Coconut Banana Kale Smoothie

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

Yep, another green smoothie. Kale (or spinach) is to blame but in a good way! I guess since I can’t really control the colors of these smoothies, I decided to mix up the container I use to drink it out of.

I find myself collecting a strange collection of one-off’s when it comes to dishware.  It doesn’t matter what you drink it out of; it is delicious!  Today’s smoothie has a powerhouse of nutrients.  It is a bit higher in calories, but my goal in these smoothies is to get nutrients and healthy fats.

Bee Pollen

If you are Bee-gan (vegan that doesn’t consume bee products), you can skip it.

Pollen is an excellent free radical scavenger that can protect against the adverse effects of pollution and exposure to radiation.

The wide range of nutrients found in bee pollen work together, providing a synergistic impact that seems to improve their overall absorption by the body and enable better utilization of other nutrients present in the diet.

Pollen corrects imbalances caused by deficient nutrition and provides particular benefits when the body is challenged during times of increased stress. You can read more on a quick post that I did (here).

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, which is a very healthy habit to create.  It may feel strange at first, but soon it will become an automatic response.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw young Thai coconut water
• 4 1/4 oz kale (approx. 5 leaves with stems)
• 2 medium frozen bananas, rough chopped
• 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter
• 1 tsp bee pollen, optional
• 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 tsp NuStevia powder
• Pinch Himalayan pink salt

Preparation:

1. In the blender, combine the coconut water and kale.  Blend until the kale is completely broken 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.
   • You can use spinach instead of kale if you are new to greens. It will create a lighter color, as well.
2. Add the frozen bananas, coconut butter, bee pollen, cinnamon, 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.
   • A good green smoothie should be perfectly smooth.
3. Enjoy immediately!
4. Optional – for added flare, I used my ISI cream dispenser and piped in some coconut whip cream!
5.  Learn how to design your own smoothies by reading through my Template for Designing Smoothie Recipes.

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, Vegan