Pink smoothie still rocks my world. And keeps your gut healthy!

It’s my most-requested recipe, and it’s not even green!

My hot pink breakfast smoothie is loaded with root vegetables. Don’t forget about those ROOT vegetables that have such great carotenoid antioxidants with many health benefits in your diet. A fun side effect is that they give you a slight wintertime “tan” if you eat enough of them! (Juice them. Or put a whole carrot and a chunk of a raw peeled beet in this, my favorite breakfast.)

And, coconut water has the perfect electrolyte balance for an athlete.

I’ve evolved this recipe to also cover PROBIOTIC needs. I use water kefir grains to “ferment” the coconut water. You can buy it canned with no additives and some brands are even organic. I get canned coconut water at Costco or the health food store (where they sometimes have case sales). Every day, I strain the coconut water “kefir” into my blender and add another can to the jar of water kefir grains. (You can buy grains online or at many health food stores.)

Fermenting your coconut water is a very easy HABIT you can start that will really improve your digestive health and your immune function. I do not like “water kefir” because of the sugar. It is said that the sugar is “consumed” by the living organisms in the grains, but obviously this isn’t true because it tastes so sweet.

The past 2 years have been among the most stressful of my life, but I got sick only ONCE and it lasted just 24 hours. That’s pretty remarkable considering I’ve been around lots of sick people and on many airplanes. I really believe that lots of green juice and my fermented foods habits are what keep me so healthy, even in stressful times. Before I started these habits, I was sick constantly all winter!

Today I subbed frozen blueberries for strawberries in my pink smoothie, and it was still delish. Here’s a photo for you! You know blueberries have powerful anti-cancer properties. If you don’t like drinking frozen things in winter, save this for when it warms up!

ROBYN’S HOT PINK BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

• 1 1/2 cups coconut water (“ferment” it overnight on the counter with water kefir grains, strain it, and put new coconut water in for tomorrow)
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (not roasted)
• 2–4 large dates, pitted
• 1 large carrot, cut in chunks
• 1/3 of a medium raw beet, peeled
• 1-2 teaspoons organic vanilla
• 12 large strawberries (10 oz. bag), or equivalent amount of frozen blueberries

Makes 4 cups in the blender

1. Blend all ingredients except berries in your BlendTec or Vitamix until smooth.
2. Add berries and blend till smooth.
3. Pour into quart jar and enjoy!

Makes a 400-450 calories perfect pink smoothie breakfast!

Posted in: Green Smoothies, Health Concerns, Recipes, Whole Food