This is a super nutritious, jam-packed smoothie. I decided to step up my smoothie game by using a combination of veggie & fruit juice with coconut milk mixed with other fruits. I’ve never been too fond of using smoothies as meal replacement, mostly because I manage to get hungry an hour or two later. But this one seems to do the trick. It’s a two step process – juicing then blending – but it’s definitely worth the end result.
Green Juice:
- 1 head of romaine lettuce
- a few stalks of lacinato kale
- 1 apple
You may also include celery, as I did this morning since I was out of lettuce, but it’s really much better with lettuce. Too much celery can give it a bitter flavor, but juicing lettuce with a little bit of kale and an apple is mild, and blends well with the smoothie ingredients.
Smoothie:
- 1-2 bananas
- 1/2 an avocado
- 2 “ice cubes” of frozen wheatgrass
- Green juice
- Coconut milk
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons raw, organic cacao powder
- Dash of cinnamon
- A teaspoon of honey if needed
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy! I didn’t include measurements for most ingredients, since I just toss a bit of this and that into the blender and go from there. This is really so good. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and very tasty…a great way to sneak in extra fruits and veggies! If you skip the cacao powder, you’ll have a more vibrant, green-colored smoothie. 
Besides the taste, what is so good about this smoothie?
- Great source of omega-3 fatty acids: hemp seeds, chia seeds, avocado, kale, romaine lettuce.
- A ton of protein from the hemp seeds, chia seeds, and avocado – even the lettuce and kale, too!
- Avocado also provides vitamin E, B vitamins, potassium and fiber.
- Coconut milk has medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily metabolized.
- Wheatgrass has a whole host of nutrition to offer: iron, calcium, magnesium, chlorophyll, and vitamins A, C, and E, as well as 17 amino acids, including some essential amino acids, that are only available from food.
- Kale is high in vitamins K, A, C, and calcium – among many others.
- Bananas provide the potassium needed to help absorb calcium. Your body needs a balance of potassium and magnesium for your body to absorb calcium. All three nutrients are in this smoothie!
- Antioxidants from the raw cacao.
…and more. I’m pretty into this smoothie!
It’s super energizing and perfect for days to take advantage of how beautiful fall is on the North Shore. I finally checked out Halibut Point in Rockport recently, and it was just gorgeous. Watching the sun set behind the quarry and across the ocean was incredible, and I can’t wait to go back with a bit more time.
Absolutely perfect sunset on a crisp fall day. What’s your favorite way to enjoy the autumn?
All things considered yummy 