Watercress: Green Smoothie and Raw Soup Recipes

Watercress is a sharp and peppery tasting cruciferous vegetable. Like most greens, watercress can easily make it to the top of super-foods list, and it’s a perfect addition to your green smoothies.

Its amazing health benefits are due to its high levels of phytochemicals, the same disease fighting components found in broccoli and cabbage. By weight it contains more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk and more absorbable iron than spinach.

Watercress greens help boost the immune system (contains Vitamin B6; vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that provide protection form free radical damage; and vitamin A, which enhances white blood cell function and the resistance to infections and carcinogens), contains lutein and zeaxanthine, needed for healthy eyes; provides nutrients for strong, healthy hair and nails (iron, zinc, vitamin A), contains vitamins for beautiful skin; helps thyroid function; helps build strong, healthy bones (Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and vitamins A, C, and K), as well as boosts the detoxification function of the liver.

With all of these health benefits, it’s important to add more watercress to your diet!

Since watercress has a very distinct flavor, I recommend that most people use only a handful in a smoothie at a time or mix it up with spinach, if the flavor is too much for you in the beginning.
You can washed it up and store in a refrigerator (in a plastic bag with a piece of paper towel) or freeze it in single-sized servings.

For those who do not have a high-powered blender… watercress fits in the category of tender greens along with spinach and baby greens, as it blends quite easily.

Watercress Orange Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 ripe medium bananas

1 ripe pear or apple

1 cup orange juice

2 cups watercress, though stems removed (or 1 cup of watercress and 1 cup spinach)

1-2 cup water

Watercress Blueberry Smoothie Recipe

1 banana

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 small handful of watercress

1 large handful of spinach

1 cup water

Watercress Tropical Smoothie Recipe

1 cup frozen mango

1 cup fresh pineapple

1 small handful of watercress

1 large handful of spinach

1-2 cup water

Blend in blender until smooth! Enjoy!

Watercress

Watercress: Ready for the smoothie! http://www.flickr.com/photos/anjuli_ayer/3102132111/sizes/z/in/photostream



Watercress Pear Raw Soup Recipe

The difference between a soup and a smoothie is really insignificant: a soup is a thick smoothie, that you eat with a spoon from a bowl!

2 cups of watercress

1 Pear

1 cup of water – depending on desired consistency

Place all fresh ingredients in the blender and blend.

For more creamy consistency add 1/2 an avocado. Also, you can play with the flavor by either adding a few nuts, such as walnuts or almonds, or add a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.

If you fancy a warm soup there are two ways to heat the soup without cooking:

1. Use warm water and serve in a warm bowl.

2. If you have a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, you can leave it running on high for a few minutes.

3. Heat it up on the stove top, but be careful not to boil it!

Watercress soup

Watercress soup: Just blend it! I have found this beautiful picture on http://www.flickr.com/photos/hills_alive/2752734262/


For all my blending recipes I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.

I LOVE my Vitamix blender and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!

If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.


Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!