Spinach Cucumber Mint Smoothie

Serves 2 

This has a clean, green flavor with a faint sweetness. If you opt for baby spinach, you may not need to remove the stems.

Ingredients:

• 3 ice cubes
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 cups, packed, baby spinach or torn, stemmed mature leaves
• ⅓ cup, packed, mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey -- local is best, optional
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ banana, sliced and frozen 

Directions:

1. Place the ice in the blender and pulse to crush.
2. Add the pineapple juice, spinach, mint, lemon juice, and honey (if using); pulse to begin breaking up the greens and then blend, at first on medium and gradually adjusting to high, to liquefy the solids, 20 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your blender.
3. Add the cucumber and banana, and blend until the mixture is uniform, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, about 45 seconds.

Adapted from The Boston Globe Magazine / January 5, 2014