I got my first CSA (community supported agriculture) box last week and set out to create a smoothie with collard greens and strawberries. What do you know, it turned out delicious!
Collard greens are star players and should be enjoyed often, here in the Willamette Valley they are in season all year long.
Packed full of fiber, collards are great for our digestive health, and additionally they have a broad spectrum of antioxidants to help lower oxidative risk to our cells. This is always a good thing and can mean that collards may play a role in lowering our risk for cancer. They are an excellent source of vitamin K as well as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Vitamin K and ALA play important roles in our bodies inflammatory response, so if you are interested in an anti-inflammatory diet you’ll want to make sure collard greens have a place at your table. Did I mention they are also delicious?
I doubt you need much convincing as to why you should be eating strawberries – but here you go just in case:
Strawberries are also high in antioxidants, are an excellent source of vitamin C and score relatively low on the glycemic index, meaning they should not cause big spikes in blood sugar. When combined with the collards, coconut milk and nuts, you need not worry that you’re having a milkshake for breakfast – which can be the case with various other fruit smoothies.
One thing I love about this smoothie is that aside from the optional addition of collagen powder, all ingredients are blended in their whole-food form and free of processing and excessive packaging. Good for your body, good for the earth!
- 2-3 collard greens
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 medjool dates
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk from a can
- 1 Tablespoon grass fed collagen
- 1 cup or more of ice
Blend in a high-speed blender till smooth and creamy. It’s my experience that green smoothies need some ice, otherwise they’ll get a little “swampy” in texture. Experiment with how cold you like to drink your smoothies, as too much ice can feel a little shocking to your system.