5 Healthy Apple Smoothie

Apple Refresher

         

This refresher is light and detoxifying. It aids in digestion, hydration, and helps skin stay clear. Collard greens are good even when they’re not cooked in bacon grease! Like all cruciferous veggies, they’re high in vitamin K and minerals. Apple’s high fiber, water, and pectin have a range of benefits including helping to reduce cholesterol. Chia seeds bulk up once they come in contact with liquid, and can help keep you full and satisfied all day. Top it all off with fresh mint!

Ingredients:

1.5 oz collard greens

1 apple - chopped

2 tbsp mint

1 cup cucumber

1/2 lemon - juiced

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 cup water

1 cup ice

Nutrition Facts: 87 calories, 2g fat, 8g sugar, 2g protein, 5g fiber, 16g carbs per 12-ounce serving. 

Moringa Reset

      

Lemon is full of Vitamin C , but Moringa is the real star here, serving up 22 percent of our recommended daily amount. Moringa has been called “The Miracle Tree” because of its unusually high nutritional value and healing abilities, containing 19 essential amino acids, calcium, potassium and Vitamin A. If you need more Vitamin K (which is important for bone health) in your life, one serving of swiss chard has 300 percent of the recommended daily value. And ginger is perfect for lowering inflammation and easing a slightly gassy stomach.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz swiss chard

1 persian cucumber

1 apple - chopped

1 lemon - juiced

½ inch ginger - peeled

1 tsp moringa

1 cup water

1 cup ice

Nutrition Facts: 60 calories, 0g fat, 8g sugar, 1g protein, 3g fiber, 15g carbs per 12-ounce serving. Yields 2 servings.

Almond Covered Caramel Apple

           

One of the surest signs of fall is the traditional caramel apple, but our version not only has that delicious familiar flavor, it’s also 100 percent good for you! Known as the Gold of the Incas, lucuma is native to Peru, Chile and Ecuador, and has a light, caramel-like taste. In addition to providing 14 essential trace elements, lucuma is also a great source of antioxidants and fiber. Dates provide both a natural sweetening effect and potassium, and almonds are a source of both protein and clean fat. There’s no need to feel guilty after drinking this!

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz baby kale

2 apples - chopped

3 tbsp almonds

1 tsp lucuma powder

2 dates – pitted

Nutrition Facts: 186 calories, 7g fat, 6g fiber, 4g protein, 20g sugar, 29 carbs per 12-ounce serving. Yields 2 servings.

Heat, Refreshed

         

Metabolism-boosting foods really exist in the sense that your metabolism jumps a bit after you eat them. While they don’t keep things in high gear all day, they’re a great addition to an otherwise healthy diet (or a diet that needs a burst of good stuff after an influx of holiday sweets). Cayenne is one of those metabolism-boosting foods, and it also helps calm upset stomachs. Spike your morning with this spicy smoothie and get a few servings of greens in before your first cup of coffee.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz lacinato kale

3 oz celery - chopped

1 apple - chopped

1 persian cucumber

1 lemon - juiced

1 pinch cayenne

1 tbsp flaxseed

1 cup water

1 cup ice

Nutrition Facts: 101 calories, 1g fat, 21g carbs, 2g protein per 12-ounce serving. Yields 2 servings.

Ginger Detox Twist

           

A cross between a mandarin orange and a lemon, meyer lemons were originally used for purely aesthetic purposes before their benefits were discovered. Sweet and not tart like regular lemons, meyer lemons have such a thin layer of white pith between their skin and fruit that they can actually be eaten skin and all. Chlorella is a type of algae that grows in fresh water, and is often used as a natural treatment for digestive issues and fibromyalgia. Ginger is a fantastic anti-inflammatory, and collard greens contain a big dose of vitamin A, C and even a little bit of protein. If traditional detox drinks prove too harsh for your stomach, this gentler version should give you all the nutritional benefits without the intense stomach side effects.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz collard greens

2 persian cucumbers - chopped

1 apple - chopped

1 meyer lemon - peeled

1/2 inch ginger

1/2 tsp chlorella

1 cup water

1 cup ice

Nutrition Facts: 114 calories, 1g fat, 22g carbs, 5g protein per 12-ounce serving. Yields 2 servings