GINGER PEAR & GREENS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SMOOTHIE

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Lately I have been drinking a version of this smoothie every morning.  I have to insist the easiest way to eat your vegetables for breakfast is in smoothie form!   This particular smoothie is so refreshing, cleansing and even a bit spicy due to the ginger and parsley.   These two special ingredients are also powerful medicinal foods.  Ginger has powerful anti-oxidants which may play a role in cancer prevention.  The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger also help reduce pain after intense exercise (just what we need during triathlon training!).  I often recommend ginger for joint pain in my patients with arthritis.  Parsley has an amazing array of health benefits as well: packed with nutrients and antioxidants it is also a natural anti-inflammatory and diuretic.   This smoothie also provides 100% of your daily need for calcium!  Just don't forget to take that Vitamin D supplement if you live in the Pacific Northwest!

This recipe is forgiving and easy to add to / subtract from, so have fun and get creative with your morning dose of greens!

GINGER PEAR & GREENS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SMOOTHIE:

YIELD: 2 - 20 oz glasses  TOTAL TIME: 7 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk

  • 4 ice cubes

  • 1 ripe banana

  • 1 pear

  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

  • 1 Tablespoon PBfit or other powdered peanut butter

  • 1 Tablespoon chia seed

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup parsley

  • 2 large handfuls of baby spinach

METHOD:

1.  Place all ingredients in blender, and enjoy!

Note:  Fresh ginger can sometimes be daunting.... how do I peel that thing without cutting off all the ginger??    I learned from chefs at the Culinary Institute that the easiest way to peel the skin off ginger is by gently scraping it with a spoon.  I will peel a few inches of ginger and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days to reduce my morning prep time.   

NUTRITION FACTS: (per 20 oz serving)

261 Calories/ Fat 9.8g/ Sat fat 0.3g/ Sodium 438g/ Carbs 36.8g/ Fiber 12g/ Sugars 16g/ Protein 9g  + 1214mg Calcium and 6mg Iron

BreakfastSara BowlingAnti-inflammatory, SmoothiesComment