This is a great smoothie year round, and I especially love it in late winter and spring when there’s a longing for greens. Ginger increases circulation to the extremities, waking up hands and feet in colder weather and helping to circulate and cool in warmer weather. Lemon offers vitamin C and its sour flavor helps to balance the strong flavors of ginger and dandelion. Apple adds fiber, sweetness (and maybe more tartness if using Granny Smith apples), and helps add consistent body to the smoothie. Hemp oil adds omega oils (3, 6, GLA), and helps emulsify the smoothie, keeping it one texture. Research suggests consuming hemp oil may aid skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, acting as an anti-inflammatory. It will separate some but will also come back together with a good shake.
Dandelion leaf, Taraxacum officinale, is a classic spring food to gently stimulate digestion, liver and lymph as well as:
is diuretic, contains potassium essential for proper kidney functioning
has polysaccharides that reduce liver stress and promote bile production
reduces inflammation
has some laxative qualities
is a tonic for the circulatory and digestive systems and the skin
Contraindications:
While consuming dandelion as a food source generally has fewer contraindications than in supplement form, do check with a doctor if you should include dandelion in your diet if you have diabetes, or you’re taking liver medications, diuretics, antibiotics, water pills, or anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.
Blender note:
This is ideal in a high powered blender like a Vitamix. If you’re using a classic blender, divide ingredients in half and make the smoothie in two rounds, leaving at least a cup free at the top for movement.
Ingredients:
2 inches ginger, washed, sliced (or more to taste). Peel it if using non-organic ginger.
1-2 apples, quartered and cored (a sweeter apple makes a sweeter smoothie; a more tart apple makes a tarter smoothie)
2 large lemons, outer peel cut off
1/2 bunch medium dandelion leaves, about 1.5 cups chopped and packed
1 T flax oil, hemp oil, or olive oil
Filtered water to fill the blender, leaving a few inches (with a high powered blender) so everything has a chance to move. If using a regular blender, make smoothie in two rounds, leaving at least a cup free for movement in each round.
Instructions:
Put everything in a blender. Blend on high until smoothie is desired consistency. Adjust ingredients to your taste.
Variations:
substitute pears for apples
substitute other dark leafy greens like kale or spinach
to make it sweeter, add more apple/pear, add a banana, or add honey
Storage:
Store in glass jars. Pouring the smoothie into pint jars puts daily servings in easy reach. Best consumed within 5 days.
