Tropical Green Smoothie
I am delighted to feature a recipe from Joseph Gonzales, RD and Blue Cure. Joseph is a dietitian and researcher. He has published several research studies on plant-based nutrition and cancer, type 2 diabetes, and weight loss. Joseph has had the opportunity to work as a dietitian for the Comprehensive Lifestyle Changes Study at MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine Program, as well as a dietitian for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. More recently, Joseph has been working as the Nutrition Director for NutritionFacts.org— a wonderful resource for anyone looking for free, evidenced-based nutrition and lifestyle information.
- 3 cups of chopped kale (remove the stems)
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2-1 cup of frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 ripe pear
- 1 orange
- 1 cup of green grapes
- 1 cup non-dairy, unsweetened milk (e.g. coconut, almond, soy, hemp)
- 1-2 Tablespoon ground flax (or equivalent amount of any nut/seeds)
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into cups and enjoy!
- *Add ice as needed to make cold, but usually if using frozen banana and pineapple it’s not needed. Frozen grapes can also make it better!
- *For additional nutritional benefits, try adding 1/4 cup cashews to the mix. This will also make it extra creamy.