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Fennel Citrus Smoothie

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free ~

I love licorice, and it all started in the womb.  Yep, you heard me right, in the womb!  When my mother was pregnant with me, she CRAVED black licorice-like there was no tomorrow.

She ate it non-stop.  I used to tease that if you were to cut my skin, I would bleed black.

Stumbling upon this amazing vegetable has given me warm fuzzies in knowing I get some of that licorice flavor that I so adore in a fresh, raw version!

Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds.  The bulb, stalk, leaves, and seeds are all edible.

This turned out to be one of my all-time favorites!  Wow!  The citrus helps to cut the green, and there is a hint of fennel flavor that lingers in the back of your throat. I will be making this one again!

Smoothie Tips

Blending fruits and vegetables together breaks down the cells of plants and improves digestibility. BUT even with that, be sure to chew your smoothies.  The chewing process starts the release of the saliva in your mouth.  The mixture of saliva and your food is where digestion begins, so this is a very healthy habit to create.  It may feel strange at first, but soon it will become an automatic response.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. In the blender, combine the water and spinach.  Blend until the spinach is broke down.
    • The first thing to add to your blender is the liquid to help the greens move more freely when blending.
    • Blending in stages prevents chunks.
  2. Add the fennel, orange, frozen banana, lemon juice, vanilla, psyllium, sweetener, and salt.  Blend until smooth.
    • I always recommend frozen bananas over fresh.  Make a habit out of storing overripe, peeled bananas in the freezer for future smoothies.
    • A dash of a high-quality salt will increase the minerals and improve the taste of your smoothie.
    • When adding psyllium, be sure to get it blended in.  Click (here) if you want to read more about this ingredient.
    • A good green smoothie should be perfectly smooth.

Learn how to design your own smoothies by reading through my Template for Designing Smoothie Recipes.

Star Ingredient…Fennel!

How to Select and Store

Good quality fennel will have bulbs that are clean, firm, and solid, without signs of splitting, bruising, or spotting. The bulbs should be whitish or pale green. The stalks should be relatively straight and closely superimposed around the bulb and should not splay out to the sides too much.

There shouldn’t be any sign of flowering buds, as this indicates that the vegetable is past maturity. Fresh fennel should have a fragrant aroma, smelling subtly of licorice or anise. Fennel is usually available from autumn through early spring.

Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper, where it should keep fresh for about four days. Yet, it is best to consume fennel soon after purchase since, as it ages, it tends to lose its flavor gradually.

2 thoughts on “Fennel Citrus Smoothie

  1. Wstegenga says:

    I am not sure I can find fresh fennel where I live. Is it possible to buy the fennel seeds? By the way, I love black licorice. thank you
    Wendy Segenga

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Wendy :) Yes you can use fennel seeds, I would make sure to really grind them up for adding. You may need to adjust the liquid since removing the fresh veggie will reduce some bulk and liquid. Double check your produce departments, fennel is usually available in most stores. :) hugs

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