If you’re like many Americans, the only greens on your mind around this time of the year are in the form of wreaths and Christmas trees- not spinach and broccoli.
But we’re doing our bodies a huge disservice when we fail to eat at least five servings of vegetables each day.
Leafy greens are an important source of fiber, help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, are full of antioxidants, and can help to prevent heart disease (just to name a few of their many benefits).
So, what’s the easiest way to get some greens into your diet without putting a damper on your holiday spirit?
Drink them!
Green smoothies made with kale, spinach, collards, celery, and/or cucumber are a delicious, easy, pain-free way to pack a ton of veggies into your diet at one time. I promise that, if you add plenty of fruit into the mix, you won’t even taste the greens at all.
Here’s one of my favorite seasonally appropriate recipes…
Pear Smoothie
Makes 1 serving
1/2 cup of milk, such as unsweetened almond or soy milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 very ripe Bartlett pear, seeded, halved
1/2 medium-sized banana (preferably frozen)
2 cups of spinach, loosely packed
1 teaspoon of raw honey1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon3-5 ice cubes
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend well until smooth. If you don’t like your smoothies on the thicker side, you can add a bit more milk until you achieve your desired consistency.
You might also enjoy a spinach smoothie with avocado and apple, a vegan pumpkin superfood green smoothie, or an organic fall green smoothie.
Not a fan of the fruit in season during this time of the year? You can always use the frozen variety. In some cases, it might even be less expensive.
I suggest making yourself a big a green smoothie first thing in the morning and enjoy it for breakfast to ensure that you get those nutrients into your system right away. It will give you all of the energy that you’ll need to deck the halls, shop, and bake cookies!
