This purple smoothie is a great breakfast choice to brighten up your February mornings. Packed with antioxidants, good saturated fats, plant protein, and vitamins A, C, and K, you are sure to feel the beauty of this concoction radiate inside and out.

You may be skeptical drinking a cold smoothie on a winter morning; however, you can simply replace the frozen ingredients with fresh ones, and you will be all set. In Ayurveda, they explain how it’s important to balance out your doshas and improve digestion with lifestyle and food. When it is cold outside, eat warm, cooked meals. When it is hot outside, opt for cooler, raw foods. This smoothie can be made to balance your dosha, if you have the time and ingredients to do so.

Prior to blending, blanch your kale and allow to cool to room temperature (or even use it a bit warm). This way it is cooked and can be properly digested for optimal nutritional benefit. You can opt for fresh veggies if possible since that will reap a warmer smoothie and be better digested by your body.

Probably more important than what ingredient you have is how you choose to enjoy it. Be present and mindful. Be sure you enjoy wholeheartedly. Wash your kale leaves with intention; inspecting the spine of this leafy green (or purple?) as if you’ve never seen it before.  Smell the ingredients separately and imagine where they originated. Perhaps you can transform yourself, if only for a little while, to those tropical islands or warmer climates. Let yourself go in the beauty of the color purple; what comes to mind? Love, beauty, peace, wisdom, or mystery? Channel that energy while enjoying this drink and let it flow from inside, out.

The steps are simple; blend all ingredients together, but the process is where the fun is. Don’t forget to enjoy and appreciate the process and I promise your smoothie will taste even better when it is ready.

Enjoy!

You Will Need

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (fresh if possible)

1/2 frozen or fresh ripe banana

4 stalks of purple kale, stems removed (blanched if desired)

2 T almond butter, or favorite nut or seed of choice

1 T virgin coconut oil

1/2-3/4 cup coconut water or milk

dash of sea salt

What to Do

I. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Start with a small amount of coconut water and add more if necessary.

makes 1 smoothie