25 Jan JANUARY SUPER JUICE – THE GREEN SMOOTHIE
A bright, kryptonite glass of greens is just the thing to cheer up a, frankly pretty drab, Sunday morning. But how do you make a green smoothie that’s actually palatable and not just to score you smug points on Instagram? Don’t panic, Christine Joos, reveals all in her fourth January Super Juice instalment…
Green smoothies are an amazing, easy way to incorporate nutrient-dense leafy veg into your diet. Eating them fresh and raw is ideal, because all enzymes and vitamins are still intact.
The principle of a green smoothie is simple: use 1 handful of leafy greens like Cavolo Nero, curly kale or baby spinach and mix with 1 banana and 1-3 other yellowish fruits of your choice, plus some nut milk or dairy free yoghurt. Feel free to add a tablespoon of seeds – hemp, linseed, sunflower, pumpkin or chia. Blend it and TA DAH! – you have a powerful, detoxing, nourishing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant glass of awesomeness that a) tastes bloody amazing and b) will perk up your social media feeds no end.
Cavolo Nero:
This dark leafy vegetable provides you with many of the same benefits as other types of kale, so feel free to exchange and experiment with various styles of these super greens. It’s filled with plenty of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and lutein, and flavonoids. Carotenoids and flavonoids are antioxidants, helping to protect against various forms of disease. It’s high in Vitamins A, C, K and calcium. It’s full of fiber and sulfur, both great for cleansing your body and keeping your liver happy and healthy.
Healthy facts about hemp seeds:
Hemp seeds are unique because they deliver all essential amino acids (that’s uncommon of plant sources), which makes them a great ingredient if you’re on a vegan or vegetarian diet. 1 tbsp containts 1 gram of fiber, 2.5 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat including 441 milligrams of anti-inflammatory omega-3 alpha-liolenic acid (ALA).
- 1 handful Cavolo Nero (= black kale) or curly kale
- 1 banana
- 2 sweet pears
- 1 orange
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 4 tbsp soya yoghurt or Coyo
Optional (to garnish)
- some mulberries or frozen berries
- 1 pinch desiccated coconut
- 1 tbsp soya yoghurt or Coyo
Wash the kale and fruit, then blend all except the optional ingredients until smooth, transfer into glass, top with berries, a dollop of yoghurt and desiccated coconut as you wish.
Christine Joos, aka @london_yogini, is a designer, smoothie alchemist, yoga teacher and mum who lives in North London. She’s a passionate yogini who believes in the transformative power of nutrition. As well as posting her wellbeing inspo here, you can also find her flexing her creative muscles for brands like ASOS, Virgin and Adidas.