Love Thursday: Happiness is ...

... being green.

Jakk's Green Power Smoothie

1 cup of spring water
1 frozen banana
1 fresh banana
1 apple (Granny Smith is my favorite)
1 kiwi, peeled
3-4 collard green leaves (or 5-6 leaves of kale)
1/2 cup of frozen blueberries (or other berries of your choice)
1 tablespoon of bee pollen (use caution and test for allergies)
1 tablespoon of hemp protein powder (I like Manitoba Harvest)
1 tablespoon of flax oil
1 teaspoon of spirulina

My beloved Blendec whisks this into about 36 ounces of creamy green goodness. I divide it into three 12 ounce mason jars and enjoy them throughout the day. I've been high raw for about a year ... with high meaning 75-90% of my daily diet is raw fruits and vegetables. But please don't ask me about the month of December. I'm too ashamed to talk about it. I will say that the better I am at sticking with it, the better I feel on a day to day basis. Immensely better. Especially through winter, which is typically a slumpy time for me energetically and emotionally.

Greens have been a miracle to me. They've clobbered my carb cravings. Now I crave the greens. Two years ago I had never tried collards or kale. I've come full circle and, last spring, was pulling big, juicy dandelion greens from our flower bed to put in my smoothies. Don't worry, I made sure that the neighbors weren't out and no one was driving by. They're good for the liver, you know, those dandelion greens! (Just remember that a little goes a long way.)

Anyway, if you're new to green smoothies, start slow. Yes, they'll seem really bitter at first. Yes, you'll swear that it is the most horrid looking conconction you've ever consumed. What helped me was beginning with a regular all-fruit smoothie and then adding one kale leaf, one smoothie at a time. Thing is, you WILL feel better and it will encourage you to add more. And don't be surprised if, like me, you start craving them. And don't be surprised if, over time, your life starts changing for the better in all sorts of unexpected ways.

You don't have to add the supplements. I like them for personal reasons. Be careful with the bee pollen, though. If you have never tried it before, there are instructions for how to test for allergies.

Hey, let me know if you go green! A green smoothie feast may be on the horizon for me this year. (All green smoothies, all day, for a certain number of days. For real!) It would be fun to feast as a team.