If Popeye were around today, he’d ditch the cans of spinach and guzzle a kale smoothie. Why? Because kale is a super food. It’s high in Vitamins A, K and C and rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants that fight disease and aging (yay). It’s also low in fat and calories. So why isn’t everyone eating kale? Because kale tastes green and earthy which takes some getting used to. But if you add kale to this kale iron smoothie, it could begin your love affair with it.
GOOD FOR YOU!
I was originally drawn to kale because it was “good for me” but I must admit, I wasn’t crazy about the taste (I’ve since grown to love it). So, when I wanted to add more protein and iron into my diet I thought a smoothie was the perfect solution. And thus the KIS: Kale Iron Smoothie was born!
I’ve always loved the creamy consistency of milkshakes and I hardly taste the kale since it’s flavor is concealed by bananas, almonds, and sweet dates.
The best thing about smoothies is that they are flexible. Sub in soy milk for almond milk if you want more protein, throw in spinach instead of kale if it caught your eye at the market. Adjust the spices to your liking. I find my use of cayenne continues to increase.
I created this “shake” to increase my iron intake as kale is rich in iron. Anemia (iron deficiency) is very common in the United States. Signs of it include:
- Feeling weak and tired
- Having trouble concentrating
- Out of breath
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Chilled extremities (hands, feet, nose)
My acupuncturist suggested adding blackstrap molasses (benefits here) to my daily diet because it’s another good source of iron. So, I add it to my smoothie.
KIS: Kale Iron Smoothie Recipe
I love the taste of this kale iron smoothie but smoothies are so flexible that you can adapt it to suit you. But, it’s easy to unknowingly inch up the sugar so my philosophy is heavy greens / light fruit.
**NOTE: To make sure I can prep a smoothie anytime, I peel bananas and break them into thumb size chunks which I store in baggies in the freezer. Frozen banana chunks ensure a creamy, shake-like consistency.
Makes 2 large cups
Ingredients:
- 1 pitted Medjool date (soaked in warm water to soften)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 5 ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon Brewer’s Yeast
- Dash of Blackstrap Molasses
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Scoop of Protein Powder (I use SunWarrior Blend Chocolate)
- 1 pitted Medjool date (pre-soak in warm water to soften)
- ½- ¾ bunch of washed Lacinto Kale (also called Dinosaur Kale) (I include the stems for added fiber)
- 5 thumb-size pieces of frozen (unpeeled) banana *see note above
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a blender, hold lid in place and pulse until ice is crushed and greens start moving. Increase speed of blender until you get a smooth and creamy consistency. Pour and enjoy (I like it thick enough to eat with a spoon). This makes a generous amount so if you want less, cut the recipe in half.
Enjoy!