Strawberry Coconut Kombucha Smoothie

Strawberry Coconut Kombucha Smoothie

Does this sound as good to you as it did to me? I was brainstorming a lunch idea the other day and wanted something light, refreshing, and fruity. I made my smoothie base- but had no hemp milk! And water? BORING! But I did have 3 full bottles of GT's Kombucha on hand, so kombucha it was. I was worried it would taste strange- which is silly, because I drink at least one kombucha day- I love the stuff! It turned out perfectly, a substitution I will be making more often. The kombucha added a lightly carbonated, tart flavor to the smoothie that screamed summer. Complimented with ripe strawberries and sweet coconut, and this smoothie hits a whole new level of smoothie goodness. On a one-to-ten scale, it gets an eleven. Seriously, that good. 

We also added flax, wheat germ, and hemp seeds to our smoothie, just cause we love to sneak in nutritional benefits whenever we can. This smoothie is rich in omega 3 & 6, potassium, fiber, vitamin C. The kombucha helps with digestion, and is said to increase energy and vitality.
Kombucha's roots can be traced back to ancient Manchuria, China, where people drank it as a remedy for immortality. Kombucha was first introduced in Japan by Dr. Kombu, who supposedly gave it to the Japanese emporer as a healing tonic. After that, history blurs but it seems to have transported to Russia, Germany, and India before hitting the rest of the world. 
Kombucha has become increasingly popular as a health tonic with claims it detoxifies the mind and body, removes toxins, increases energy, improves digestion, and improves skin elasticity. While no studies have officially been done to prove these things, most people agree- and enjoy it for these reasons! 

you'll need:
1 cup strawberries
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 tablespoon raw hemp seeds
1 tablespoon raw wheat germ
3 tablespoons shredded coconut
1 cup kombucha (any flavor is fine- I used this)
1/2 cup ice

plus, a little extra coconut and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice if you'd like to rim the glass like we did.

Blend fruits together first, then add in everything else and blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds to a minute. 
To rim your glass: place about a tablespoon of shredded coconut on a flat plate. Do the same with the lemon juice. Dip the rim of your drinking glass into the teaspoon of lemon juice, then immediately dip into the coconut. The lemon juice will stick to the coconut, leaving a rimmed glass. Once rimmed, either place in freezer to set for several minutes or immediately fill with smoothie & enjoy! (Serves one.)

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