Many of you know that I generally start my mornings with a delicious Smoothie and I have had many requests for my favorite Smoothie ingredients.
In response to all the requests, I have put together a list of the various ingredients that I use over the course of a year depending on where I am in the world, the season of the year, and depending on the availability of the ingredients.
Please see the Q & A section of this website for other questions that my patients ask me on smoothies.
To all the requests I have put together a list of the various ingredients that I use over the course of a year depending on where I am in the world, the season of the year, and depending on the availability of the ingredients.
Please feel free to combine the ingredients to suit your individual taste. When you first start making smoothies, forget the calories and make a Smoothie that has a delicious (“I want more”) taste. Choose ingredients that you can afford, that are easily available and that suit your taste.
With those cautions in mind, here the key groups of ingredients that I use. I usually try to combine small amounts of approximately 10 different fruits and veggies in my Smoothie from the groups listed below:
- Berries [strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or any berries that you like]. Frozen mixed berries are ok.
- Fruits and vegetables [apples*, bananas**, pineapples, oranges, mango, melon, kiwi fruit, cucumbers, sweet peppers, carrots, beets, or any fruit or vegetables of your choice].
*Do not use Apple seeds in your Smoothie as these seeds may contain a tiny amount of the chemical ‘cyanide’
**Bananas should be ripe. Some of the chemicals in the skin of green bananas can cause allergic-type reactions.
- Seeds and nuts: these include Golden flaxseed, Chia seed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, or any clean raw(uncooked) seeds and nuts of your choice
- Leafy Greens [favorites in this group are Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Celery or any leafy greens of your choice]
- Flavors for your Smoothie: I like to add a little cinnamon to my Smoothie to help control my blood sugar. I also add a dash of fresh nutmeg for its tropical flavor.
Other questions that my patients ask me. Please see the Q & A section of this website for more information on smoothies:
SMOOTHIE/ GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE
Cautions:
- Always check with your doctor or other healthcare professional before starting any new nutritional regimen
- Use a high speed blender. This smoothie is very dense in protein, calories, and fiber
- Do not use this smoothie if you are allergic to any of the ingredients
- Suggest trying 4 oz or less of completed smoothie at first and slowly increasing volume every 4 hours as tolerated
- Ok to use a glass of smoothie as a meal replacement, or use 2 to 4 ounces as a snack
- Ok to vary the ingredients to achieve your desired consistency, taste, and your gut tolerance
Basic Recipe (you will need to adjust the ingredients to suit your individual taste)
- 1 tablespoon Golden Flaxseeds (prefer organic)
- 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds (prefer organic)
- 1 tablespoon Hemp seed protein powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon Spirulina Powder (if you want to make a “green smoothie”)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or ginger, or nutmeg powder for flavor, based on your preference
- Natural juice of choice (no sugar added) and filtered water to dilute to your consistency
- Suggest chunks of fresh ripe pineapple, or other fruit of choice for sweetness (ok to use frozen)
- If you like banana flavor, a piece of banana can be used to add smoothness to your drink
- May add a handful of your favorite leafy greens or veggies
- May add a handful of your favorite nuts
- Add 1 gram of Ester-C (vitamin C ester) powder (ok to empty 2 x 500 mg capsules)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add Juice, water, and fruit of choice to Blender.
- Grind Golden Flaxseeds and Chia seeds to a fine powder in coffee grinder and empty both into your blender. Blend in your leafy greens, veggies, and nuts, if desired.
- Add Hemp Protein powder to the mix if available and blend. (May substitute Pea protein)
- If you want a green smoothie, add Spirulina to the mix and blend (mixture will turn green)
- Sprinkle in Cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to suit your taste
- Add 1 gram of Vitamin C powder (preferably Ester-C® if available).
- Blend at high speed to liquefy mixture, adding juice, ice, or water as needed to dilute to the consistency of your choice
- You may add Stevia, Monk Fruit powder, or small amount of organic honey to achieve your desired sweetness. Caution: honey will increase the caloric content
- Blend the mixture at high speed until all ingredients have been liquified.
- Caution: some smoothies may expand over time as the mixture is cooled. If unused smoothie is stored in a cold refrigerator, it is advisable to store it in an open or partly sealed container