Recipe | Anti-inflammatory Cranberry Smoothie

Cranberries

October is cranberry season making it a great time to stock up on this highly nutritious fruit! Most Canadians enjoyed a side of cranberry sauce with their Thanksgiving dinner this past weekend, but why not try adding any leftover cranberries to your smoothies. You can freeze them so that they last longer, plus adding frozen cranberries to your smoothie will keep you from having to add extra ice.

Cranberries are loaded with:

• Vitamin C - which is crucial for the production of certain amino acids required for the production of collagen in the body. Collagen helps the blood vessels under the skin carry oxygen and other nutrients which, in turn, soften and firm up the skin and make it look beautifully radiant.
• Anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E + Resveratrol - effective in minimizing acne, and provides anti-aging properties.
• Fibre - Eating fresh (or frozen), whole cranberries you are getting the nutrients and antioxidants without the processing that removes many of the beneficial components of the fruit. Eating them whole (or blended into your smoothie) also ensures you're obtaining all of the fibre that cranberry has to offer, which helps slow the release of sugars into your bloodstream, and is also important for digestive health.

Anti-inflammatory Cranberry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 apple, cored and diced
• 1/2 lemon, peeled and seeded
• 1/3 avocado
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon hemp seeds
• A little honey, maple syrup, or stevia to sweeten (optional)

Optional Add-ons:

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes or shreds
• Anything you have on hand that will boost the nutrition :)

Place all the ingredients into your high speed blender and blend on high until the desired consistency is reached, usually around for 30-45 seconds.