To me, true beauty is about health, happiness and a passion for life. One of the first places we notice this exuberant and energizing beauty is in healthy, glowing skin.
When our skin is clear and blemish-free, it is less tempting for us to cover it with heavy make-up and harsh products. I’m a big believer in ‘feeding’ our skin with nutrient dense foods, just like our bodies. I like to check the ingredients of any skincare product to make sure that I can eat it before I feed it to the largest organ in the body that’s responsible for protection, regulation and absorption.
This green smoothie is a creamy, delicious ‘skin food.’ Combining avocado, peppermint and coconut oil, it’s jam packed full of fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins that will promote a healthy glow on the inside and out.
Kale: kale is packed full of iron and vitamin C, which encourages the production of collagen, prevents skin damage and fends off wrinkles.
Avocado: high in good fats and healthy oils, avocado is often used as a topical skin remedy and will moisturize from the inside out. Packed with a range of vitamins and nutrients, these delicious fruit will also create a creamy texture in your smoothie, as well as remove foam and bubbles that sometime appear on the top of the blender.
Peppermint: peppermint is a cooling and soothing ingredient that may also help to clear up blemishes and reduce inflammation. Try it in smoothies, tea or a few drops of peppermint oil in your bath water!
Coconut oil: coconut oil is a treat for the skin when applied topically or eaten regularly. An anti-microbial and high in saturated fats, coconut oil will also help you to absorb more nutrients from your smoothie.
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
• 5 large leaves of curly kale, de-stemmed
• ½ avocado
• 1 lime, peeled
• 1 green apple, peeled and cored
• ½ cup fresh peppermint (or mint)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3.5 cups filtered water
When you can, purchase your ingredients from your local farmer’s market or organic grocer to reduce the amount of pesticides in your smoothie.
Wash all ingredients well.
Add all ingredients to a powerful blender and blend on high for ~90 seconds, or until smooth and creamy.
Serve with ice cubes and slices of fresh lime.
