Back in New York, I had a real thing for liquid greens. I would pick up green smoothies at the gym on my way to work, and I would order in green juice while working late. I would stockpile kale stems to turn into juice and past-their-prime bananas to add to spinach smoothies.
I have been backpacking around Africa for two months now, and I’m going through withdrawal. When people ask me what I miss most about the United States, I turn misty-eyed and start waxing poetic about drinking my greens. (This is usually the point where they blink and nod, and say something about how they expected I most missed Central Park, washing my clothing, or widely available wifi.)
Vegetable drinks aren’t completely unheard of in Africa, but they are certainly not on every street corner as they are in New York. In Windhoek, Namibia, I procured a tall glass of mixed vegetable (tomato, carrot, cucumber, and parsley) juice, hoping that it would satisfy my craving. In fact, it only made it worse.
I’m already planning the green smoothie that I’m going to make when we return to the United States. It’s one of my favorites, an easy drinking concoction that you don’t have to have spent months abroad to enjoy. Here’s the recipe – blend it up when you return from a trip and want to get back on track, or even when you’re just thinking about taking a trip:
Step 1. Layer together the following in your blender:
→ 1 cup almond milk
→ 2 handfuls spinach
→ 1 sliced frozen banana
→ 1 tablespoon almond butter
→ 1 teaspoon bee pollen
Step 2. Blend until smooth.
Do you crave green drinks? What do you miss most when you’re traveling? Let me know in the comments!