As the cold weather is upon us now here in Nashville, I’ve been thinking of ways to boost my  immune system, as it tends to be compromised more during this season.  So I created this refreshing immune boosting smoothie!  However, you can drink this smoothie any time of the year, even while trying to strengthen your immune system during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It’s actually smoothie month at Williams-Sonoma and this week’s theme was “Not Your Average Smoothie” so I thought turning a smoothie into something that boosts your immune system and wards off colds would be a good place to start.  It’s a nice tart smoothie with an optional kick that reminds me of the green lemonade juices I’ve been drinking, but instead it’s beautifully pink from the bright red raspberries.

Here’s what I threw into my blender + why it’s good for you:

• Greens: Greens like kale, collard, swiss chard, and spinach are nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, that strengthen your immune system and ward off colds.
• Orange/Tangerine: Oranges are full of vitamins A + C which help promote production of white blood cells to fight off any foreign invaders, and folate which you need for healthy cell growth. Those looking to get pregnant or are already pregnant will benefit from including folate into their diet as it essential for healthy development of the baby in the mother’s womb, particularly the formation of the neural tube.
• Lemons and berries: Both are rich in vitamin C and immune boosting antioxidants.
• Ginger: Ginger is a strong antioxidant that has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Turmeric + Cayenne (optional): Both turmeric and cayenne are very nutrient dense spices, which support your immune system through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients:
3/4 c filtered water
1 orange or tangerine, juiced (or if you have a powerful blender like a vitamix you can throw a whole, peeled orange in the blender)
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 handfuls of greens (I used a combination of kale, spinach, and swiss chard)
1 c frozen raspberries
1 in knob ginger, peeled
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 banana

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.  Drink up and impress your immune system!