The new year is upon us, and so is the ubiquitous litany of resolutions. Number one resolution on most folks’ list? To lose weight and become healthier.
Adding fruits and berries, like pomegranates and strawberries, is a simple way to revamp your diet. The pomegranate was the hot fruit of 2013, and there are no signs that its popularity will wane in 2014. Many studies have shown that the pomegranate, and its juice, is one of the most powerful, nutrient dense foods for overall good health. Pomegranates are also considered a lucky food for the New Year in many Middle Eastern countries. Did you know that Mediterranean cultures associate pomegranates with good luck and fertility in the new year? In Greece, for example, they like to smash a pomegranate on the ground on New Year’s Eve for good luck. The more seeds reveal themselves, the more abundant the new year will be. They’re also a highly symbolic fruit in Judaism, going all the way back to a reference in the Torah as the fruit the scouts brought back to Moses to show that the Promised Land was fertile.
That sounds like fun, but it also seems a bit wasteful, so why not use the bountiful fruit as a way to jumpstart a healthier you in the new year? Here is a smoothie recipe full of healthy ingredients, starring that lucky Mediterranean fruit, the gorgeous pomegranate.
Resolution Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup pomegranate juice
½ cup low-fat milk (can substitute soy or nut milk)
1 frozen banana
½ cup frozen strawberries
½ cup frozen raspberries or ½ cup frozen blueberries
½ cup frozen peaches
1 tablespoon ground flax seed or ½ tablespoon organic flax seed oil
Directions:
Combine the pomegranate juice, milk banana, berries, and peaches in the carafe of a high power blender. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 8 hours.
In the morning, or when the fruit is partially thawed, add the ground flax seed or oil, and blend on medium for one minute. Increase the speed to high and blend for an additional minute until desired consistency. Serve immediately.
(Photo: hexapetala)
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