I'm sure you've heard of a few: maca, matcha, ashwaghanda, spirulina, dandelion root....to name a few. But what the heck are all of these and do you actually need to be eating them?

The answer is no, not necessarily! These potions and powders are a nutritionist hackers dream, but totally not necessary for a healthy life.

Maintaining a healthy regular diet is way more important, however if you are a smoothie junkie like me, you may want to try one or two of these out....they have some pretty cool benefits! 

A friend of mine said this to me the other day.....

But no, your green smoothie does not have to be gross!!

• No, you don't have to add mushrooms, vinegar or kale.
• Choose one green and stick with that (zucchini and spinach are flavorless!).
• Use a little vanilla or chocolate protein powder to enhance the taste and you are good to go!

I get so many questions about smoothies! I know it can be really confusing, so this week on Facebook I broke it all down for you...

Here are some important things to note when crafting your healthy smoothie at home: 

Don't add more fruit than you would eat in one sitting (there's not way you would more than a cup of anything, or two pieces at once, so don't blend that much up, either)
Greens are necessary....zucchini, spinach, spirulina. They don't have to be overpowering, but you gotta use 'em.
You don't need any fancy milks or liquids to add, water does just fine.
Healthy fat in the form of flax seed or avocado gives it a nutrient boost.

What is a smoothie bowl, anyway?

It's really just a way to decorate your smoothie by putting it in a bowl. Still a normal smoothie that you can put in a cup, or whatever vessel you like:).

This smoothie is a SLIM DOWN because we use no fruit or sugar....which means this smoothie is completely made of vegetables!!

I bet your mouth is watering now..

No? Well let me tell ya, it's not as bad as it sounds. The green veggies we use are very bland, so smoothie really tastes like whatever protein powder we use.

Here's the recipe:

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• ½ zucchini (makes for a very creamy smoothie!)
• 1 cup spinach
• ¼ of an avocado
• 1 T milled flax
• 1 serving of your favorite chocolate or vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder (incredible for the metabolism!)
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 cup of water
• Ice

Garnish (optional):

• 1 T chia seeds
• 1 T coconut shavings
• ½ sliced blood orange

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients except for the garnish until creamy.
2. ...