Spring is here! It’s the beginning of longer days, fun walks in the sun, and lighter cooking. What does this have to do with sleep? There have been studies on whether or not our diet can directly affect our quality of sleep. So my husband and I decided to do a little fun test of our own!

For one week we agreed to incorporate healthier choices into our meals and to also substitute a healthy green drink in place of something sugary. My husband and I love to cook! Actually I love to cook and he loves to eat (lucky guy). Making a green drink was foreign to me, but I was up for the challenge! As someone who has never juiced or smoothied (I wonder if that’s a real word) before, this was uncharted territory.

I decided to shop for our produce at the local farmers markets in Manoa and KCC and found lots of options like kale and mint. Not only was there a nice selection of local and organic produce, the vendors were also friendly and informative. They gave us tips on different ways to use their produce and also told us who had the best deals!

Walking around the Farmer’s Market in Manoa.

Lots of fresh local and organic produce!

When I got home, I brewed my own green tea and used the soy milk and oranges I already had  to add a little sweetness to our drink. While my tea was brewing, I thoroughly washed my mint and kale.

Always remember to wash your produce thoroughly.

I removed the hardy stalks and stems from the kale and mint. Next, I took out my trusty blender and began filling it with the 2 cups of green tea, a big splash of soy milk, a few orange slices, mint, and kale. Remember to cover your blender before you flip that switch! After blending for a couple minutes, make sure there are no large chunks of fruit left unblended.

When adding leafy items, be sure to remove hardy stems and stalks.

For convenience, we made enough of our green drink for a couple days. It makes it easy to quickly grab our drinks in the morning as we rushed out the door. Not only did we find the drinks to be refreshing, it actually made us feel better throughout the day allowing us to wind down easier in the evening and ultimately aided in a better nights sleep. We woke up every morning feeling refreshed and recharged, looking forward to making our green drinks.

We hope you enjoy our simple recipe and would love to hear what kinds of healthy things you do to get a good nights rest!

Photos courtesy of Kevin Kabei.

About Taryn Kabei

When not working as the Digital Media Specialist for C. S. Wo & Sons, Taryn, an avid foodie is always cooking and trying new recipes. Taryn lives with her husband, Kevin, and their cat, Keiko in Honolulu. Taryn is also a contributor on homeworldhawaii.com.