A surprising and refreshing combination that’s great as a snack or for breakfast. Including both a fruit and veggies, the flax and chia in this smoothie make it both filling and well-rounded.
In Dr. Greger’s book How Not to Die, he discusses the benefits of flaxseed (*affiliate link)
for controlling high blood pressure and preventing breast and prostate cancer. They also have a lot of soluble fiber that can help bring down cholesterol levels. For these reasons, Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen includes 1 tablespoon of flaxseed each and every day. Conveniently, that’s the exact amount found in this smoothie! Coincidence? I think not! ???
Chia Seeds(*affiliate link) are another fiber-packed seed, great for promoting fullness and managing cholesterol and and blood sugar levels. Both chia and flaxseed can be found at most grocery stores in the bulk food section, baking aisle of health food aisle. Be sure to blend the smoothie immediately after adding the chia.. as it quickly will become a gelatinous clump!
Note that this recipe calls for a LARGE handful of leafy greens. These are packed with nutrients and, bonus, they basically disappear into the smoothie. Looking to incorporate leafy greens into your breakfast? Smoothies for the WIN! ??
A quick tip for smoothie making – Blending the cucumber and greens with the liquid first prevents chunks of greens. This is especially useful if you’re trying to hide the greens from a picky eater! Or simply want to avoid the risk of having a chunk of spinach stuck in your teeth!
Fresh or frozen strawberries will work but frozen berries give it a smoothie-like consistency while fresh berries create more of a juice.
We used this blender to whip up this recipe (*affiliate link).
Dairy-Free Refreshing Strawberry Cucumber Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 mini cucumber (or 1/3 of a regular cucumber)
- 1 large handful leafy greens spinach, kale, lettuce, etc.
- 1 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp flax seeds
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds optional
Instructions
- Wash cucumber and leafy greens and place them in blender with almond milk. Blend until smooth.
- Add strawberries, lemon juice and flax and chia seeds (if using). Blend until smooth. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
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