Hey all:
Soo, it’s almost a month into the New Year, how is everyone doing on their resolutions? In the past I have made multiple resolutions per year and always stuck to them. The quirkiest resolution I ever made was “to have less manly hands.” My eighth-grade self was really self-conscious of my hands for whatever reason, and so I resolved to (1) stop cracking my knuckles, (2) to use a little Vaseline on the backs of my hands after a shower and before bed, and (3) to paint my nails once a week—and I did it. Cracking my knuckles was a habit worth ending and even though I don’t have the patience to paint my nails consistently (or ever) these days, the resolution brought at least one lasting positive result!
This year I was much less enthusiastic about creating a resolution. After some thought though, I decided to read at least one political or business related article each day. Out of the past 19 days, I may have only followed through on 3 of them. Sadly, I still get most of my current events information from Twitter… but I haven’t given up! Making long-lasting changes is totally empowering and why should we reserve January 1st as some exclusive date to begin making postiive changes in our lives?! It is never too late to work on making yourself a better person, whether it be making your fingernails more attractive, your brain more politically minded, or feeding your body healthier! If you are interested in the latter, keep reading for a delicious green smoothie recipe…
Blend the following items together:
2 cups of baby spinach leaves (about 2 handfuls)
6 frozen strawberries
6 frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup orange juice, plus a little extra if needed to achieve a good consistency
GREEN?! In a smoothie? I know it seems crazy at first. You might be asking what all that baby spinach is doing at the bottom of an otherwise totally delicious looking strawberry mango smoothie. Well, it is stealthily contributing to your health, “Spinach is loaded with lutein, which keeps your eyes healthyand sparkling. Spinach is also a good source of vitamins B, C, and E, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.” (Fitness Magazin). And the best part about it? Once the smoothie is blended together, you can’t even taste it!
The secret to making a delicious green smoothie is to use as little juice as possible. Too much juice will result in not only a very acidic drink but also the spinach leaves won’t be as well distributed throughout the smoothie. You can always add more if the mixture is too thick for the blender to cut through; I found that just a few splashes created the perfect thick, frosty texture for this one.