Get Green

I've always been a proponent of healthy living, but also indulging in some sweets every now and then... everything in moderation right?  But, since joining round two of this insane boot-camp, I have tried things I never even knew about, but things that I now love like, kale, chia seeds, spirulina and flax seeds.  These days I start my mornings with a french vanilla protein shake, almond milk, handful of berries, half a banana and scoop of green powder for extra nutrients.  But I wanted to take it a step further for some additional green detoxification. While researching some new and easy recipes to make on my own, I found a Kale smoothie and Greens soup that I thought I'd share with you. Hope you enjoy your glowing skin, slimmer waistline and increased energy.

Kale Smoothie:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup kale, chopped
• 1 frozen banana, roughly chopped
• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 squeeze of lemon
• 1/2 bunch mint, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Add bananas, kale, and mango to your blender.
2. Squeeze about a teaspoon of lemon juice into the blender.
3. Add chia seeds.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Add a few mint leaves as garnish, and enjoy!

Greens Soup:

ingredients

•  1 leek
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small head of broccoli
• 6 kale leaves
• 1-2 zucchini
• 2 sticks of celery
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Handful of Parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and chop all veggies.
2.  Lightly heat the oil on low heat, add leeks and garlic and slowly cook.
3. Add the vegetable stock and vegetables {zucchini, kale, broccoli, celery}, slowly bring to a boil and cook until the zucchini is soft. The less you cook the vegetables the better {more nutrients}.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Use a stick/immersion blender, or transfer to a blender, and process the soup, or you can leave it chunky if you prefer.
6. Add the parsley, voila!