I have added a couple new ingredients to my traditional green smoothie; ginger, kale and ripe banana. Not much to write about but I think the new ingredients make a difference and boost the nutritional value.
Recipe;
2 cups homemade raw milk kefir (if you don't do this use commercial plain kefir or yogurt)
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 ripe banana
1 TBS raw, ginger without skin
2-3 fresh kale leave or handful of fresh spinach.
Process at med speed 1 minute then higher speed another minute.
I like to freeze 4 cups of this in 1 cup containers for future mornings. 1 or 2 cups of this smoothie a day is very revitalizing and refreshing.
Purslane is a "weed" that I have battled all my life as a gardener but recently I have found out that at one time it was cultivated for it's healing and healthful properties. Wow! What a surprise and when I tasted it, I actually liked it.
Now I am using it in a salad that is liked by everyone...even the men in my life. Below is the recipe and a link to a blog that tells what purslane nutritional benefits are. Purslane has succulent looking leaves that are round and "fleshy" with reddish looking stems. When chewed, it makes a muscilege substance in your mouth that tastes kind of lemony.
One of the reasons I like this salad so much is that it, with it's oil and lemon juice dressing, keeps in the refrigerator for a few days unlike leafy salads that go wilty too quickly.
Celery and Purslane Salad
4 stalks celery finely chopped
1/3 sweet onion finely chopped
1 leaf kale with rib cut out and finely chopped
handful of fresh parley without thickest stems,
finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh young peas if you have them or frozen peas thawed
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
handful of washed, rootless, purslane chopped
3 fresh mint leaves finely chopped
dressing option 1
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. real salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
some pepper
dressing option 2
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1-2 TBS honey
1/2 tsp. real salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
some pepper
When I take some out of fridge container, I like to put some slices of avacado, or chopped red pepper or cucumber with it and place it on some leafy greens. Those vegetables do not sit well in the fridge, in a salad with dressing so I add them at the table. I also put some home-made sauerkraut with it which does "sit well" with anything.
