Inside Out Beauty

This delicious smoothie features superstar aloe vera - one of the top superfoods of all time.  Aloe is long known as a beauty food, as it is said that Cleopatra's famous beauty can be attributed to her use of the plant.  Apart from contributing to beautiful, healthy skin, aloe hydrates the body, supports the liver, kidneys, digestive system, immune system, and reduces inflammation in the body.  While we can certainly use aloe gel topically, we can reap the benefits by consuming it internally as well.  

1 chunk of aloe (1/3 of a whole leaf or about 3-4 inches wide), filleted and gel removed
¼ fresh pineapple
1 cucumber, skin on*
1 cup spring water
1 cup ice cubes
1 handful baby spinach
optional: 1½ tablespoons spirulina or Vitamineral Green powder

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, and combine until smooth.  

*Cucumbers are typically in the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" for highly-pesticided produce, so choose organic, especially when keeping skin on.