What’s in today’s green smoothie?

So we’ve seen green, I’ve shown you brown and now we have… ta dah: PURPLE!

 

A much more pleasurable color for a beverage over brown, I agree. What did I do to get such an exciting color? Read on to find out…

 

Ingredients:

·         1 cup frozen mixed berries (Wyman’s of Maine Triple Berry Blend)

·         2 shots frozen wheatgrass *see note below

·         1/2 cup unsweetened Honest Tea Just Green Tea

·         1/2 cup Nasoya silken tofu

·         Large handful chopped beet greens

·         1 cup water

                     

Directions are much like the ones included in previous green smoothie blog posts – blend the berries with the wheatgrass and tea; add the tofu, greens and water; and, blend until smooth.

I could really taste the flavor of the green tea in this mixture with hints of sweetness from the berries plus the ever-present undertones of greenery. Yum!

*Special note – Evergreen Wheatgrass Juice: I found this next to the frozen berries at Whole Foods and was immediately intrigued. It was a little pricey ($13 for 20 one oz. packets) but I’m often a sucker for new health-food products and this definitely fell under that description for me.

For some background info: wheatgrass juice is potent raw, living food.  The grass itself comes from the common wheat plant when it is young, vibrant and full of rich green chlorophyll.  When the grass is squeezed, a dark green liquid is expressed, resulting in wheatgrass juice.

The benefits of wheatgrass are vast:

·         It contains over 90 minerals, including high concentrations of the most alkaline minerals: potassium, calcium, and magnesium (to help reduce inflammation-causing acidity and balance internal Ph).  

·         One teaspoon of wheatgrass powder, weighing a mere 3.5 grams, is nutritionally equal to an entire spinach salad weighing a full 50 grams. Plus, it has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A as carrots!

·         It contains the essential enzymes, anti-oxidants and amino acids serve many functions, including:

o   assist in protein & fat digestion

o   strengthen the heart muscle

o   lessen the effect of radiation (destroy free radicals)

o   oxygenate & cleanse the blood

o   detoxify the cells

o   slow cellular aging

What do all these benefits equate to for you?                à Improved energy, concentration & memory         à Boosted immune system, less susceptibility to colds & the flu      à Improved skin & reduced signs of aging   à Better blood circulation  à Enhanced overall physical and mental well-being

Sounds worth a shot, right??? (no pun intended...)

Happy eating,

Chloe RD & the GLC