Pistachio Smoothie

Pistachio was always one of my favorite flavors of ice cream. This smoothie brings back happy memories of eating gobs of pistachio ice cream with my cousins at Jones Beach. The texture is smooth and thick like an old-fashioned milk shake. Pistachios contain large amounts of antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin E and lutein compared to other nuts. They are also lower in calories than other nuts and are loaded with flavor and healthy fats.

Pistachios can be more expensive than other nuts. UPDATE: 20 July 2013: I had a good online resource for them but, sadly, the quality of the last two batches was very sub-par. So I will continue to search for fresh, flavorful pistachios and keep you updated!

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup raw shelled pistachios
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 avocado
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 2 cups soymilk or other non dairy milk
• 2 drops pure almond extract (really, all you need is 2 drops!)
• 2 medjool dates, pits removed
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in high powdered blender and blend until smooth!

Serves 2. Enjoy!

Healthy trails,