Wake-Up Call: The Green Smoothie

green-smoothie This high in fiber and vitamin-filled smoothie will start your day right! With only 10 minutes to prepare, this yummy (surprisingly sweet) and nutritious drink should be consumed immediately to capture all the essential veggies and fruits...and to avoid the congealed glob that happens after 30 minutes.

The recipe for this smoothie originated from my friend, Alexi, but I ended up doctoring the recipe just a little bit and haven't actually tried the original. Enjoy and make your own adjustments as needed!

Ingredients 1 C  - soy milk 1 banana 1  1/2 cup  - green kale (coarsely chopped) 1/4 C  chopped celery 1/4 C - English cucumber (with skin) 1/4 C - goji berries 2-4 - frozen strawberries 1/2 T - ginger root the juice of half a lemon drizzle of agave (to taste) 1/2 t - cayenne (optional)

Directions Fill blender with soy milk and banana in two pieces to the liquid. Add the kale (push it down to preserve space), celery, cucumber, goji berries, strawberries, ginger root, lemon and top it off with a drizzle of agave. If you are a little frightened of the cayenne, try it without to start and add gradually—I like the added kick to my drink.

A little on the nutritional value... Soy milk: manganese, magnesium & selenium Banana: fiber, potassium, B6 & C Kale: calcium, fiber, iron, A, B6 & C Cucumber: calcium, fiber, iron, A, B6 & C Celery: A, C & B6, calcium Goji berries: A, C, fiber & iron Strawberries: fiber, iron, manganese, potassium & C Ginger: magnesium, potassium & C Agave: natural sweetener Cayenne: A, B6 and C