The "More Than Celery Juice" Smoothie

Celery juice has been having something of a "moment" in the wellbeing spotlight recently, with celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian extolling its benefits. It's a surprising trend which arguably, no-one could have seen coming but when looking into its origins, most sources tend to point towards Anthony William who promotes the idea of drinking 470ml celery juice on an empty stomach in the morning, claiming that the antioxidants in the juice may help with IBS, diabetes, mental health, skin concerns and inflammation, to name a few.

I must confess that I've been somewhat dubious and suspect that the fact that most of us are in a chronic state of dehydration, coupled with celery's high water content answers why so many feel better after drinking the "elixir". That said, I do believe that starting the day off on a healthy note sets us up for the day ahead- if you've set out with good intentions, you're more likely to continue them throughout the day.

Personally, I need something more substantial in the morning than a glass of juice (admittedly, some do follow their celery juice with breakfast) so I created this green smoothie which is based on the juice but which also incorporates ingredients to promote satiety. It gets you well on your way to 5 a day and is ideal for on-the-go. 

Three great health benefits: boosts immunity, promotes healthy skin, anti-inflammatory 

Serves 1

Enjoy immediately

Ingredients: 

2 stalks celery

1/2 cucumber

1 frozen banana

1 handful spinach

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tsp chia seeds

Almond milk (optional)

Method: 

1) Feed the celery and cucumber through a juicer. This should yield around 250ml (1 cup) juice but if it's less, top up with almond milk. 

2) Place the juice in a blender along with all of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately.

Let me know if you try out this recipe! Tag me on Twitter @HaloEats or Instagram @halo.eats