Welcome to Beauty Is Wellness, a column about the link between nutrition, lifestyle and beauty based on my health coaching practice of the same name. I’m thrilled to share information about my favorite beauty foods, original recipes for beautiful skin, hair and nails and nutritional tips for beautifying from the inside out in the months to come. If you have specific questions about the beauty and nutrition connection that you’d like to have answered in this column, contact me at jolene@beautyiswellness.com.
It’s a steamy summer morning and the last thing on your mind is food. You’d like to take a cool shower and sit in front of the air conditioner— but no scrambling eggs or cooking oatmeal, please. Problem is, breakfast is your chance to rev up calorie burning after a night of fasting, give you energy to get through a busy morning, and deliver a major dose of beautifying nutrients to your body. Skipping breakfast means that you’ll miss out on all that great stuff!
What you really need is a summer starter that’s cool, light and packed with energy. My pick is a smoothie—but not just any old glass of greens. Grab a bottled, pre-made smoothie from a convenience store and you’re getting a load of sugar, very few (if any) healthy fats to help you absorb the nutrients within, and a much-diminished nutritional value, especially if the smoothie was blended days, or even weeks, ago. The longer your smoothie sits, the less nutrition it offers for your skin, hair, nails and body. The solution is to DIY a fresh beauty smoothie—the smart way—by filling up on veggies, using fruits sparingly, and adding healthy fats (think avocado, hemp seeds or coconut oil) that allow you to absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Below, find my pick for a refreshing summer smoothie that keeps you cool (thanks to mint leaves and frozen grapes) and sustained (with avocado and greens). Sub in any greens you have on hand, and add superfood extras like spirulina or protein powder for an even more filling morning meal. If you like to snooze til the last possible moment, prep these ingredients the night before and whiz them up in seconds before you head out the door.
Smart Summer Smoothie
The addition of frozen grapes helps you beat the heat, but fresh grapes work as well.
SERVES 2
- 3 cups purified water
- 5 large kale leaves, tough stems removed
- 5 romaine lettuce leaves
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 organic lemon, peeled
- 1 heaping cup frozen green grapes
- small handful of mint leaves
- small handful of parsley
In a high-powered blender, combine all ingredients until smooth, about 60 seconds.
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Text, images and recipes ©2013 Jolene Hart. All rights reserved.