:
1. Place all ingredients in blender, and enjoy!
Note: Fresh ginger can sometimes be daunting.... how do I peel that thing without cutting off all the ginger?? I learned from chefs at the Culinary Institute that the easiest way to peel the skin off ginger is by gently scraping it with a spoon. I will peel a few inches of ginger and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days to reduce my morning prep time.
NUTRITION FACTS: (per 20 oz serving)
261 Calories/ Fat 9.8g/ Sat fat 0.3g/ Sodium 438g/ Carbs 36.8g/ Fiber 12g/ Sugars 16g/ Protein 9g + 1214mg Calcium and 6mg Iron
