As spring approaches, each year we always seem to be taken by surprise during the last few days of winter by a fresh snowfall. Today is the day!
This morning at 5 a.m., I was "instant alerted" that school was cancelled, which meant a little more sleep and more time to think about new recipes as I took a walk taking photos of the beautiful winter wonderland. When I returned, my daughter was in the kitchen in the mood for a smoothie. We began to create a smoothie with kale, and the Kale Apple Walnut Smoothie was born.
Directions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender, liquids first.
- Blend until smooth.
- Adjust to your taste, adding a splash of lemon. If more sweetness is desired, add a bit of honey, maple syrup or sweetener of choice.
℞ M.D. Notes
- Kale's health benefits are linked to its very high concentrations of two antioxidant groups: flavonoids and carotenoids.
- Apples contain a wide variety of phytonutrients, many of which have been found to have strong antioxidant activity, an example being the flavonoids (quercetin and naringin).
- Apples have quite a bit of soluble fiber and are a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C.
- Nuts seem to play a protective role against inflammatory diseases. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 supported the protective role walnuts have against inflammatory diseases.
- Anyone with nut allergies: prepare the recipe without nuts. It is still great!
- For children, or for additional calories, substitute full-fat for fat-free yogurt.
Good forNeed more calories
