Recipe: Fresh Green Smoothie
I am a pretty healthy eater but when things get busy my diet starts to slide. The quick thing to eat is usually not the healthiest thing. It’s not just about the preparation time, but also the planning and shopping. Sometimes getting five to eight servings of fruits and veggies per day feels like a full time job.
Enter: the fresh green smoothie. This smoothie is my tried and true way of front-loading my day with veggies. It’s easy to make, and it’s easy to have most of the ingredients stocked in your fridge for a while without going bad. The only exception is the greens, which you have to get at least weekly.
You can do lots of things to spruce up the recipe, like adding fresh mint or turmeric root, but I’m keeping it simple intentionally. The purpose here is to make it as easy as possible to get your veggies. You can stock your freezer with frozen berries, and your fridge with lemons, and then all you need to do is buy some greens every now and then. When you make the smoothie a daily habit, you build a foundation for yourself that can carry you through the busy times. I drink it in the morning while I’m making my coffee.
This smoothie is packed with nutrients. It’s very high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. You also get plenty of potassium, folate, iron, and antioxidants. Although lightly cooked veggies are ideal for digestion, and I personally need to chew my food in order to feel satiated (this is not a meal replacement), for the modern person on the go, this is a reliable way to make sure you get your veggies every day.
And now, the recipe.
Fresh Green Smoothie
Ingredients
2 packed cups fresh spinach
1 small handful frozen strawberries
2 small handfuls frozen blueberries
Juice of half a large lemon
2 cups water
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled (optional)
1 kale leaf, leafy parts only (optional)
Preparation
Put all ingredients in a blender, Vitamix or Nutribullet. Blend for 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!
Bonus Recipe
To balance out the uber-healthfulness of the smoothie, I’m also sharing with you my favorite recipe for quick, easy comfort food. It’s called “Easy Chicken with Rice,” from the New York Times, and it really is easy. Unlike most recipes, it actually takes the amount of time to make that it says it does: 30 minutes start to finish.
There are really only four ingredients—rice, onions, lemon and chicken. Most of the ingredients are usually already around, except maybe the chicken. It’s difficult to mess this up because the chicken cooks in water, so it doesn’t dry out. And while the rice comes out a bit mushy, it has a bit of fattiness to it from the olive oil that makes it satisfyingly savory. Somehow it always feels like grandma made it.
Skip the saffron, I can never taste it and it’s expensive. Instead top with any fresh herbs you have around—I recommend oregano or dill. Serve it with plenty of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. You can find the recipe here, or if you don’t subscribe to the NYT cooking app, from a friend who does.
About Wise Body Women’s Health
Wise Body Women’s Health is an integrative gynecology practice in New York City founded by Jane Riccobono, CNM, WHNP, offering a different kind of women’s healthcare. Appointments blend evidence-based medical care with attention to the body’s deeper signals—intuition, emotion, and the wisdom often dismissed by conventional medicine. Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, chronic symptoms, or simply want a provider who sees the whole picture, Wise Body offers unhurried, whole-person care. The practice is currently accepting new patients for both telehealth (anywhere in New York State) and in-person visits in NYC. Learn more here.