#SmoothieNumbers 32: Green Ginger

Last year, I had the unfortunate experience of getting rid of a lingering cold that wasn’t quite uncomfortable, but it left behind a coughing fit that took weeks to go away. The coughing prevented a good night’s sleep, which made me irritable during the day. Eventually, I hacked cough my throat into a raspy sound. Not even my Ginger Lemon Tea couldn’t erase the cough away. Finally, a visit to a doctor confirmed my cough to be a viral infection, and as she recommended the proper medication to buy, she simply told me to be patient. The cough will eventually go away. Meanwhile, a co-worker sympathized with me and made a gingery juice that cut thru the mucus causing coughs like a sharp knife. Between, the gingery drinks and the medication, the coughing slowing went away. And, I finally returned to getting a proper night’s sleep.

This is my version of that gingery drink my co-worker made for me (I never asked how she made that special drink). This could be more of a juice and less of a smoothie, but the fiber from the juice is an added health boost. If you’re making this Green Ginger Smoothie to alleviate a cold and help the body get rid of mucus, I recommend omitting the ice cubes.

If you’ve followed my #SmoothieNumbers series, you may have noticed this a rare smoothie with vegetables. I honestly would prefer to eat greens with a fork than drink them thru a straw. But, my co-worker inspired (and helped cured) me to look into creating more vegetable smoothies.

For this green smoothie, the celery and spinach add a quaint peppery kick to the tart kiwi and sweet pear chunks. Although, the ingredient list recommends adding an one-inch piece of ginger. It’s better to add as much ginger as your tastebuds can handle. This drink is all about being a tough spice to help the body get rid of mucus-causing coughs.