It’s Challenge week! Happy day 2 of the Healing with Superfoods challenge and let’s keep gearing up for those joining the Green Smoothie Cleanse on Friday, April 23rd. Here’s to ringing in Spring all cleansed, detoxed and energized!
Also, don’t forget to tune in this Wednesday at 9:00pm EST where I’ll be chatting with you on LIVE TV! Answering all your questions about Superfood Healing and the upcoming Green Smoothie Cleanse. Fun!!! Join in on Wednesday!
It is just about the 1 year anniversary of when I first launched the 3 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse Program. I have been taking a walk down memory lane and came across this post, written just over a year ago. Looking back on my smoothies then, I am pretty pleased that despite how super powered my smoothies used to be, I continue to take them further as time goes on. It’s a little reminder for us all that we have to work with where we’re at and just keep moving ahead step by step.
(Delicious prep for my last Green Smoothie cleanse)
How have my breakfast smoothies changed? Well, I tend to use herbal tea as my base, to get in a little extra healing powers and I have also started throwing in some additional powered herbs like ashwaganda and gotu kola, both excellent adaptogens that help us to cope with stress and support the nervous system. I use less fruit, more veggies, add in some fresh aloe, some chaga and usually a bit of MSM for extra liver cleansing. I also tend to use a wheat grass powder if I don’t have sprouts on hand. And I crave them more than ever.
What are the smoothie staples that are consistent with a year ago?
- Goji berries as they are a superior source of antioxidants.
- Soaked almonds for their protein and calcium content.
- Chia seeds, for their amazing amino acid profile and omega 3 essential fatty acids that have a great anti-inflammatory effect.
- Cacao beans, one of the most powerful foods on earth, rich in antioxidants (maybe the most concentrated source available) and essential trace minerals.
- Depending on how I ate the previous day, I might also add in some flax- also a good source of protein and omega 3s, they are a lubricating source of fibre.
- Fresh or dried coconut, or a scoop of coconut oil- a super food that is anti-microbial, anti-parasitic and anti-viral. It also helps stabilize blood sugar.
- Pinch of cayenne to increase circulation which helps the body detoxify waste by increasing blood circulation to bring in fresh oxygen to the cells.
- Spirulina- this is a non-negotiable! This blue-green algae comes from the sea and is a superior source of protein. It is a powder so it requires very little energy to be digested and is amazingly rich in chlorophyll- a phytochemical that comes straight from the sun’s energy, helps detoxify and nourish the blood and therefore every cell of the body. In my opinion, this is one the best green foods we can eat.
- Sprouts- sprout your own or buy them, they are rich in protein and enzymes (details here). I like pea shoots the best as they are green and also for convenience, they stay very long in the fridge (about two weeks if not more!)
- Celery- great source of cellulose (fibre that does not get digested but just helps move things along) and helps with sodium balance in the cells
- And lots of water. I don’t like my smoothies that thick so I add a lot of water, and with all that fibre, the more water the better.
- Stevia- for a little sweetness without effecting blood sugar
Keep reading Smoothie-ing On Up.
The 3rd 3 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse begins on Friday! Follow me on twitter, get your tutorial and let’s all play along!
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I’ve been looking for spirulina at my local health store, but they only carry them in tablet form. Aside from that I wouldn’t be able to mix them into my smoothie, is there any disadvantage to taking it this way? These are the tablets that are formed just with the powder using “inert gases”. (I don’t really know my science, so I’m not sure how this process really goes down)
Nothing wrong with the tablets- just always best to get it in an unprocessed form- but we do our best. You could also order it through Upaya Naturals.
Check Nutrition House for spirulina, they usually stock it in powdered form. You can also go with a “Greens” powder that has a healthy dose of spirulina and chlorella.
Meghan-thank you for the tutorial-you are so sweet!! Can’t wait for June!!
You’ll laugh at this — I made green smoothies for the ladies that help in my yard (organic dandelion greens, apple, banana, coconut water, lemon). Then at the end, one came in and made her grocery list to buy ingredients for smoothies. And she wrote down your website.
I enjoy reading how your smoothies have changed over time — mine have evolved too.
Meghan,
Can you recommend a specific brand of Spirulina. So many options out there not sure who to trust. Thanks!
Now or NuLife are both good.
why do you soak the almonds?
easier to digest and easier to blend.