Now that warmer weather is arriving I crave chilled green smoothies!

Are you a green smoothie fan?

If you are anything like many of my friends and clients, it’s often the colour that they often find off-putting before they’ve even tasted them! The definition of a green smoothie is generally one that contains lots of veggies along with the fruit- so why not use non-green varieties! Beets are an obvious option but here I gave red cabbage a try and it was surprisingly delicious combined with apple. I also added a spoonful of acai berry powder for an extra boost of rich colour and a nutritional hit!

I've only recently started using acai powder and I love it... it gives a gorgeous hue to breakfasts, smoothies and deserts and has a unique semi sweet flavour. The taste is often described as reminiscent of wild berries and chocolate.

So, what is acai?

The acai tree is actually a type of palm tree that is native to the Amazon rainforest region. It grows over 15 meters in height and produces small, dark purple berries. Brazilian natives discovered the healing properties of the acai berry thousands of years ago, as they found it boosted their energy when consumed regularly. Because of its extraordinarily high nutritional value, indigenous tribes also used acai to treat various ailments and support a quick recovery.

Among acai’s many antioxidants is one particular powerhouse called anthocyanin, which is suspected to be the driving force behind acai’s free-radical and age-fighting powers. It’s common in fruits with rich red and purple colors, like grapes and berries, but acai has far more than any other food. Acai’s ORAC level (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is over 3,500, which is hundreds of times higher than your average fruits like apples and bananas.

Acai is typically blended into 'acai breakfast bowls' and a quick google will bring up tonnes of inspiration! Here I wanted to put it to use both as a nutritional boost and as a colour compliment to this red cabbage based smoothie.... yep... red cabbage in a smoothie!!

I wrote this recipe for Definition Fitness Magazine... so you'll need to hop over there to grab the recipe!

Grab the full recipe for the apple, cabbage and acai smoothie here!

The latest issue of Definition Magazine has now also been published... I have three recipes for you in my column, two are based on my keto experiments and are super low carb friendly but not mega high on fat- so suitable for everyone!