Spring Has Sprung Allergy-Fighting Smoothie

Much to our disbelief, spring has definitely sprung in the Pacific Northwest (I can't say anything about the snow-pocalypse out east!). The cherries are blooming, the big bumbler bees are out investigating my Andromeda shrub in flower, and the squirrels are chasing one another up and down the telephone pole.

And of course comes with it the pollen reign, the sneezing, the itchy eyes and nose and throat, and a mountain of kleenex.

As I have shared in the past, there are numerous foods that you can load up on to help fight allergies with your diet. Check out this post and this one for the whys and hows, and some tasty recipe ideas.

After I ran out of frozen blueberries recently, and in full anticipation of the explosion of birch tree pollen to which I am especially susceptible, I've been enjoying some variations on my Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Smoothie to keep the itching and sniffling at bay. Then I thought why not up the free-radical-fighting antioxidant power with pomegranate juice and acai berries.

Cran-Acai Antioxident Smoothie

Makes one quart | Serves 1 as a meal or 2 as a snack

In the blender vessel, add:

• 1 cup frozen cranberries with no added sugar
• 1 Sambazon pure acai berry unsweetened smoothie pack (could sub gogi berries)
• 2 large leaves of kale, large mid-rip removed (or sub spinach, chard, mesculun mix or lettuce)
• 1 scoop green powder (I used Greens + Organic Superfood Raw Greens Powder)
• 1 t chai seeds (flax or hemp would work too)
• 1 T hemp hearts

And the following liquids until the level in the blender reads 3 cups/12 oz:

• 1/2 c (4 oz) unsweetened pomegranate juice (could sub cherry, plum or grape juice)
• 1 and 1/3 c (11 oz) coconut water (or sub water), and
• water (if needed) to make up the remainder
• (If the fruit is not frozen, or you like things especially cold, you may want to add some ice cubes)

Blend on low to incorporate – I find the green powder gets everywhere but in the smoothie if you abruptly start on high – then move to high speed until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Go out & enjoy the sunny day!