Anti-inflammatory warm smoothie - great to replace your coffee or black tea

As I am currently trying my utmost best to recover from the whiplash injuries of a car accident that my husband and I had on 15 February 2017 and that has left me struggling with severe inflammation of the joints and muscles all along my back (from hips and pelvis to neck), and as I don't take any pharmaceutical drugs, I've had to resort to introducing as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible in my diet.

And in that search, I started experimenting with a warm smoothie recipe that a yogi friend of mine posted over a year ago and recently reposted. She recommended it mainly to help people replace their morning (or any other time of the day) coffee or black tea with a warm drink packed with nutrients.

I've adapted it for even more anti-inflammatory and hormone balancing effects -- and it tastes delicious! I have ended up having it as breakfast, afternoon drink and today it was even my dinner!

Of course it can be tweeked further to your own preferences!

In blender or nutribullet, put:
- 2 handfuls of raw spinach
- some rocket salad (as rocket salad has quite a strong peppery taste, do this to your own taste)
- a good handful of blueberries
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 whole or half an avocado (optional)
- one tablespoon of organic carob powder (stronger taste) or raw cacao powder
- one teaspoon of organic turmeric paste with black pepper (letting the turmeric paste simmer in a pan together with some freshly ground black pepper and some boiling water for at least 7mins activates the curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. Just adding the powder to your smoothie won't do very much for you. Just simmer it until you get a nice paste, which will keep in the fridge for up to 40 days!)
- one teaspoon of local bee pollen
- one teaspoon to a tablespoon of organic Ashwaghanda powder (depending on how much of this wonderful Ayurvedic medicine you're taking daily)
- one teaspoon (or more) of organic maca root powder
- one tablespoon of raw virgin coconut oil, mixed in a cup of boiling (filtered) water.

Blend everything together (add more hot water if necessary).

Enjoy!