Meatless Monday Inspiration: 14 Days of Green Smoothies
I’m on a big green smoothie kick, which is something I have a weirdly hard time admitting in public. I’ve already gone on the record saying I’m not into cleanses, and as a food lover who adores cooking, I prefer to get my nutrients from whole foods—not ones pulverized into a convenient melange from the blender. I’ve had many green juices in my time, and I like them fine, but I know plenty of people who go gaga for smoothies and juices of all kind.
Me, I like water, tea and coffee. (Oh, and wine.) Those are basically the only things I enjoy drinking on a regular basis.
And yet! A couple of weeks ago, on a particularly sluggish morning, I wandered into a smoothie spot on the way to work. Looking at the assortment of fruit and veggies in front of me, I picked what I like best, not really thinking about whether or not those things would taste good together. “Kale, blueberry, and half a banana please,” I said. They asked if I wanted almond milk or yogurt, soy or apple juice as the base. “Um, could you just do those three things and see what happens?” They agreed, and the resulting “drink” (cutesy quotes because the stuff barely comes up the straw) was incredible. I’ve had some version of the same every day since. It’s my breakfast along with a handful of nuts, and sometimes some toast. It’s been two weeks and I feel good. Also, my skin is sort of glowing. Nothing crazy or dramatic, but there’s a slight difference, I think, and people have said as much to me. This is not something I would have believed if I’d heard someone else say it.
I guess seeing is believing.
Yesterday I made my first one at home, knowing if I keep up the $10 a day habit I’ll be kicking myself. I was inspired by this recipe, which is where I borrowed the picture up top from, but I also had some raspberries on hand, some new raw honey from Stone Barns and a bit of rice milk that I wanted to use up. I blended it all together in my old-school Cuisinart. The consensus? So tasty!
So do you go the green smoothie thing? And if so, have you noticed any changes in how you feel or look?
Image via this awesome site you should bookmark
Oh yeah, I blend smoothies like nobody’s business. My stand-by is spinach, cold water, frozen wild blueberries, 3 (!!) bananas and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, and sometimes some chia seeds and cinnamon. Less utilitarian versions include greek yogurt or almond/coconut milk to make it creamier.
I am a huge fan of green smoothies! When I add a smoothie to my day for a week I notice a significant difference to my skin and overall energy. Love a good green smoothie :)
OBSESSED with green smoothies. OBSESSED. Coconut water is my favorite base, and I recently discovered the Latino section of the frozen foods aisle–frozen unsweetened passionfruit pulp! I think these are magic; easiest way ever to get vegetables. I don’t have kids but I told a friend of mine who has kids about it and they loved it, so it’s particularly good for that, and I like that it’s not “sneaking” in vegetables like parents sometimes do. It’s just showing that vegetables don’t have to be a steamed pile of yuck at dinner; they can be vibrant and delicious (if masked, fine, whatever).
Here’s my base recipe, in case anyone is interested. I don’t measure at all, just throw stuff in and do it to taste. I also love to throw in parsley sometimes, especially with kale, but at this point my “green” tolerance is pretty high.
http://www.the-beheld.com/2011/12/68-of-your-vitamin-c-100-off-topic.html
I have just started juicing -yesterday. What a coincidence :) I read “Crazy Sexy Diet” and it convinced me. There are so many health pioneers out there saying that you should start juicing if you’d only start one new healthy habit. So I did it. And so far, I like it. I even did super healthy green juices that don’t contain fruits and they are ok, too. I am so excited to try this and see if it really helps my skin (I have neurodermatitis) and energy. I will start doing smoothies as soon as I can get my hands on a great blender on ebay :)
Oh, and you might like Kris Carr’s new e-book “Crazy Sexy Juices & Succulent Smoothies”.
Oh, and I love NMDL!
Mmmm….. always, always, ALWAYS start my day with a green smoothie. Not because of the glowy effects, but because I’m usually on the go in the mornings and don’t have time to chow down on a bunch of veggies! This habit started when I got a Vitamix — my old cuisinart blender was never able to mix the spinach or kale in very well and I’d be picking greens out of my teeth for the rest of the day. So my first day with the Vitamix was one of the best days EVER! The mixture is smooth and green and gorgeous :)
My favourite add-in is half of a frozen avocado. The fruit gets sort of brown in the freezer, but the texture that it lends to the smoothie is awesome. That, and healthy fats are SO GOOD for your skin!
I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my hair, skin, and nails since doing the green smoothie thing. This probably has to do with the fact that I’m able to add 6 extra servings of veggies to my day, and still maintain the fibre/nutrients of the whole thing (instead of juicing, which takes out a lot of the good stuff!)
I’m thrilled that you’re into it :)
Dang, I woke up just this morning and made a pact with myself that I would get back to my old routine of a daily green smoothie. I seem eerily on the wavelength of NMDL lately! ;)
For about 6 months I had a huge green smoothie every morning for breakfast and I felt GREAT. My skin definitely looked more radiant (my boyfriend kept commenting that I was glowing, always a good sign), I was full of energy, and the cellulite on the backs of my thighs melted off (and it’s still gone, months later). :D
Favorite recipe: 1 heart of romaine, 1 stalk of celery, half a peeled lime, half an apple, and a handful of frozen pineapple chunks. This is a very easily palatable and refreshing drink; it’s great when kale or collards just sound too hardcore at 7am.
I love green smoothies! I have one every morning for breakfast, and when I don’t have one, I’ve noticed that I feel depleted and less energetic. Here’s what I do:
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
blueberries and raspberries OR peaches and mango
2 handfuls of kale OR spinach
2 Tablespoons of nut butter (for protein)
Half of a banana
So yummy!!
Green Lemonade is my go-to blog for recipes for smoothies, and for everything else too. I get really inspired on this blog for using seasonal ingredients and branching out of my comfort zone.
http://www.greenlemonade.com/category/recipes-juices/smoothie-juice-feasting/
Here is the main address:
http://www.greenlemonade.com/
such funny timing! I was also resistant to juices and smoothies for the longest time but have totally fallen under the green drink spell recently. I have been blending spinach/cucumber/ginger (lots!so good!)/pear/parsley/raw honey with a dash of almond milk and a handful of flax/chia/hemp seeds almost every morning and I love the way it makes me feel. I swear my skin is more glow-y and I love that I can sneak a bunch of protein in there with the add in seeds. I’m absolutely hooked and can’t wait to try a blueberry version….
I always have a smoothie for breakfast, been doing that at least a few years. My base is always homemade almond milk, bananas, various seasonal fruit and I prefer kale as the greens. Lately I’ve been adding maca, sometimes cacao too. For those who don’t think the greens sound good as long as you use other strong flavors, like the banana or chocolate, it won’t taste “green.” I make a big batch in my Vitamix and store in mason jars so I don’t have to take the time every morning. My digestive system loves this.
I don’t do smoothies because they often pack in as many calories as a full English breakfast, but I am obessed (OBSESSED!!!) with my morning green juice! I got hooked on those after going to Sun in Bloom – a partly-raw vegan place in Brooklyn (that also has ridiculously delicious smoothies) – and now I make one almost every morning. I throw kale, collard greens, celery, parsley, cucumber, ginger, lime and one green apple (for flavour) into my juicer and get the most delicius, sweetly-tart, bright green juice. Sometimes I might chuck in a different green (spinach or swiss chard), but the ones I listed are the mainstays. And I make sure to use everything organic, since I’d hate to ingest a bunch of nasty chems with my chlorophyll. The juice definitely makes a huge difference to how I feel – it gives me energy and, for lack of a better word, a lot of pep. I really do feel different when I skip a day. So yay for greens!
yes!!! this sounds like what i do on a regular basis.
spinach, frozen blueberies, coconut milk. ta-da! done and yum!
Not quite smoothies but I bought a juicer and I’ve been loving it. It’s the perfect way of using up the fruits and veggies that have gone just a bit past their crispest, saving them from the trash. I then take the pulp from the veggie juices and toss it into a soup base to thicken it up without using cream. A great hangover juice is kale, lemon, some apples for sweetness and a ton of ginger. Sometimes I like to swirl in a little flax oil right before drinking it to get my omegas without having to choke down capsules. Oh, and did I mention home made bloody marys made from tomato, green onion and green garlic juice? It’s seriously the jam.
smoothie-makers, is the vita mix necessary? It’s soooo expensive!
I haven’t been much into smoothies but this might be a good idea for a warmer weather breakfast. I don’t think I want hot oatmeal with berries and walnuts all summer long! I quickly notice a difference in my complexion when I eat more leafy greens but I’m not always good about doing that so the smoothie might just be a good thing for me. Thanks for the inspiration and all the recipes!!
Oh I love Sun in Bloom too! Their gingerade completely banished the first trimester morning sickness AND helped my mother with her incredibly finicky stomach (due to a burst appendix years ago). I’ll waddle down there tomorrow and try their other smoothies then!
All these recipes sound so inspiring, but here’s my question:
What’s the difference between “juicing” and just…you know, blending stuff together?
I have a pretty run of hte mill blender – will that be enough? Or does something special and nutritionally important happen when you “juice”?
I’m sort of hoping y’all will tell me that I can just use my old blender, at least for starters…I have this vague idea that the difference has to do with fibres or something…?
I’m not very fantastic in a kitchen so I love all these recipes…I did try a juice with wheatgrass once, from somewhere in the city and it promptly made me retch all over the subway – and I’ve been quite wary of green juices since, has anyone else had that reaction? However I’m ready to give it a go now – all this stuff about glowing skin and lots of energy sound very, very appealing! Thanks for all the tips!
My mom drinks a green smoothie everyday (she puts in cabbage, carrots, bananas, and berries), but I can’t get over having vegetables in a smoothie. I’d rather have a fruit smoothie with a salad on the side!
Looove green smoothies!! To make it easiest for myself, I make a huuuge smoothie batch at a time, freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop ‘em into a freezer bag to store. Then everyday I take 2 or 3 cubes, add some warm water and a banana (& usually coconut oil and chia seeds), whip out my immersion blender and I’m good to go! The part I freeze is usually some mix of: kale, spinach, celery, avocado, water, coconut oil, almond butter, some ACV, lemon,cucumber, ginger and sometimes some beet greens or other nice leafy goodness!! Yummalicious!!
@Eva – the difference between juicing and blending smoothies is basically fiber – when you use a juicer, all of the fiber from the fruits and veggies is separated from just the juice, and the idea behind it is that you’re getting all of the nutrients from the foods but it’s easier for your body to absorb and digest without having to digest that large amount of fiber that comes with it. Or at least that’s how I understand it, I’m no expert though. And I read you’re still getting the same amount of calories from each.
I’m so glad you made this post, perfect timing. I bought an amaaazing juicer a few weeks ago and have been trying to drink green juices every morning, but I’ve been struggling with staying full from them. I love the taste (especially when a bit of lemon and ginger is mixed in) but I found myself snacking just an hour or two after drinking a glass for breakfast. This morning I made some kale and cucumber juice in my juicer, and then blended in a frozen banana and a few blueberries and it totally did the trick! I feel so much fuller and it’s a fun change of texture. I don’t have a great blender so when I blend kale it leaves icky chunks, so I feel like making a juice/smoothie combo like this might work out best for me…
I have been wanting to get into the smoothie thing for some time now. For those of you who already smoothie it, some questions…
- What type of appliance do you recommend? I know Vitamix is gold standard but unfortunately it’s not in my budget.
- Does making a smoothie ahead of time – refrigerating or freezing it – deplete any of the nutritional worth of your greens/fruits/veggies?
@Eva: If you get a smoothie at Sun In Bloom, I recommend the Acai Crunch one. It’s amazingly delicious and has ACV, which gives a nice tang AND is super-good for you. Now on to your questions.
Juicing vs. Smoothies is all in the preparation and the texture/type of finished product. A juicer does exactly that: it extracts juice from whatever you put in it. A blender will make a smoothie by mashing up whatever you put into it. So on the plus side, you can put in things that won’t work in a juicer (e.g. bananas), but the downside (maybe?) is that you need additional liquid to make the end product more drinkable. People tend to use nut milks, ice, yogurt, etc. A smoothie is, by it’s nature, richer, chunkier, more filling and meal-like than a juice. If you want to have veggie-full drinks, you don’t really need to invest in a juicer, but be prepared that your smoothies will have more calories than a juice (because of the extra stuff), but will also have more protein, etc. And if you hear people talking about Vitamix, that’s basically a very, every expensive and very, very powerful blender. You don’t really need one unless you want to make your own nut milk, vegan cheesecake, etc.
As for the wheatgrass-induced retching, I think that happens a lot. It certainly did to me and was so bad that even the smell of wheatgrass makes me sick now. I suspect it might just be too intense for some people. After my wheatgrass incident I actually had a sensitivity to green things, but it’s been a while and I am now happy as a clam drinking my super-green juice. Just make sure to add things to sweeten and mask the “green” flavour. Ginger is good for that, so is apple and you have even more options with smoothies.
I’ve been making green smoothies for a few weeks. It’s a great way to make sure I’m eating more fruits and vegetables, use up what I have, and journey toward a more raw lifestyle. So far, I’ve only used kale or baby spinach as my vegetables since my blender is pretty weak but I’d love to be able to add carrots. Then I add an overripe banana (this is key) and whatever other fruits I have on hand. I also put in a scoop of protein powder, some aloe vera juice, and soymilk. Delicious and easy! I really do agree that it’s making my face more glowy and I think the increase of leafy greens is slowly making my dark circles disappear. Perfect!
I make this smoothie this morning! I like the cinnamon. It also fulfills my naturopathic doctor’s mandate to eat more leafy greens. I decided to treat this like a challenge – every day for two weeks! I’m excited to see how I feel and if it helps my skin to improve.
A comment on the Vitamix issue…as a raw foodist I can’t live without it (almond milk!). But if you are making standard fruit or soft veggie smoothies I think most blenders will do. If you want to blend tougher greens like kale the Vitamix does a thorough job, and will make any hard veggie blend perfectly into a smoothie or soup.
I green juice every am and green smoothie it at weekends. I did a 30 day challenge in Jan and my eyes and skin glowed. I then moved and didnt bring my juicer/blender with me and really noticed the difference. ive started again 2 weeks ago and there we go again- glowy skin, noticeably so. I also feel energised and lighter, I love how it makes me feel. Addict.
Funny – I also wrote about green smoothies this week! I’ve been drinking them for about a year and switch up my ingredients from time to time. I love them!!! Most of the people I tell about them, think it sounds gross even though I’m like, \you can’t taste the spinach!!!
I have been drinking green smoothies everyday since I went on a cleanse in October. They are usually a mix of kale, spinach, lettuce or other greens, an apple, a banana, chia seeds, half an avocado or a tablespoon of almond butter and water. I sometimes addpears, oranges, blueberries or strawberries – basically whatever is fresh, organic and looks good.
My skin has never looked better and I have been steadily losing weight. I Don’t feel good if I don’t have my morning drink and I actually took my Vita Mix with me on vacation!!!!
My favorite, most used smoothie recipe:
1 c almond or flax milk, unsweetened
3 dates, pitted
2-3 c kale, dandelion greens, collards, whatever green you have
2 tbsp spirulina
1 tbsp chia seed
1-1 1/2 c frozen pineapple
1 banana
vanilla [optional]
It’s delicious!
Hi everyone! I have been juicing since doing a juice cleanse a couple of months ago. And love it! have recommended it to everyone…..my usual is spinach, ginger and carrots with some spirulina powder. but i also love beet and celery and pear-the list is endless!
I have read a lot about the benefits of Chia seeds recently, but how would i add this to a juice/smoothie? do i need to soak the chia seeds before i add them?
Thanks,
C