Summer is herb season. Keep your eyes open on walks and hikes and you'll find plenty of edible plants growing along the path. Many herbs are incredibly healthy and even have healing properties. We went looking for the right ingredients for an invigorating, strengthening morning smoothie on the Plose near Brixen in South Tyrol. Here's how you can easily make your own healthy smoothie.
Accompanied by herb fairy Christiane, who knows the Plose like her own backyard, we set out to find suitable herbs. The recipe only takes shape as we go.
In principle, you can add any edible herbs Mother Nature provides along the path to your smoothie, as long as they aren't protected. Just make sure you don't harvest and mix too many different herbs, or the taste will suffer. A few carefully selected herbs, on the other hand, add subtle nuances.
4 HERBS, 1 SMOOTHIE
Red clover leaves will form the base this time. They grow not only in alpine meadows but also at lower elevations, and they're a good choice because their flavor isn't overpowering.
For a hint of forest aroma, we add Swiss stone pine needles. We pick the young tips, which are still soft enough to taste right there on the spot.
In a damp spot, we also find masterwort. The root is often steeped in alcohol to make schnapps. We pick the young leaves instead. The leaves stimulate the appetite and aid digestion. Don't use too many, though, as their flavor can quickly take over.
Good King Henry usually grows near mountain huts. It's also known as "wild spinach" and tastes like it too. You can harvest the flowers as well as the leaves. Cooked in butter, the flowers taste a bit like broccoli.
INGREDIENTS
- Red clover leaves
- Swiss stone pine needle tips
- Young masterwort leaves
- Good King Henry
- 1 banana
- 2 apples
- 1/8 lemon with peel
- 200 ml water
PREPARATION
- Cut the fruit into small pieces. The banana and apples add some sweetness. The lemon gives the finished smoothie an extra fresh taste.
- Wash the herbs
- Put everything in the blender with the water and blend until smooth, with no large pieces remaining
- Pour into glasses, garnish and serve
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 | Herb fairy Christiane Gruber offers courses and walks on the topics of "Green Cosmetics" and "Healthy Eating". Zur Webseite > |
Drink slowly and enjoy
You should always drink fresh smoothies slowly. Not just to make them last longer and enjoy every sip, but also to give your body enough time to absorb the nutrients. This is a real power drink. So put your glass down every now and then and give your stomach time to digest, so it can absorb as many nutrients as possible.
Also of interest:
> Traditional Swiss braided yeast bread with recipe
> The world’s best Kaiserschmarrn to make at home
> Hiking in Switzerland: 3 beautiful places in Graubünden