Kale Fruit Smoothie

   If you are new to the idea of drinking your greens, it is super easy compared to all that munching of a salad and it also makes the nutrients more readily available for your body to absorb. And they are actually delicious! If you start off your green smoothie adventure using sweet fruits, you are more likely to enjoy the taste early on. Not alot of people can get past the texture or color, so I don't typically recommend using acid fruits initially ( although I personally prefer a tart flavor better).

   This recipe calls for Kale since it is such a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants which help to fight inflammation, cancer, and liver diseases. It contains more vitamin A, C, K and calcium per cup than spinach.

    It is good to switch up your greens on a regular basis, however it is also beneficial to include both spinach and kale into your diet. I stick to a 3:1 ration of fruit:greens in my smoothies and I try to stick to the same fruit groupings such as acid/sub-acid or sweet fruits only. It is OK to occasionally mix a sweet fruit such as banana with a sub-acid fruit such as an apple or pear. The main reason for pairing fruits correctly is that sweet fruits and acid fruits require two different digestive juices and one is likely to ferment as the body has no way of distinguishing the two. For more information about food pairing, check out Dr. Shelton's book on Food Combining.

Also, make sure to check out my other smoothie recipes:

http://www.akinderkatie.com/2012/12/blueberry-green-smoothie.html
http://www.akinderkatie.com/2012/12/citrus-smoothie.html
http://www.akinderkatie.com/2012/12/banana-and-pear-green-smoothie.html


Recipe:

4 cups chopped organic baby kale
1 ripe organic banana
1 organic Fuji apple
1 organic Bosc Pear
1 1/2 cups filtered water

Directions:

In a blender, combine fruit, then kale, and top with water. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately or store in glass mason jars for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.