I think that people often turn to smoothies as a way to counteract most of the over-processed foods generally offered to us by the super-centers, fast food restaurants, and big businesses. Smoothies are a quick method to get a good amount of fruits and vegetables into our systems. These are some simple ways to make an excellent drink even better.
I’ve always enjoyed smoothies and creating different variations of them. Lately, I’ve been attempting live a healthier lifestyle and have also been foraging a lot of wild foods in THE EDIBLE OUTDOORS, which has given me some great ideas for simple, healthy ingredients that we should be adding to our smoothies to make them even better, without costing us a lot.
STINGING NETTLES
Stinging Nettle is often considered to be a noxious weed by some people. Others, like me, consider it to be a super-food full of incredible nutrition. It is certainly true that Stinging Nettle can “sting” you, but I’m thinking that once it is pureed in the blender, it’ll lose its bite. You could also “steem” it or blanch it first to disarm the stingers.
What would adding a cup of Stinging Nettles to your smoothie add to the mix? For one, you’d be getting over 500% of you daily recommended value of Vitamin K. You could check that off your list immediately! You’d also get almost half of the Calcium and over a third of the Manganese and Vitamin A recommended; plus over 5% of your Iron, Riboflavin, Potassium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Stinging Nettle may be a foe of many, but it is definitely a friend of mine.
NOTE: When I did my test, I could definitely taste the raw nettles, which I have eaten many times. For those new to Nettles, I’d recommend steeming them first, and then adding them to the smoothie.
Check out THE EDIBLE OUTDOORS – Stinging Nettle post for more information.
Lambs Quarters
Lambs Quarters are another easy-to-come-by “weed” that is readily available in many areas. The cost, like with Stinging Nettles, is free, and the health benefits are many. As I covered in my first papa-peppers FOOD FIGHT post, nutritionally, Lambs Quarters pack quite a punch. Just one cup of Lambs Quarters provides an incredible source of Vitamin K (over 1100% DV), Vitamin A (almost 300% DV) and Vitamin C (over 100% DV). They are also a great source of Manganese, Riboflavin, Sodium, and Calcium, and also provide some Vitamin B6, Copper, Potassium, Thiamin, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Iron, just to name a few more.
The flavor, even raw, is mild, so it can easily be snuck into a smoothie to increase the health benefits. It blends well and is such a rich source of nutrition, I’ll probably be adding it to every smoothie I make this summer and fall. In fact, I should harvest some in preparation for the winter too.
Check out THE EDIBLE OUTDOORS – Lambs Quarters post for more information.
DANDELION GREENS
Dandelion greens are another incredible wild edible that's also easy to come by in many areas. It too was featured in my first papa-peppers FOOD FIGHT post, and it certainly came out ahead of Iceberg Lettuce. Though the flavor may be more bitter when compared to the subtle Lambs Quarters, it blends into a smoothie well.
The nutritional benefits are many as well, and the price, once again, is free. I sure do love that free nutrition, and adding this wild green to a smoothie is a great way to gain the benefits that the Dandelion provides without having to munch on raw leaves out in the yard. If you missed it, check out this completely wild recipe that shows how delicious Dandelion greens and other “weeds” can be when cooked.
Anyway, here’s quick listing of the Vitamins and Minerals that just one cup of Dandelion can provide; Vitamin K (over 500% DV), Vitamin A (over 100% DV), plus a good amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Copper, Iron, and others. Just two minutes in the yard picking a handful of Dandelions can greatly increase the nutritional value of a smoothie. To me, Dandelion has become an obvious beneficial addition to our smoothies.
Check out THE EDIBLE OUTDOORS – Dandelion post for more information.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple Cider Vinegar is another ingredient that should really be added to more of our smoothies. For one, many people turn to the delicious, enjoyable smoothie as a quick way to get a healthy meal, often even as part of a weight loss plan. The acetic acid that Apple Cider Vinegar contains can both increase metabolism, a welcome characteristic, and suppress the appetite. Additionally, the potassium, amino acids, and enzymes in Apple Cider Vinegar can counteract the lactic acid in the body that causes us to feel tired. A little of it added to your morning smoothie can make you feel less hungry and more energized. What a great way to start the day!
Also, since cancer needs an acidic environment to survive, the more that we can do to make our body PH alkaline, the better. Vinegar is actually acidic, but somehow it causes our bodies to become more alkaline. Additionally, like Garlic, it has some amazing properties like being anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial. With incredible properties like that, why not add it to your smoothies? Though it may be hard to drink on its own, Apple Cider Vinegar is quite easy to sneak into a smoothie.
FLAX SEEDS
Most of us are probably aware of the fact that Flax seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. That alone should make us consider using them more often. Also, one cup of Flax seeds gives the body over 200% DV of Manganese, almost 200% DV of Thiamin, over 100% DV of Copper, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Plus, it provides over 50% DV of Selenium and Iron.
Since Flax seeds are so cheap and easy to obtain, I say why not dump some of them in the blender too?
MY EXPERIMENT
To test how well these potential ingredients actually work in a smoothie, I decided to do some quick research. I went with a green smoothie, since the free, wild suggested ingredients have that color anyway. I wanted it to be simple, so I just used Milk, Yogurt, Kiwis, and an Avocado as the base for my smoothie.
I added some Stinging Nettles, Dandelion, Lambs Quarters, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Flax Seeds and blended it up. The color and texture were great, and the flavor was delicious. As I mentioned earlier, the raw Stinging Nettles may have added a slightly unpleasant characteristic to the overall smoothie, but I certainly did not “suffer” by drinking it. Other than maybe steeming them next time, I don’t really have any other suggestions for making a smoothie containing these ingredients any more pleasant.
To make the actual version that I made better, I would just add pineapple. If you actually try adding some of these ingredients to your smoothies for the first time, let me know what you think, and how it went. Personally, other than the Flax Seeds, I had never added any of these ingredients to a smoothie before, but it certainly will not be the last time!
