Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Cheers Green Drink


Cheers indeed!  It is the first day that there is no snow on our vegetable garden, and the second day I enjoyed lunch on the deck this year.   And the first day I was in the mood for a cold greens drink made with the VitaMix.  So many reasons to declare Cheers!

The taste of a fresh green drink was astounding today!  This particular one is from Dr. Oz, or at least some version of it.  It is kind of a mix between a smoothie and a juice, so I labeled it as both on this blog.  What I love most about a green drink is how fresh and invigorating it is! And it consistently dissuades me from indulging in lousy food choices.  Processed food suddenly tastes incredibly artificial and unappealing in contrast.  So I took the VitaMix out of the closet and put it on my counter top, making it readily accessible for daily use.

This delightful glass is from the wedding of the daughter of my good friend, Julie.  Julie has developed an extraordinary site, Jules of Nature. Each day she pairs a quote with her exquisite photography. It is my morning ritual to look at that site for reflection and inspiration.  I encourage you to do the same.  Cheers!

Ingredients:
1 cup baby spinach
3 medium stalks celery, cut into chunks
1/2 cup diced, seeded cucumber                                      
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 small Braeburn apple, cored
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon lime zest 

Preparation:  
Put the celery, cucumber, apple, and lemon and lime juices first into a VitaMix. (Putting the ingredients that have the most water content in the bottom will get the mixing stated easier.)  Put the other ingredients on top.  Start on low speed, but then quickly move it up to high speed.  Pour into a fun glass and sip or gulp.  Whatever way you do it, savor it with Pzazz!


Nutrition per servings:                                           
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 3 cups
Calories: 110
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium: 138 mg
Total Carbs: 27 g
Dietary Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 3 g