I’m really excited for this recipe swap with Sheleana and her partner Caleb from Young and Raw! Their site is chalk full of great smoothie recipes as well as raw food dishes and treats. As someone who loves green smoothies, their Iron-Rich Energy Greens Smoothie was right up my alley.
Vegan Smoothies
The smoothie recipes below don’t contain a hint of animal products and therefore can be categorized as vegan. Note, none of these recipes contain cooked food either; so they also qualify as raw vegan for anyone adhering to that diet.
Kiwi Banana Green Smoothie
Kiwis are an excellent addition to your green smoothie. Their mild flavor won’t overpower your smoothie but will provide a little tropical flair. Kiwis also possess their own unique set of health benefits.
Kiwis are very rich in vitamin C, containing more of this essential vitamin than an equivalent amount of orange. They are also a good source of dietary fiber and potassium and contain trace amounts of other vitamins and minerals.
Banana Beet Green Smoothie
Looking for a new green to use in your smoothies? Give beet greens a try. Beet greens are quite nutritious, and their mild flavor is easily masked by a sweet fruit such as banana.
Beet greens are particularly rich in vitamins K and A. Vitamin K works in tandem with calcium to produce strong bones. If you suffer from osteoporosis or would like to reduce your chances of developing it, ample amounts of vitamin K should be a present in your diet.
Blueberry Spinach Green Smoothie
Whenever I feel the need to turn my smoothie to the “green” side, I generally do so with spinach. I’m fortunate enough to have access to local, organic spinach from my CSA (community sponsored agriculture).
Spinach blends easier and isn’t as bitter as other greens like kale and dandelion, which makes it easier to create a delicious smoothie. Parents, keep this in mind when trying to get your kids to drink green smoothies.
Blood Orange Cherry Smoothie
With a surplus of blood oranges on hand from a recent purchase of five pounds worth through localharvest.org, I decided to use a couple of these bad boys to make what turned out to be one ridiculously delicious smoothie. It was pretty healthy to boot, which is always my chief aim when making a smoothie.
Ginger Orange Detox Smoothie Recipe
I find more and more people are embracing detoxification with the understanding that it’s an essential part maintaining and achieving optimum health. With the chemical bombardment we endure in our daily lives, eating a clean diet alone isn’t enough. Periodic detoxification efforts are needed. Detoxing doesn’t mean an intense 7 day fast on nothing but water. You can do a gentler and more mild cleanse by incorporating ingredients like ginger into your smoothies.