Green Smoothie Recipe: Vitamin B Monster | THE GLOBAL GIRL (2024)

Photography and Recipe by Ndoema

Because I’ve been vegan for so long, I’m constantly asked where I get my vitamin B12. My answer has remained the same over the years, seaweeds (especially nori and dulse) and bee products, more specifically bee pollen. Bee pollen is a nutritional powerhouse (as bee products are in general) and is a staple of my diet. I know bee products are off limits for some vegans but I personally love them and I have to say they’ve loved me back. Because I adore bees, I always make sure I support bee keepers that treat them with love, don’t feed them corn syrup, antibiotics and only pollinate organic fields. I’m very grateful to know a local grower, a wonderful family farm, where I also buy my oranges (an average of 50 pounds per week!) that’s been organic since the 1960s, uses pure river water in the fields and treats their bees with utmost respect. And that means a lot to me.

As I’ve said, I’ve been taking bee pollen regularly for years but interestingly enough during my second 92-day juice fast I was in constant bee pollen craving mode (I learnt later that it’s fabulous at assisting the body with detoxing), so it only validated how beneficial it is to my health and well being.

I love it as is but I also absolutely adore it with my green smoothies! This spinach/banana/orange smoothie is a classic in The Global Girl’s Kitchen 🙂

You’ll catch some of my favorite nutrition reads as you peruse the slideshow:

• Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices by Norman Walker (my juicing bible)
• Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond (a great intro to the principles of Natural Hygiene)
• The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell (the book responsible for Bill Clinton’s decision to adopt a plant-based diet)
• The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose (a helpful detox intro & transition guide)