Spicy Smoothie con Nopales y Jalapeño

When I first started making green smoothies I always included jalapeño. A little bit more every time. But as we all know, spicy isn’t for everyone. It’s not for my folks, my friend Aimee, or most of my friends from Rotary.

But for those of you who do like spicy, I highly recommend adding a little jalapeño or serrano to a green smoothie and a small fillet of peeled nopales, also called cactus leaf or prickly pear. The nopales round out the flavor while helping to regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation and boost the immune system. In addition to these much-needed boosts to the traditional American diet, nopales are also rich in Vitamins A, B & C with high levels of soluble and insoluble fiber.

With a fruit base of pineapple, mango, papaya or all of the above and subtle greens like spinach, the cilantro, jalapeño and any citrus juice you use will be the dominant flavors.

I typically make it with pineapple and a few less expensive and more subtly flavored fruits like pears and apples. Add peppers gradually to gauge how spicy you like it. Start with just a nub.