IRON MAIDEN SMOOTHIE BOWL — Wellness Ceremony

It's finally Spring! Seeing those poor souls around me trying their best to curb the seasonal allergies, watching their immune systems crash, I find myself going back to my roots, back to the magic that is blue-green algae. If you don't know about this little miracle product, let me fill you in. Similar to how seaweed grows in the ocean, blue green algae gets it's deep blue green color from photosynthesis via the sun's energy. At it’s core, when it goes into your system, if I may channel my inner hippie, you're ingesting the sun’s energy. There are a few different classes of algae, all categorized by where they are grown. The Blue-Green Algae I used today is from Klamath Lake by the Cascade Mountains in southern Oregon and somehow by the grace of a super hearty strain that naturally reproduces itself, it has this unique and amazing ability to communicate environmental conditions to each strand in its bloom. Basically it's an organism with a brain, that innately knows how to convert the sun’s energy into a food source, maybe one of the most powerful and complete nutritional food sources ever. Compared to any other food, gram for gram, calories for calorie, blue green algae contains the most nutrients on earth. There I said it. There's a reason why the Aztecs depended on this superfood dating back to the 16th century.

Because of our modern western diet and lack of sunshine, most of us unfortunately are deficient in vitamins and minerals like Iron, D3, and Magnesium. By adding this blue-green superfood to your diet you are significantly lowering your chances of a doctor’s visit down the line. Weight loss, hay fever, diabetes, stress, fatigue, depression, PMS, digestion, blue-green algae can help combat it all. It has been known for its anti-cancerous, anti-cholesterol, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, and antibacterial properties. There's every reason to add this to your smoothie cabinet. The color it adds to a smoothie reminds me of those topography pictures of planet Earth from space, that deep ocean blue that brings me right back to my roots. It reminds me that yes, we eat with our eyes and when we eat all the colors of the rainbow, we are doing a huge service to ourselves and to the planet.

For my smoothie, I like to add in dark leafy greens like spinach, full of calcium, iron, and magnesium, and blueberries which are full of the antioxidants called flavonoids. Try it in the morning without your coffee and listen to how your body responds. Don't say I didn't warn you. To round out the flavor, color, and nutrition for this superior morning medicine, I also add tahini (or you could use almond butter or any other nut butter you like), coconut milk, and raw honey or dates for sweetness.

Adding a dose of this to your morning smoothie routine will drop kick even the most deficient of us back to supreme health. Feel free to add banana, nuts, or other dried or fresh fruits. When making a smoothie bowl like this, I personally like to stick to a monochromatic color pattern strictly because I like to eat with my eyes. Black chia seeds, white coconut, runny honey, kiwi, and avocado give it that extra kick into second gear. If you don't have toppings, the smoothie by itself does the job too.