Ginger Pear Green Smoothie

A group of 11,000 scientists from over 150 countries issued a report yesterday that warns that “untold suffering” caused by climate change is coming if we don’t make drastic changes (Source). The scientists suggest six critical and interrelated steps that governments, businesses, and we must take to lessen the worst effects of climate change. One of these six things is to move to a more plant-based diet and reduce our food waste. This Ginger Pear Green Smoothie is a clean, plant-based, low-waste, healthy way to start your mornings.

The smoothie uses fresh, in-season produce and is easy to take on the go in a reusable cup or mason jar. The fresh ginger and pear combination is a perfect blend of sweet and soothing and spicy. When I start my mornings making good decisions for my body and the planet, I feel like I can take on the world. So drink up, fists up, and let’s do this.

My first job was at a smoothie shop. I got paid $4.75 an hour (killing it) and made hundreds of smoothies a day. I like to think that during this time, I learned a thing or two about what makes a great smoothie.

Making Perfect Smoothies

First, it really helps to have a little banana in your smoothie. It gives it a creamy texture and adds some sweetness. I suggest freezing bananas ahead of time to achieve the best consistency (but fresh bananas work fine too). To freeze bananas, peel them and cut them into your preferred sections (I just cut them in half). Place the sections on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 12-24 hours. Once frozen, you can store them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer. Note: If you dislike banana, you can substitute avocado but will need to add a little extra sweet fruit to compensate.

Second, you should add greens to every smoothie, particularly spinach or kale. This is a great way to get the nutrients these superfoods provide (e.g., fiber, iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, etc. etc. etc.) without really having to think about it. In a balanced smoothie, you won’t taste them and you will feel like you are the healthiest person in the world sucking down vibrant green liquid in the morning.

Third, a little flax or chia will help your smoothie stay thick if you won’t be drinking it right away. I hate runny smoothies so this one is key for me. If you blend flax or chia into liquid, it will form a gel (see my guide on How to Make Flax and Chia Eggs for more information). This helps keep your smoothie thick if it has to sit in the fridge for awhile. Plus flax and chia seeds are great sources of omega-3s and tons of other nutrients (source) so you should throw them into your smoothies whether you’re drinking them right away or not.

What Makes Ginger Pear Protein Smoothie Revolutionary?

1. Seasonal ingredients. Pears and spinach are in season in much of the Northern Hemisphere right now. Ginger is also harvested in the winter months in California. Eating seasonally reduces our carbon footprints since the food doesn’t have to travel so far to reach us.

2. Whole ingredients for bulk buying. Look for pears, ginger, spinach, flax seeds, and bananas without packaging in stores near you. Skip the plastic produce bags and bring your own reusable bags or jars.

3. Dairy-free. This smoothie uses oat milk but you can substitute any plant-based milk you have on hand. Oat milk is ultra creamy and is low on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use.

4. Fair trade bananas. Bananas are HIGH on the list of foods to always buy fair trade (see my guide on Foods to Buy Fair Trade for more information). In the U.S, we consume more bananas than oranges and apples combined, but we barely grow any here (Source). Instead, we import most of our bananas from Mexico and Central America, where there are not great labor laws (Source). As such, it is important that we buy fair trade and support the workers, farmers, and environments in these neighboring countries. The more we show that we care about these issues as consumers, the more incentives producers have to think ethically in the way they provide products.

I hope you enjoy this Ginger Pear Green Smoothie. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!