Spring and summer bring great opportunities to hit farmers markets for fresh fruits, veg, and other items that are locally grown or produced.  It feels good to support area farmers and you can cut down on carbon footprint by not buying items at the store that are shipped and trucked in.  I realize that farmers markets aren’t in every community, so this recipe contains items that can be found pretty easily while giving you a good hit of vitamins along the way.

The heavy hitter in this recipe is the kale.  Kale is high in beta carotene, VitK, VitC, and is calcium-rich.  It also contains sulforaphane, which is a naturally occurring chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.  It also is a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that boosts DNA repair and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.

Blueberries contain abundant phytonutrients called polyphenols, which can decrease age-related neurological diseases.  This powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory fruit may help decrease chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, etc. which can be caused by inflammation.  They are also packed with VitC, fiber, manganese and have a low glycemic index.  Sounds pretty good, huh?  Put ’em together with a few other ingredients and you have one hell of a healthy smoothie!

4-6 kale leaves (remove stems if thick)

1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1 1/2 c liquid (soy/coconut/almond milk)

1/4 c water

1 T flax

1 banana

I typically blend the kale, flax, and blueberries with a little liquid so that the drink is smooth before adding the other ingredients.  If you have a kick ass blender like a VitaMix or Blendtec, it won’t take long.  Other blenders might need a little time to break the kale apart.  When you have a good consistency, add remaining ingredients, blend, and enjoy!