Radically Raw Celery Ginger Smoothie

Prelude to a celery smoothie:  mango, lemon, celery. 

In the past, when celery came in the eroots produce box I would breath a heavy sigh.  I knew it was bound to wilt at the bottom of my fridge.  I just didn't know what to do with all of it.  Then a fellow subscriber recommended putting it in a smoothie.  Seemed a bit strange at first.  Kale smoothies I could manage.  Celery went just a little too far.  The next afternoon, coming home from a long day running and gunning about, I reached for yet another cup of coffee.  Then I stopped.  I took a radical departure and made a celery ginger smoothie.  It would take a little longer than brewing a cuppa’.   I hoped for a better health later down the road.  And I was right. 

Celebrate Celery. Now.

It's good for you.  It’s an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, acid-reducing, anti-fungal, amazing vegetable.  And that’s just the great things that begin with ‘a.’  Why was I so cruel, so wasteful to let it rot in the bottom of my fridge for so long?  Celery may be the underdog of vegetables but the health reports would beg to differ. Even WebMD had something good to say about it, reporting that it is used to treat joint pain (rheumatism), gout, hysteria, nervousness, headache, weight loss due to malnutrition, loss of appetite, and exhaustion.   Exhaustion?  Really.  And here I was thinking the only way to treat exhaustion was a three day spa retreat in Palm Springs, CA. 

Ginger Boost Me

Adding fresh ginger to the mix I thought of how they market the upsell at Jamba Juice.  For every order they ask “would you like a boost with that?”   Who doesn’t want a boost?  For just an extra $1.25 or more will get you the magic powder to enhance energy, immunity, sex drive, and more.  But at home it doesn’t have to be some powdery mystery magic.  It can be as real.  It can be fresh.  It can be ginger.  I choose ginger as it is known to improve circulation, among other miraculous things.  It gets the blood in your body flowing, which makes you feel as if you have more energy.  For more amazing ginger facts, check out “22 Health Benefits of Ginger Root & Ginger Tea” at http://bembu.com/ginger-benefits.

With the energy buzz from the ginger, the cleansing properties of the celery and the sweetness of the mango, a very worthwhile smoothie experience was had.  Quietly I sat on my patio sipping, letting the day sink away.  What was left of the celery in the fridge must have been rejoicing.  For they knew the next day would not bring the compost, but the blender.

The Radically Raw Celery Smoothie ~ at your service

Radically Raw Celery Ginger Smoothie

1 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 cup of chopped mango

1 cup fresh (not from concentrate) orange juice

2 to 3 ice cubes

 Blend. Serve.  Drink.