Coachella Valley Green Smoothie

So a couple years ago I discovered the miracle that is green smoothies. I won't post a long piece here about the health benefits of green smoothies, but here is a good link about the idea in general: http://greensmoothiesblog.com/. The basic formula is about 60% fruit to 40% raw greens with a bit of water to make it a desired consistency. It is amazing how green a smoothie can LOOK, but it tastes so much like sweet, delicious fruit.

I try to have green smoothies at least a couple times per week, though daily is a great idea. I developed this recipe utilizing our local, seasonal fruits: grapefruit, dates and avocado. The intense sweetness of dates perfectly compliments the bitterness of the grapefruit, and the avocado adds creaminess and of course we are all aware how good for you avocados are. I am amazed how many people here rarely eat dates, and they are our local food. Talk about needing to eat locally!

You can use any leafy greens here (spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss/rainbow chard, etc), spinach is the most mild for beginners. Look for local greens as well, we grow everything here in the Coachella Valley.

Serves 2

2 cups raw leafy greens, washed and rinsed
1 large grapefruit, peeled (don't worry about seeding, you will be blending it thoroughly)
about 6 large dates like Medjools, or 10 smaller dates like Deglet Noors
1/2 avocado (pitted and flesh scooped out)
1 cup water

Blend all thoroughly until very smooth, make take a few minutes depending on your blender. Feel free to add 1-2 ice-cubes if you want it cooler. Also, try starting with fewer dates , you can always add a couple more if it is too bitter for you. For a variation, you can substitute banana or mango for the avocado to add a creamy element which will also make for a sweeter smoothie, but those fruits are not necessarily local for carrying on the local theme.

Consuming right away is best, but I often make it in the AM and store in the fridge or a travel bottle for several hours and have it for a snack later. Consume green smoothies slowly: don't just gulp it. To assimilate the nutrients and digest it better "chew" it slightly (even though it's smooth), mixing it with saliva to stimulate the digestive juices. Sounds a bit odd but you will notice how nutrient dense it is and feel the need to drink it slowly anyways: it takes me an hour to finish one. But it's so worth it.

Enjoy!