Holland and Mint: Health Kickstart: Glowing Green Smoothie

The holidays are over, the parties have subsided, and its a brand new year! I have to admit that I definitely indulge during the holidays- all the snacks, drinks, and decadent meals are just too good to pass up on. But because I give in then, I know that once the new year begins it is time to get my booty back into health mode. Every time I want to kick start my health routine, I drink one of my favorite smoothies and I feel clean and renewed right away. After buying "The Beauty Detox Solution" by Kimberly Snyder last year, it completely transformed my life! It's so helpful for those of you who want to know more about their bodies, the food they eat, and clean living. I also love that she has amazing, healthy recipes- from side dishes to salad dressings, plus other amazing smoothies. If you haven't read this book already, I'd highly recommend doing so asap! As I was saying- every time I want to get motivated to be healthier I have her Glowing Green Smoothie and right away I feel the difference and It's like a switch goes off in my head. I begin throwing out all the junk food, I put my workout clothes on, and I get my behind into gear! I've put the recipe below, but for the rest of her amazing tips, knowledge, and recipes, you have to get the book! It's a must, and you won't regret it! If you have a healthy smoothie you love to use to kickstart your health regimen, I'd love to hear your recipe. I'm always open to hearing new ways for staying healthy and fit.

Glowing Green Smoothie Recipe

*You'll need a blender- I use a Vitamix. It's a bit pricey, but it really is amazing and gets the smoothie super thin without any super gross, unwanted texture.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water (I usually add a few ice cubes to keep it really cold)

1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 head of large bunch or 3/4 of small bunch organic spinach

3-4 stalks organic celery

1 organic apple, cored and chopped

1 organic pear, cored and chopped

1 organic banana

Juice of 1/2 organic lemon

Optional:

1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems ok)

1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems ok)

*Beauty Secret- fresh herbs, like cilantro and parsley, have wonderful cleansing properties and can help extract heavy metals and other toxins out of the body. I encourage you to throw them in if you like the taste.

Directions:

Add the water (and ice if you choose) and chopped head of romaine and spinach to the blender. Starting the blender on a low speed, mix until smooth. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple and pear. Add the cilantro and parsley if you choose. Add the banana and lemon juice last.