What’s that picture in the header?
If you look carefully you may notice some bubbles: It’s a close up of the salad-smoothie I made on a recent scorching Saturday. (See pictures of the whole thing on Instagram.)
It was fast, easy and delicious. And what a color! No filter, that’s exactly what it looked like.
When it comes to supporting healthy processes in the body, vegetables are kind of the answer to everything. They support natural detoxification, manage inflammation, encouraging elimination, balance blood sugar and cholesterol… really, all the things.
We know we are “supposed to“ to eat veggies, but it’s easy to underestimate just how powerful they can be. They’re loaded with antioxidants, full of fiber, offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, and contain special compounds we don’t get anywhere else.
In my practice I find they’re often the missing link to really shift patients toward health.
Here’s what was in my Saturday salad smoothie:
❇️ Frozen artichoke hearts (Trader Joe’s)
❇️ A lemon (yes, all of it.)
❇️ Half a long cucumber
❇️ One garlic clove
❇️ Half a bunch of spinach
❇️ Half a bunch of parsley
❇️ Super delicious extra-virgin olive oil
❇️ A little bit of salt (I’m a fan of RealSalt or Himalayan pink)
❇️ Two scoops of high-quality collagen powder
Just add water, run the Vitamix or other powerful blender for a few minutes, and 💥..
I’m not a fan of smoothies as a substitute for real meals, especially ones made with tons of blood-sugar-hijacking fruits. But blended veggies are a great way to get in a simple salad on a hot day — or heat up for soup on a cold one. Add something like this to broiled salmon and you’re golden.
Salúd!
—Dr. Orna
P.S. In much of the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska, you can get great veggies delivered through FullCircle Farm. Get $15 off your first order with code ZRNA7244.
For collagen powder, which I’ll write about in another post, here’s the one I like — and where you find it if your local store doesn’t carry it.
