Skin Superfood Smoothie (Dairy-Free + Refined Sugar-Free)

Hi there! Erica here from the Paleo and Whole30 food blog Real Simple Good. I am one half of the duo behind Real Simple Good. In our former lives before turning our blog into a business, my husband, Justin, and I were both CPA’s (certified public accountants) – yeah I know… SO BORING right?! We both felt like we had more to give to the world than punching out spreadsheets and talking about last year’s financial results. To top it all off, I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) over a decade ago and really needed to get out of the grind and stressful work environment our accounting jobs demanded. So… we took a crazy bold step, leap of faith (whatever you want to call it). We quit our jobs, moved to a smaller town in Central Oregon and began to focus on our blog and how we could help people live more vibrantly. We focus on Paleo and Whole30 recipes and meal plans and also tips for non-toxic living. The move to non-toxic, greener living initiated my love for Primally Pure and I’m here today to share a great skin superfood smoothie with you!

We can use the best products on our skin, like Primally Pure, made with simple, real ingredients and get results with our skin no doubt! Nature really does have it figured out. Our skin loves to be nourished with top notch products, but real and lasting radiance comes from how we feed and nourish our bodies with what we eat. Yes, what you eat has a HUGE impact on your skin! In trying come back from my MS diagnosis and manage my health long-term, a lot of my own health journey has been focused on healing my gut. And as I’ve worked on healing my gut and eating real food, my skin has truly transformed. Then, as my skin has begun to change from the inside out, the beauty products I use have become more and more effective!

There are some key foods to include in your diet for healthy, glowing skin. It starts off easy with water. Our skin needs lots of water to stay well-hydrated, just like the rest of our body. Next up think about foods that are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich and contain healthy fats and vitamin C. I packed this skin superfood smoothie with some of my favorite superfoods and healing foods!

• Coconut water is an amazing option for adding hydration – it has electrolytes and coconut is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial.
• Papaya is naturally anti-inflammatory and aids in digestion, and what is good for the gut is good for skin.
• Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which are anti-aging.
• Spinach is full of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C and K. It’s great to lightly steam it first for better digestion and absorption.
• Lemon juice is great for vitamin C as well.
• Avocado is anti-inflammatory and full of healthy fats, plus it makes this smoothie extra creamy.
• Sea salt has trace minerals that are essential for our bodies. Makes sure to use unrefined sea salt.
• Collagen – this is an optional addition to this smoothie, but one I think everyone should add to their daily lives. It’s great for your hair, skin, nails and gut. And like I said above, what is good for your gut is ultimately good for your skin. We use grass-fed collagen, which is tasteless and can easily be added to your morning smoothie, coffee, tea, etc. It dissolves right into whatever you add it to.

Summer is the season of smoothies, so go ahead and make this skin superfood smoothie!

SKIN SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE
Servings: 2 smaller smoothies or 1 large smoothie

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups coconut water (no added sugar or preservatives, just pure coconut water)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen papaya, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 handfuls lightly steamed spinach
1/2 avocado, pitted and removed from skin
1/2 lemon, juice of
Pinch of sea salt
Optional: 1-2 scoops grass-fed collagen (hydrolyzed or peptides)

Instructions:
Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender in the order listed above and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Pour into your favorite glass or mason jar and enjoy!

Take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood and @primallypure, so we can check it out when you make it. Give us both a follow on Instagram as well if you don’t already!

You can learn more about Justin and I here, and more about my journey with MS here. Follow along with us on social media at the links below for all our latest posts and recipe videos.
Instagram: @realsimplegood, Pinterest: @realsimplegood, Facebook: @realsimplegood