March 27, 2013

Healthy & Yummy Kale Smoothies

I have been eating very badly lately and so decided to add some healthy Green Smoothies to my diet. Green smoothies are made with leafy veggies and added fruit to make them taste better. I tried out some Kale recipes and here are two of my favourites.

Kale is a type of cabbage with green or purple leaves. It is very high in beta carotene, Vitamin C and K, rich in Calcium, contains anti-cancer properties, decreases cholesterol and decreases the absorption of fat (read more about it HERE). Basically, its like a SUPER FOOD! But there is a catch. It tastes metallic and can be very hard for the body to digest. If it is your first time having it, you might feel slightly nauseous or bloated afterwards. 

To make these smoothies, start with a few leaves of Kale and then build up to the amount you can tolerate - I put in three leaves. Each of these recipes has ingredients which combat the metallic taste of the Kale, is low in calories and fat, and tastes yummy. Let me know what you think! 

1* Healthy Morning Shake
This is a great shake for breakfast. The Kale provides plenty of protein and antioxidants, the banana has carbs to power you through your morning, and the Hazelnut milk is not only delicious but provides calcium. Kale Drinks taste best fresh so drink immediately after you make them. 

What you Need:
3/4 cup of Hazlenut Milk 
(I used Rice Dream Hazelnut and Almond Milk. If you can find a low fat version, it is even better)
1 Medium Ripe Banana
3 Leaves of fresh Kale- slice off the stems
1 Cup of Ice
1/2 packet of Stevia 


STEP 1: Wash the Kale leaves in water and then blend with 1/4 cup of the milk. It is very hard to blend Kale properly so always make sure to blend it with some liquid. Blend it for about 3-4 minutes.


STEP 2: Pour in the rest of the ingredients and blend well
STEP 3: Taste the mix, add as much Stevia as you like to sweeten it. I found 1/2 an individual packet to be enough. Blend again after adding in the Stevia


STEP 4: Serve Immediately with ice cubes - DELICIOUS! 

2* Kale Mint Lemonade 
I was surprised how much this tasted like lemonade. The apple, lemon and mint completely mask the flavour of the kale. It would be perfect for summer- very refreshing and healthy. 

What you Need:
1 Green or Red Apple
The juice of 1 Lemmon
3 Leaves of fresh Kale- slice off the stems
Few Fresh Mint Leaves
1 Cup of Ice
1 cup of Water
1/2 packet of Stevia if you want it sweeter 

STEP 1: Blend the Kale leaves with the water for about 3 -4 minutes 
STEP 2: Pour in the rest of the ingredients and blend well till the mix is liquified 
STEP 3: Taste the mix, add as much Stevia as you like to sweeten it. I found 1/2 an individual packet to be enough. Blend again after adding in the Stevia


STEP 4: Serve Immediately with Ice Cubes

Do you have any Kale Recipes that you would like to share?


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