It’s flu season, cold season, and basically every-kind-of-yuck-that-is-floating-around-trying-to-inhabiting-my-body season. But I refuse to be brought down easily…. 

 

 As you all know, I’m a preschool teacher. I have a preschooler. Annnnnndddd my husband works in the medical field. So, my house pretty much has every kind of germ floating around Southern California passing through it. A lovely nightmare if you pause long enough to visualize what those little buggers look like under a microscope *shudder* 

Despite all that nastiness, my family and I usually pass through the cold/flu/yuck season mostly unscathed. Maybe a little cough here or runny nose there, but for the most part, nothing that really takes us down. How is this possible, you ask? It could be good genetics. It could be luck. It could be that my whole family has mastered the art of handwashing and decontanimation to a level that would make the head of the CDC smile (wildly unlikely since, again, I have a preschooler and those kiddos think splashing a bit of water on their hands counts as “washing”). So, here is what I really think it is: oodles and oodles of raw, fresh fruits and veggies.

Seriously, nature is the best healer and I totally run with that fact this time of the year. When I start seeing tissues being bought in bulk and hear a chorus of coughing as I’m out running my Saturday errands, I know it is time to up the raw fruits and vegetables intake. One of easiest way to do that (and my personal favorite) is by drinking a boatload of smoothies.  

This recipe is what my house is currently rocking in our morning mason jars. Its full of vitamin C and antioxidant packed produce, yet does a happy dance on those demanding taste buds we all have. 

Drink it from a jar, mug, bowl, glass, boot, or whatever you fancy. Just drink it up and be well, people. 

1 1/2 peeled oranges

1/2-1 small raw beet, peeled (how much you add is based on how much beet you are willing to commit to. But, the more beet the better in my opinion, so be brave, buddy) 

1 frozen banana, peeled

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

Big ‘ol handful of spinach

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ice, water, or extra coconut milk to desired consistency

 

Throw oranges, beet, banana, and coconut milk in a blender and blend for 60-90 seconds (or until you don’t see any sizeable chunks anymore). Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend again until smooth. Add ice/water/extra milk slowly as you continue to blend to reach desired consistency.  Pour into drinking receptacle of choice and drrrrriiinnnkkkkkk.