Pineapple Ginger Smoothie and Cancer-Fighting Smoothie Builder Template

This is the smoothie that converted me to liking (actually loving!) green smoothies!

I'll confess, I'm a fair-weather smoothie fan. I only like smoothies when the temperatures are warm. Ice cream, no problem, I can eat that year-round! But smoothies, they're just a spring, summer, early fall thing for me. However, I do know people who drink smoothies on a daily basis, often in place of breakfast or for an afternoon pick-me-up. If you don't eat much fruit or vegetables, smoothies are a great way to get those foods in, along with some other ingredients with cancer-fighting properties such as spices, chia, flax and hemp seeds. 

I'm not the most creative when it comes to smoothies so I put together this template to help me pick and choose ingredients for my smoothie inventions! Feel free to print or download this Cancer-Fighting Super Smoothie Builder to help you create tasty and nourishing smoothies!

Green drinks have never appealed to me that much, but for some reason right now, as the temperatures are just starting to rise, they just seem so bright, clean and full of energy! I like to freeze the fruit for a thicker, frostier smoothie but you could use room temperature fruit as is or add a little ice to make it more like a milkshake. Adding frozen bananas are my favorite way to add sweetness without needing any other type of sweetener such as honey or maple syrup (and it provides a wonderful creamy texture). I often have a couple of fresh bananas that get a little too ripe before I can finish off the bunch - I'm picky about the stage of ripeness in bananas that I'll eat! Just peel the ripe banana, place in a ziploc or other sealed container and freeze for use later. The same holds true for other fruit such as pineapple, melon and even pears. Just cut-up and freeze. If it is a large amount of fruit, I'll place it on a parchment or wax paper lined tray, freeze for at least 30 minutes, portion into containers and pop back in the freezer. 

This smoothie recipe is a great way to get the sweetness from the fruit along with the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from the spinach, chia seeds and ginger. I keep a tube of crushed ginger in the refrigerator to use in a variety of recipes. This can be found in the refrigerated produce section along with herbs in a tube such as basil, cilantro and lemongrass (another favorite!). Ginger pairs so well with the pineapple but doesn't overpower the flavor. The chia seeds add a slight crunch along with an additional burst of antioxidants. Be forewarned though, if you let the smoothie sit for a while before drinking it, the chia seeds will absorb the liquid and make an almost pudding consistency. (This makes 2 smoothies and I was saving one for my husband who didn't get home until later - he had a very thick smoothie by that point!).

Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

Whether you're a smoothie pro or a fair-weather fan like me, give this smoothie a try and let me know what you think! What are some smoothie concoctions you like?

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Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned in juice, drained), frozen if desired
• 1 banana, frozen if desired
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh spinach
• 1 tsp crushed or chopped ginger (or ¼ tsp dried)
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened or vanilla-flavored unsweetened
• ½ cup water

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth.

Makes 2 servings

Another favorite smoothie recipe is Peach Basil Cottage Cheese Smoothie - yes, cottage cheese! So good and high in protein too!