Raw Vegan Sweet Kiwi Green Smoothie
8Piggies, I am just a tad late with this post. California kiwi fruit is only in season from November through May! I know I am always harping on about eating local, but with New Zealand kiwi fruits in season June through October, we can enjoy kiwi fruits all year round. So, I thought I would still post this raw vegan sweet kiwi green smoothie as a fantastic Summery treat. For those of you living in Australia and New Zealand, you will be in luck!
I don't know about you but I LOVE kiwi fruit. Growing up in Australia, we had an abundance of it. My mum was always cutting one in half and handing my sister and I a spoon, where we could scoop out the creamy flesh for a quick healthy snack. I love the unique sweet/tart flavour that is close to melons but with it's own unique tropical flavour. They are also SO good for you!
Kiwis are loaded with nutrients. They are very rich in many vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and minerals. They contain a high amount of Vitamin C, more than oranges, which helps heal wounds, increase iron absorption, and boost the immune system. They also contain magnesium for energy levels; as much potassium as bananas; a decent amount of beta-carotene; and a lot of fibre! Kiwis also contain folic acid, which helps to produce red blood cells and is important for expectant mothers. Kiwi can help keep our hair, skin, teeth, and nails healthy; they are absolutely loaded with phytonutrients, which helps protect and repair DNA in cells; and vital antioxidants which help neutralize free radical damage!
Originally from China, these fuzzy little balls of wonder were called "gooseberries", then later "sunny peaches” after they were brought to New Zealand by Chinese missionaries in the early 20th century. They were then discovered by a savvy American, who renamed the "Chinese Gooseberry" "Kiwifruit", in honour of the kiwi, a native bird of New Zealand, whose fuzzy brown coat resembled the skin of this exotic fruit. New Zealand, Italy, France, Chile, Japan and the United States are some of the leading commercial producers of kiwifruit.
Did you know that there are over 400 varieties of this fuzzy little fruit, which grows off vines on a trellis, kind of like grapes.
This simple sweet green smoothie lets these fabulous kiwis have their moment! This smoothie is ALL about celebrating the delicious tropical flavour of kiwi! I have added in some raw coconut water and mango just to heighten the sweetness of the kiwis. But you could use any other sweet fruit like apple and use filtered water instead of coconut water. If you want to jazz this up, you could add in some coconut or freshly grated ginger. But I like to keep this simple and let the kiwis sing!
Enjoy. This raw vegan sweet kiwi green smoothie is absolutely delicious :)
Raw Vegan Sweet Kiwi Green Smoothie
- 3 – 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups filtered water or raw coconut water
- 1 ½ cups peeled chopped ripe kiwi (about 4 medium kiwis)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen mango
- 1 cup ice or more if using fresh mango
- 2 - 4 chopped pitted dates or 8 drops of liquid stevia or more to taste
- pinch of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
- Place all the ingredients in your blender (I use a Vitamix) and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Tweak flavours to taste and enjoy.
- Makes three 16-ounce glasses
- **Adding some coconut and ginger gives this smoothie an extra punch. But I like to let the kiwi shine.
Piggy Cooking Tips
the best way to clean your blender
After blending up something sticky, gooey or smelly, just place a few drops of soap in the carriage with some warm water and blend on high until all of the congealed food slips away from the blades and sides. Then repeat this process. Then rinse with water and presto! Clean carriage.
If you have smells or stains repeat this process with some bicarbonate of soda or lemon juice and water.
Check out the video on A No Hassle Way To Clean Your Blender that I did as part of the Chow Tips Series.
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Piggy Grunts!
Add Your GruntThanks for trying so many of the recipes.
You are AMAZING!
Im sorry if you have already covered this but I notice you use romaine in most of your green smoothies. I typically use spinach and kale. Does romaine pack a bigger nutritional punch than spinach? Thanks! This looks fantastic!
Hey Renae,
Romaine lettuce in a lot of my green smoothies for “newbies”. It does contain a lot of nutrients. Romaine or Cos Lettuce is high in water content, low in calories, and an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and folate. It contains vital minerals and phytonutrients that protect against oxidation. It is also a very good source of dietary fibre. One of the greatest things about romaine lettuce if you live in the U.S, is that most of the domestic supply comes from California, and is available all year round. That is another reason I use it a lot
But it can’t compare with kale and spinach.
They are LOADED with nutrients, and I use them in a lot in smoothies on this website and my weekly life too.
The only thing I will say about spinach is that you do not want to be consuming vast amounts every day because of the oxalic acid.
It is very important to rotate your greens every day, in order to get a balanced nutritional profile in your diet.
Typically, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, radish greens, carrot greens, beet greens, dandelion greens, parsley, cilantro, bok choy are in my weekly rotation. But I do use many other greens too. It depends what is organic and in season. I hope this helps.
Well after the last smoothie you posted, I can’t wait to try this one! I had no idea kiwi was so good for you…? And when it tastes great too, well, sign me up.
Yes! This is full of goodness AND delicious flavour. ENJOY :)