LIFESTYLE

Best Smoothie Recipe Ever

Staff Writer
Columbus Monthly

Need a power boost to start your day? I've got it. After a couple years of tweaking, I have concocted what I'm pretty certain is the bestsmoothieever-packed with powerful nutrients, and tasty to boot. I drink one daily. (My husband drinks one most days, too, and was shocked to recently learn thesmoothiehe loves includes kale and spinach.)

Here's the recipe-and a play-by-play straight from my kitchen. (And yes, it took like 10 times as long to make while trying to score cool iPhone pics throughout the process.) Also, a note: I occasionally add other goodies to switch it up. Some favorites include mint (super refreshing!), pineapple (for a more tropicalsmoothie) and coconut (so yummy). Cheers!

-Kristy Eckert, @kristyeckert

Power FruitSmoothieRecipe

Makes one largesmoothie

    • ½ banana (I slice mine in half with a knife to best preserve the other half for the next day)
    • 1 cup frozen berries (I prefer strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)
    • 1 cup loose kale and spinach
    • ¼ cup yogurt (I use organic vanilla; Greek yogurt offers more nutritional value, but I prefer the taste of regular)
    • ¼ cup orange juice
    • ½ cup water
    • 4-6 ice cubes
    • Honey, drizzled to liking (I use probably half a Tablespoon)
    • Cinnamon, sprinkled to liking (I use about half a teaspoon)

Instructions: Toss it all in a blender and mix it well. Note: There's really no hint of green if you drink it immediately-it's nice and appealingly pink. If you save a portion to re-blend later, the color moves more toward a less-appealing green (but it still tastes great).

Nutritional notes: Kale is among the best things you can put in your body, offering a burst of vitamins K, A and C. Spinach offers a shot of iron. A cup of berries includes 4 grams of fiber (16% of your daily recommended intake). Yogurt offers protein and potassium. Juice adds potassium and folic acid (along with vitamin c). Cinnamon has long been thought to have medicinal qualities. And honey-particularly if local honey is used-is a great immunity system builder, as well as a natural energy booster.