Berry Arugula "Gritty Goodness" Smoothie (Breakfast Club: The January Detox)

My friend, Aimee, over at Food Je t'Aimee found this great idea for a Breakfast Club over at Fuss Free Flavours. If you visit Helen's blog, you'll see that there are 17 different breakfast clubs being hosted right now, all with a different theme, but all with the general goal of showcasing an array of healthy and not-so-boring breakfast ideas!

Being that it's a new year, and we all take this as an opportunity to re-evaluate a few things, Aimee came up with a great theme for her club: The January Detox. As she says, detox can mean many things to many people. For me, I think ensuring that you are eating whole foods and doing as good of a job as you can to eat "clean", means you're eating detox-ish meals.

To join Aimee's club, you can post whatever breakfast food you feel fits that theme for you. Aimee posted two smoothie options. I am following suit and posting a breakfast drink.

Berry Arugula "Gritty Goodness" Smoothie
1 tbsp of ground flax
1 tbsp of unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup of 100% orange juice
1/2 cup of unsweetened Rice Milk (Regular milk for J's)
handful of arugula
1 cup of fruit (I did half fresh raspberries, half frozen strawberries)
This makes one drink. 


For a treat: Add in some pure maple syrup

This isn't your typical creamy smoothy. It's gritty (and not in a bad way, I promise!). It tastes like healthy in a cup. :P

Warning: This is FULL of flavour. Like: It punches you in your mouth. I love it. The arugula has such a peppery taste (which may not be everyone's cup of tea so spinach would be an easier substitute) went extremely well with the tanginess of the orange juice and berries.

J says the drink is "grip-py" like a deep tannin wine. We love a bold, thick (whatever words I should be using to describe wine. I don't really know wine speak. I just enjoy a good bottle of wine...often) red wine. On a complete side note: There are many awesome local reds here in Nova Scotia, if anyone needs suggestions!


What's so good about it?


Calcium from your milk. Arugula has almost everything including Vitamin A and C, folic acid, antioxidants and more calcium. What doesn't flax help fight (cancer, inflammation, immune system...)? The fruit gives you plenty. We all know that. More Vitamin C, potassium....Need I go on?

Again, If you'd like to join The January Detox Breakfast Club, follow the rules and how-to's over at Food Je t'Aimee or check out the other clubs at Fuss Free Flavours.

Enjoy! :)