Koya Webb’s Daily Go-To Recipes

To enhance your health, start each day with a green smoothie and end it with a kale salad.

I believe that your body carries your soul and essence while you are on earth — so it’s important to treat it right, and that means healthy food, regular exercise and a good amount of sleep.

Fifteen years ago, I realized that I felt so much better and more vibrant when I skipped processed foods and instead ate food from the earth. So even though I was raised in the South and taught to eat everything that was put in front of me, I transitioned to a vegan, plant-based diet to support my optimal health and the health of the planet — and I’ve never looked back.

For anyone who’s looking to incorporate healthier eating habits into their lifestyle, I encourage you to bring more plant-based foods into your diet while also reducing the amount of processed foods you consume.

I love to cook for variety, special occasions or just because for friends — but there are two items I eat every single day: a smoothie and a salad. I find that a smoothie is the best way to mix vitamins, nutrients and deliciousness all in one glass. I’ll have one for breakfast or as a snack or meal replacement, and I love to experiment with a mix of fruits, superfoods and protein powder. Oftentimes, I drink a green smoothie in the morning for an extra kick of energy to jump-start my day — I’ve included my go-to recipe below.

For lunch or dinner, I enjoy a salad because it’s a great way to add more veggies to my day. I start with a base of leafy greens; my favorite is kale. Then I pick five or so vegetables (or mix it up with a combination of veggies and fruits), add some protein (such as lentils or nuts) and sprinkle on some seeds for a little crunch.

Green Machine Smoothie

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup fresh red grapefruit juice
• 1 cup destemmed dinosaur kale
• 1 large sweet apple, cored and chopped
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 scoop natural or vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup frozen mango
• ⅛ cup fresh mint leaves
• 3-4 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

1. Juice half a large red grapefruit and add ½ cup grapefruit juice to a blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. (Add additional water if you want a thinner consistency.)

Quick Kale Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups curly kale
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 avocado, chopped and diced
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped and diced cucumbers
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup shredded purple cabbage

Dressing

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp coconut nectar or maple syrup
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix salad dressing ingredients with a fork.
2. In a large bowl, prepare vegetables. Start by destemming and washing kale. Let dry.
3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Top with dressing and mix together.

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