Acai Super Smoothie // Immune Boost Galore

Fresh after the holidays here comes the promised immune boost special. There are plenty of reasons to do something for the immune system: Given the days being much longer and being gifted with the most beautiful spring sunshine, the nights can still be cold – temperature fluctuations of 20 degrees are not uncommon at the time and soon enough you are not dressed warm enough at night. Or maybe you are still getting around with one of the protracted infections that have made the rounds this winter. Anyone who has been fasting until Easter, has possibly been thinking about a healthier diet or another morning routine.

For me there is no better way to start the day than with Superfood Smoothies or Green Juices which are an immediate immune boost in the morning. They also serve as excellent energy supply for breaks in between or in the afternoon. The best part yet: you can also prepare them in the evening and take the next day to the office. (However, longer than a day you should not leave them in the fridge.)

The nutritional value of green smoothies is unbeatble – full of chlorophyll through the leafy greens (fun fact: also red smoothies with eg beetroot are considered ‘green’), various vitamins, minerals, fiber, rich in antioxidants and like most plant food they are  alkaline.

I usually do red or green smoothies and try to not mix any colors that would result in gray or brown (except for a chocolate boost with cocoa nibs and/or raw cocoa powder) to make it look more vibrant.

It is important to use as fresh and unprocessed vegetables and fruits as possible (ours is from an organic CSA), and seasonal always makes sense, because of shorter transport distances and higher freshness. I always try to keep the fruit content as low as possible to obtain no fruit sugar bombs that chase the sugar level up too fast. Even though reading over ‘green’ ingredients such as spinach, kale, lettuce and herbs in the beginning might be a bit strange, one quickly realizes that these taste very pleasant and fresh in the mix with fruit and, for example, nut milk or coconut milk (Please note, conventional nut drinks contain often added sugars). As a sweetener, I sometimes give soft dates or a drop of stevia, but most times the sweetness from the fruits is enough for me. Also, ground vanilla beans or cinnamon give pleasant and ‘sweet’ flavors. Usually I also add one or two so-called superfoods as berries or powders (see below). So the vitamins are better absorbed by the body, I always add some fat like avocado, coconut oil/milk or nut butter. Many American recipes use for a thicker consistency ice (just try frozen coconut water, nut milk or green tea) or frozen fruits/vegetables, for me this is usually (except in summer ) too cold, so I stick to whole fruits for thickness.

The recipe for this deep red Acai Super Smoothie I’ve modified by a recipe from the book Superfood Smoothies by Julie Morris – the book I will soon introduce in more detail. The acai berry is one of the superfoods.

But what actually are Superfoods ?

Superfoods are natural foods – mostly plant-based – that are nutritionally dense and very good for your health. The term has no scientific meaning but comes from an American health movement, which is mainly about raw foods. Due to its high content of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, trace elements and fats Superfoods contribute in a special way to maintain our health by strengthening, for example, our immune system, boosting concentration and performance, promoting digestion or affecting the cholesterol level. Generally recognized as Superfoods are fruits such as acai berry, goji berry, sea buckthorn, mulberry, pomegranate, maqui, but also avocado, maca (a root), chia seeds, green seaweed, raw cacao, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. I will introduce some of them to you in the near future. What particularly excited me about the dried berries is that they make for a great snack when you feel like having something sweet. How many times have I sneaked to the glass with goji berries in the afternoon when looking for a snack …

Today’s main character, the acai berry, is harvested mainly in the Amazon region in Brazil, where it grows on palm trees. We get it usually as a freeze-dried powder, as the fresh berries are not very durable. Acai powder is rich in protein, essential fatty acids and strengthens the immune system. It has become known primarily as an anti-aging agent, as the unusually high concentration of anthocyanin, an antioxidant such as also found in red grapes or blueberries, mainly fights free radicals. Acai powder stimulates the metabolism, so that fat can be converted into energy and thus promotes detoxification and even helps with healthy weight loss. The berries are also rich in fatty acids which may help to lower cholesterol. A true superfood!

But there is another magic hidden in this blood red Smoothie, not only the luminous acai berry, but also a second super ingredient: chia seeds. Suffice it to say here that they are among the most nutritious superfoods at all and have the highest omega -3 fatty acid content of all vegetable sources. Chia seeds have the ability to store many times of its volume of water. Therefore one has most of the Wondrous seeds, if you let them swell slightly. I stir about 2 tbsp chia seeds in 6-8 times the amount of water and let it swell in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a lid. This is also called Chia gel or Chia gel base. From this gel, I add a tablespoon in smoothies or into cereal, and from the seeds you can also make a super delicious Chia Pudding (recipe follows) or use the seeds for baking (1 Tbsp can also be used as a replacer for 1 egg). Some say that chia seeds taste neutral or even like ‘nothing’. To me they are absolutely delicious and I like the delicate flavor and texture a lot.

So here comes the recipe for the Acai Super Smoothie:
for 4 small or 2 large jars

_ 1 small red beet
_ 2 blood oranges (or oranges for juicing)
_ 1 ripe banana
_ 1 handful of fresh spinach (or other leafy green)
_ 0.2 l coconut water
_ 2 tbsp Acai powder
_ 1 tbsp Chia gel (or 1 tablespoon flaxseed)
_ 1 tsp coconut oil (or 1 tbsp nut butter or 1 tbsp avocado)
_ Water as needed (or coconut water or grain/nut milk)

_ Either peel or brush clean and chop the beet and put into a blender (if you don´t have one and you can plan ahead – in the original recipe there is used baked beets in aluminum foil, which can be much easier to mash).
_ Cut the blood oranges on top and bottom, remove the peel with a sharp knife along the the skin all around from top to bottom, and cut into 1/8th to put into the blender (I have added the blood oranges as a whole, because my Thermomix can handle it. If you are not using a high power blender, you can just squeeze the fruit and add the juice).
_ Chop the banana. Wash the spinach briefly, possibly cut smaller and add both.
_ Add coconut water, chia gel, coconut oil and Acai powder and mix until smoothie is blended well.
_ Season to taste and consistency preference. Possibly add more coconut water, tap water or blood orange for a more liquid drink. For more sweetness you can add an extra banana or soft dates.
_ Voilà! Enjoy your vitamin and nutrition bomb!

Tips: If you have no stand mixer, you can blend the smoothie in a tall jug with the immersion blender. However, it may be that the blender not quite as finely shreds the greens. It is recommended to pre chop the leaves (especially if you use ruccola or the green of carrots) with the knife or grate ginger so that no fibers can wrap around the knife. In principle, for leafy greens, vegetables and even frozen fruit a professional blender like Vitamix, Thermomix or Revoblend is recommended. Because such devices are, however, very costly, these are only worthwhile when used frequently. I have made my smoothies over a year by using an immersion blender, but I’m experimenting only now with a lot more vegetables and leafy green varieties. The blending of beetroot, apples or carrots can sometimes overwhelm such a blender. Stick with banana, avocado, ripe pear, mango, pineapple, celery sticks and chpped greens and you will be just fine.

Important: do no use sugar in a smoothie! If you want to slowly get used to the natural sweetness of fruit and (many) vegetables, you can add some overnight soaked dates (using water) or apricots or experiment with stevia and play with flavors such as natural vanilla (there is a ground powder in the health food store) or cinnamon. Also coconut milk supports the sweet note of eg Bananas. Have fun experimenting with you favorite flavors!

The Acai powder was sent to me by Nu3 for testing! Merci!!!