It’s pretty typical of me to start every day with a smoothie. It’s a big part of my morning rituals most days. On a typical morning I kick off my day with some sort of movement, whether that be yoga, the gym, a bike ride or a long walk. Smoothies are the best post-movement meal, they are the right amount of food to refuel and recharge me, they just get me and they work seamlessly with my lifestyle! Typically, I have my staple base ingredients that I always start with, but generally I let what is most in season and what I happen to have in my kitchen guide my smoothie adventures. It’s rare that this methodology fails me, but it is also definitely easy to get stuck in a smoothie rut, too.

Sometime last year I met the firecracker of a woman, Tess Masters. Tess, AKA “The Blender Girl”, is my smoothie guru, my smoothie sherpa, she is my smoothie Jedi Master and I, her young Padawan. OK you get it, Tess knows her way around a blender. (But you probably remember me telling you all that last year). Without exaggeration I can tell you that any time I have tasted a smoothie Tess has made or whenever I have recreated one of her recipes, I always find myself thinking ‘Ahhh! This is so good and so simple, why didn’t I think of this?’ I have learned some of my favorite smoothie recipe tricks from her. Basically most of Tess recipes come with a built in hand to forehead whack – each one just so brilliantly simple, yet so creative, that you too will be thinking ‘DUH, what haven’t I been doing this all along?’, as you sip on one of the tastiest smoothies you’ve ever had.

If you hadn’t guessed it, she’s at it again. My friend, Tess, has put out another incredible collection of recipes: The Blender Girl Smoothies – 100 Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Paleo-Friendly Recipes. The Blender Girl Smoothies book is based on The Blender Girl Smoothies app that launched in October 2014.

This book is full of vibrant, nourishing smoothie recipes sure to please all. Plus get tips and ideas to make creating your own unique recipes, a breeze. Get The Blender Girl Smoothies and you will never find yourself in a smoothie rut, this I can promise you. Make sure to have the app for when you are away from home or on the go. It is an awesome way to search for the perfect smoothie, based on what you have on hand or what you are currently craving.

Since The Blender Girl Smoothies book has already become a staple in my kitchen, I of course already have favorite recipes, this Green Mojito Smoothie, tops the list. Beyond it’s boasting of healthy goodness, this smoothie is the perfect refreshing, summery smoothie. I like it as a mid-day happy hour mocktail that you can feel good about drinking. It’s bright and fresh, a little tart and a little sweet. I found it was sweet enough from the pineapple that I could skip out on the stevia, but feel free to use that, dates, honey or maple syrup, if you want it a little sweeter.

[print_this]Green Mojito
This is a cold-and-flu buster and potent detoxifier, all in one zesty cocktail! The bromelain in pineapple suppresses coughs and loosens mucus, while mint clears respiratory congestion, soothes sore throats, and alleviates nausea. The vitamin C in limes has antibiotic power, anti-inflammatories in kale and pineapple combat arthritis, and ginger boosts immunity, aids digestion, and adds a powerful zing.

Serves 2

• 1 cup (240ml) coconut water or water
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 3 limes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup (25g) torn-up curly green kale leaves (1 or 2 large leaves with stalk removed)
• 1/2 cup (18g) firmly packed mint
• 2 cups (320g) frozen pineapple
• 5 drops alcohol-free liquid stevia, plus more to taste (I skipped this)

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender and blast on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

Optional Boosters:
1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon coconut oil

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Reprinted from THE BLENDER GIRL SMOOTHIES Copyright © 2014, 2015 by Tess Masters. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

BONUS:

For those looking for the perfect formula to build your own smoothies, enjoy this amazing infographic: