Pomegranate is perhaps one of the most ancient fruits on this planet. In fact, it has even been suggested that it was a pomegranate apple and not a regular apple in the Adam & Eve biblical narrative. Pomegranates tend to peak in early Winter, so I was completely overjoyed when I found some at the grocery store in the middle of April. I didn’t hesitate to load as many of these as I could fit into my already full cart and I left entertaining happy thoughts of smoothies and salads. In recent years, pomegranate has achieved “superfood status”. It’s great for the heart, helps lower bad cholesterol and there are some studies being conducted on it’s efficacy in fighting some types of cancer. But let’s focus on what we do know for sure; it’s rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that far surpass the properties of green tea, acai or cranberry juice. It delivers a Vitamin C punch second to none. It helps fight inflammation and I clearly remember reading about pomegranate when I was busy fighting arthritis. In short, pomegranate is my friend and yours as well. Oh, and did I mention it tastes pretty great, too?

This smoothie has:

• 1 large pomegranate
• 1  peeled and sliced large orange or 2 small ones
• 1 tightly packed cup of raw baby spinach
• some ice cubes
• 1 frozen banana cut into chunks

You most likely won’t need water for this one, unless you feel the consistency is too thick and could benefit from a little liquid. Remember that pomegranates and oranges and rich in juices, so that usually cuts it for this particular smoothie. Blend on high for 25-30 seconds & enjoy!!