Today I wanted to try a recipe that I recently saw in a wonderful raw cookbook. I added kale to the recipe and I really love the taste of the vanilla and cinnamon in the smoothie, they remind me of the holidays.

The recipe called for using figs and I was excited because I had recently visited friends for dinner and we had figs for dessert. I love the sweetness of the calimyrna dried fig and I thought I would come home and create a refreshing drink that I could serve to our friends and family during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I have to admit I was surprised to find out all the wonderful nutritional benefits of figs. I remember growing up and my mother serving me Fig Newton cookies. I have to laugh because I really thought I was eating a super nutritious snack, until I actually tasted the sweet taste of a fresh fig and all those crunchy seeds dancing in my mouth. The fig dates back to the beginning of history and is mentioned in the Old Testament in the Bible and is believed to be one of the first fruits to be dried and stored by mankind.

There are hundreds of varieties of figs, ranging in color from nearly black to almost white, and only the female fruits are edible. Figs are high in vitamins and minerals and are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids which are antioxidants that prevent the damage caused by free radicals. Figs contain vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium and chlorine.

There are numerous health benefits of figs, too many to name, but here are a few that stuck out when I started to do some research:

· Figs offer both insoluble and soluble fiber in this tiny fruit. Insoluble fiber protects against colon and breast cancer, while soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol

· Figs are a high fiber fruit, which is great if you’ve ever suffered with constipation

· May lower cholesterol due to the soluble fiber, pectin. When the fiber moves through the digestive system it mops up cholesterol and removes it from the body

· Figs are rich in calcium which strengthens the bones

· Figs are an excellent source of potassium, which may reduce the amount of calcium lost as a result of high-salt diets

· Dried figs also contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, which may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and improve immune function

· Figs are considered a neutralizer of toxins and are suggested during times of cleansing and during a healing crisis

After listening to Dr. T’s, The Truth About Sugar lecture on The Truth About Your Food website, I am going to cut down on the amount of agave I use in recipes. You’ll notice in the following recipe that the only ingredient added for sweetness is the dried calimyrna fig. When shopping for figs, please buy the organic variety to ensure that no sulfites, chemical additives or colorings were used.

Health Note: Figs are really sweet and should be used sparingly by those desiring to lose weight. Eating too many figs could result in diarrhea.

Calimyrna Fig, Green Grape, Cinnamon, Vanilla and Kale Green Smoothie

• · 3 dried organic calimyrna figs
• · 2 cups green grapes
• · 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• · ½ tsp. vanilla
• · 1 handful kale
• · 1 cup ice (optional)

Blend grapes first and then add remaining ingredients. I like to add ice at the end because I really like this smoothie as chilled as possible.

Enjoy!

Tracy