And now I will share with you my ALL TIME FAVORITE smoothie recipe, the world renowned Schizandra Berry Smoothie. I have often describe this smoothie as a magic trick, having performed this feat of transformation many times during my Ashram recipe classes to the dazzled, amazed and pleasantly surprised delight of the guests. What’s the catch here, you might be wondering…? Well here it is: this is actually a green smoothie in disguise!

And what about Schizandra? No, she is not a girl in your Highschool chemistry class; but yes, this bad little berry is once fierce bitch all the same. Schizandra, otherwise known as the “five flavor fruit” is revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine for stimulating all five organ systems that respond to each taste accordingly: the liver loves sour things, sweets stimulate the spleen, salty gets the kidneys going, bitter moves the heart, and finally that last flavor (which is tricky to pin down but goes something like), acrid/pungent/spicy — brings energy to the lungs. Working together, such an herb with oh so many flavors, tonifies all five organ systems simultaneously and earning the moniker of being “adaptogenic.”

As many of you well know by now, an adaptogen is any herb/mushroom/berry/root/etc. that helps the body combat stress and maintain homeostasis. Essentially, adaptogens help you feel more or less normal when you are otherwise overwhelmed, under the gun, overburdened, under slept, overextended, under appreciated, and otherwise over/under anything and everything and totally out of whack. Take note if you find yourself simply using these words descriptively in your daily life: that could be a raging clue that you’re imbalanced.

In addition to being adaptogenic, schizandra has beautifying properties as well, which is probably why it has been favored by women for centuries. If that weren’t enough, it can also help balance hormones and boost reproductive function! So all around, schizandra has it going on which is why I love putting it in my smoothies, especially THIS one, because schizandra and wild blueberry are a match made in berry heaven — like totally berries lovers at first sight. Wild Blueberry’s like, “look at me, I’m loaded with antioxidants. My ORAC value blows all the other blueberries away, I boost neurological function AND I taste REALLY good,” to which Schizandra is like, “That’s perfect, because I need someone wild to offset how much order and balance I bring to all the body systems. I also have a distinctive exotic flavor that not everyone enjoys, but many describe as floral.”

See what I mean? A culinary match made in heaven!

OK, enough chit chat, here’s the recipe. It makes a quart, which I recommend drinking in two parts throughout the morning if it seems daunting to slurp it down all at once (which is what I do, btw). It will also keep a day or two in the fridge if you want to try making a double batch.

1/2 avocado

1 peeled lemon, sliced

2” cucumber, or 1 whole Persian cucumber, chunked

6” celery, sliced

2” peeled ginger root, sliced

1 handful leafy greens (anything except mustard or arugula, and if you want the smoothie to be extra powerful and medicinal, try adding some dandelion to the mix)

1 1/2 cups wild blueberries, frozen

1/4 t. schizandra berry, powdered

2-3 t. Billy’s Infinity Greens

1 T. flax seed oil (optional, for added EFA’s!)

1/8 t. vanilla bean or 1/4 t. vanilla extract (optional)

4 drops tangerine essential oil (optional)

4 drops liquid stevia (optional)

1 cup cold pressed apple juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 ice

Like all smoothies, there’s other supplements you could toss in if you’re feeling jiggy; but be careful not to overdo it as you may tip the delicate balance at work here. Be sure all those tough veggies are sliced or chopped before adding them to your high powered blender. Then blend low, working you way up to high, using the plunger (with the lid on) if needed.

Pour and decorate with bee pollen or hempseeds to make it instagram ready!

Enjoy!