With working on my Superfood Living site, I have superfoods massively on the brain, so here’s one of my all-time favorite raw smoothie recipes for starting the day… or just any time you really want a “zing” for your taste buds and energy. My youngest son (18) loves this one… it’s the recipe he most requests, and it includes two superfoods on my Top-10 Superfoods List.

Goji Berries

Goji Berries could be considered “the king of superfoods”. They look like little red raisins, and easily beat out oranges for their Vitamin C content, carrots for their bet carotene, and isteak for ittheir iron. They’re high in antioxidants and Vitamin B… and they’re a complete protein source (all 18 primary amino acids , and a few more to boot), very rare for a fruit. In Chinese medicine, they are considered the number one food or herb! Goji Berries are considered an “adaptogen”, which helps normalize system functions throughout your body, whether they are “high” or “low” (as in, helps you whether you’re hypo-glycemic or hyper-glycemic, or whether your blood pressure is high or low).

Golden (Peruvian) Inca Berries

Golden (Peruvian) “Inca Berries” are another potent adaptogen with high protein (slighter higher percentage-wise over the Gojies, actually). They’re high in Vitamin C and other vitamins, as well as in bioflavanoids (super-useful little critters for protecting your general health) and pectin (great for helping to lower cholesterol). They are also wildly tart… bite into one of those babies and they’re sure to wake you up in a jiffy!

Paired with the oranges, this smoothie actually tastes very much like a raw “sweet tart” candy. And the addition of raw coconut oil gives a creamy undertone and warm energy to start the day (or to re-energize later on…).

“Morning Pick-Up” Raw Smoothie (with Goji Berries and Golden Inca Berries)

• 1/4 cup Goji Berries
• 1/4 cup Inca Berries
• 2 sweet Oranges, peeled
• 2 tablespoons raw Coconut Oil
• water to 32 oz.

Blend everything together until smooth. Add 1-2 cups ice and blend again.

Note: If you’re blender isn’t high-powdered, you’re going to have some satisfyingly chewy bits of berry to munch on at the bottom of your glass. Inca Berries for some reason are surprisingly the hardest things I’ve yet found to break down completely… even my Blendtec needs a couple go-rounds to get them. But they’re fun to chew. They’re tart enough to elicit a good shiver, at times.

Another Note: This recipe is sweet enough for me, but if you like it sweeter, just add a banana or a bit of raw honey.