Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Homemade V-8 Shake Immunity Booster





Spinach smoothie




Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, this beautiful spinach shake recipe is quick, green, and healthy. It's my own homemade V-8 shake. When you read the ingredients, you may think it sounds weird (I did), but I assure you it tastes absolutely delicious despite mixing orange juice and vegetables. The question is- "Is this a soup, shake, or a smoothie"? 






Eating raw (uncooked) fruits and vegetables during the Coronavirus crises is a positive way to increase the number of enzymes, phytochemicals, and antioxidants in your diet which is vitally important for boosting the immune system. And who doesn't want to boost the immune system during this tenuous time of the Coronavirus?


cold spinach soup
These are my new soup bowls - I love them!!

This "souper" easy recipe is made in the blender.
For those of us in warm climates, this room temperature smoothie will be refreshing and energizing. For those in cooler climates, it won't warm you up, but I'm sure you will still enjoy it (unless you don't like spinach).

Blender for smoothies

You could also think of it as a green smoothie and drink it for breakfast or a quick energizing snack. 



I originally found this "spinach soup" recipe on Anthony William's Facebook page. 

If you are not familiar with Anthony Williams, he is the "Medical Medium". He has written many books on food and health and offers many free recipes. Visit his page for recipes https://www.facebook.com/medicalmedium/posts/665406990261149

I have to say his "spinach soup recipe is really tasty!
However, to suit my own tastes and needs,  I cut the quantity of ingredients down and made my own adaptations and additions.

Ingredients:
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
1 large handful of baby spinach or baby kale
1 stalk of celery cut in thirds
1 very small clove of peeled garlic
1 orange, peeled and cut into pieces 
1-2 basil leaves or a few sprigs of cilantro
1/4 of an avocado 
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 Kirby or Persian cucumber, peeled and cut in half  
2 tablespoons of fresh lime or lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Blend the tomatoes, celery, garlic, cucumber, and orange.
2. Add the spinach a handful at a time until well blended.
3. Lastly add the avocado and herbs and blend until creamy and smooth.
4. Pour into a glass and enjoy it. This is best soon after preparation.

Of course all fruits and vegetables are naturally vegan and gluten-free!

Notes: 

1. Herbs: I grow fresh herbs in my condo- I have an oregano plant, so I use fresh oregano- you can use fresh basil or any herb you grow. 

2. Fresh Ginger Hack: I keep whole pieces of ginger in my freezer in a baggie. Whenever a recipe calls for fresh ginger, I always have some. I do not even let the ginger defrost, I just wash and use it. For grated ginger in this recipe,  I remove a piece from the freezer, wash it, and use a hand grater to grate some directly into my blender. 

3. Garlic: The recipe calls for a small piece of "raw" garlic. Garlic has amazing properties especially antibiotic properties. Therefore, I really want that garlic in my green smoothie. My husband is not able to tolerate it, so I omit the garlic when I make one for him. 

4. Orange: I find the freshly squeezed OJ, or the entire peeled orange,  not only gives the drink a lovely flavor, but it is also very rich in Vitamin C which is also a terrific immune builder. 

5. Greens: Although I use spinach, I have also at times added a little kale or omitted the spinach and used kale. The important factor is that greens are very alkalizing which according to some experts is necessary for maintaining good health. An acid environment is a more conducive environment for disease to flourish. Therefore many people choose to eat alkalizing foods to help restore balance to the ph of the body.  

Alkalizing foods in this smoothie: greens, cucumber, celery, garlic, ginger, lime, basil, etc. 

Anthony Williams' Books 

Check out His books: (Affiliate Links)

Cleanse to Heal

Thyroid Healing 

Life Changing Foods: Healing Power of Fruits and Vegetables

Liver Rescue

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Sharing on Beth Fish Read's Weekend Cooking where anyone can share a food related post.


Sharing on Souper Sunday where anyone can share a soup, sammie, or salad.





blogger -http://www.realfoodblogger.com

Healthy, delicious, easy to make food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my successful recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

17 comments:

  1. That looks super duper healthy and yum!

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  2. Think this is an ideal soup recipe for spring and summer and pinned this post!

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    Replies
    1. Nancy,
      It is easy to make, really is delicious, and I've been having it for breakfast daily to boost immunity. I added turmeric to it..

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  3. You are right, perfect for these times when we need to stay healthy. I love those bowls, by the way.

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  4. Thanks for the recipe. It sounds so nutritious. Thought of Popeye when I first clicked through. :D

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  5. Love the color! And yes, we all need to keep up with our nutrients.

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  6. Whether you call it a soup or a smoothie (I vote for soup!) ;-) It looks healthy and delicious. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week.

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  7. I'm with Jama, Popeye would be in heaven. It sounds so good, aside from being healthy and a lovely color!

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    Replies
    1. Surprisingly, you don't taste the spinach and the fresh orange juice is very pleasant

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  8. Soup sounds good!
    You asked me about lockdown, everything in Toronto is closed. People are asked to socially distance themselves and stay home. Restaurants and bars are closed. You can get take out. Starbucks intend to closed their cafes.

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  9. I think I'd go with lemon instead of orange - pro- probably there to keep the avo green (which you didn't include) Unusual - may give it a go using frozen spinach. Cheers and stay safe

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  10. Call me unadventurous but I am not a big fan of room temperature soup!

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  11. This really sounds delicious. I wish I would have gotten fresh tomatoes at the market, because I am locked down at the moment, but maybe I'll just try some organic canned ones.

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  12. Your soup will be delicious, looking forward to trying it! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,476.
    Miz Helen

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  13. I love the new soup bowls, too. And, they look great with the green soup!

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  14. I love your new soup bowls, Judee! They are beautiful! Your spinach shake/soup is so wholesome and delicious. I love the idea of homemade V-8 juice. Thank you for sharing with the Hearth and Soul Link Party! Stay safe and well.

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Your comments are appreciated. I love knowing who is stopping by to read my posts! Have a great day.

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