Ah, the dreaded summer "cold." I tried to creep into my house this week. The sniffles, the fatigue, and the overall feeling of "I think I'm getting sick." Nope! Not today. I called a "code yellow" for my family. This code is typically used in a medical environment to prepare for and warn of a potential emergency situation. My body was telling me to prepare for a "war" against something so I whipped up a mix of fruits, veggies, and powerhouse ingredients to ward off the early signs of a cold. The secret weapon? Starfruit. Let me tell you more...
Starfruit has immunity boosting vitamin C to promote white blood cell production (so necessary to fighting the early stages of a cold), and anti-inflammatory characteristics which may help soothe a sore throat. The most interesting fact? "Its juice cuts through mucus and phlegm, making it a popular choice for treating respiratory infections and supporting your overall health." (Source: https://www.webmd.com/diet/star-fruit#1).
Combining starfruit with ginger (germ fighting powers), mango (more Vitamin C), zucchini (which can reduce inflammation), cinnamon (antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory), and coconut water (electrolytes and important for hydration when your body is fighting a cold) makes this smoothie a nutritional "win" for your body; especially when you are in "code yellow" mode. I'm happy to report that we were successful in beating the summer "cold" and I will certainly recall this smoothie for future efforts to combat any viruses or bacteria.
Ingredients:
1 starfruit - sliced, peel on and de-seeded
1 cup frozen mango
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (Garden of Life - Plant-based Sport)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1.5 cups coconut water
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 fresh zucchini (peel on, chunked)
2 (1-inch each) pieces of fresh ginger (peeled & chopped)
Optional Garnish: more starfruit
Directions:
Place all ingredients (mango through ginger) in the order shown above in a high-powered blender.
If you have a Vitamix with smoothie button, turn on and wait for the blender to automatically stop. Proceed to Step #4.
If you do not have a Vitamix with a smoothie button, turn on blender on low and gradually increase in increments of 20 seconds each all the way up to the highest setting. Use a tamper or scrape down sides as needed and blend until smooth (~4 minutes).
Pour into glasses and top with the optional garnish(es) noted above. Serve & enjoy!
With love & hope for a better future for all of us - Jamie