Hey Everyone!
Someone here asked about green smoothies, so thought I would share what I do! I am sure there are tons of variations, maybe we could share!!
We use a Blendtec blender, but started with just a basic blender. After about a year of making smoothies, my hubby figured that it was a habit that would "stick", we splurged on the Blendtec----more expensive, but really makes the smoothies "smooth." Vitamix is another good brand.
I start with about 2 cups water and add approx a cup of kefir, plain, unsweetened. (Just starting out, we used flavored kefir, but I did not like that there is so much sugar, so now use the plain. . .) Actually, I now rarely use kefir, as we are trying to stick to a Paleo-style diet (no dairy!).
Then I add frozen banana (approx 1-1 1/2), ~a cup of blueberries (frozen) and ~6-8 large strawberries, 2 scoops of ground flax seed. Blend well.
Then add any 2 of the following to fill blender:
spinach
kale
swiss chard
turnip greens
beet greens
This recipe is easy to modify. . . Instead of water, can use milk, almond milk, soy milk. . . The banana adds sweetness and smooth texture, but can use dates or Stevia to sweeten, or honey, agave nectar, etc. Sometimes, I use mango, pineapple and raspberries instead of the above fruit, for a more tropical flavor. Any type of yogurt can also be used instead of kefir. Other types of fruit can also be used. Kale and spinach are probably the most mild "greens" flavorwise! Also, more water or liquid may need to be added to taste. I am thinking coconut milk would be a great liquid to use as well! This makes a blender full of smoothie which will last for 48 hours in the refirgerator.
Costco is a great place to buy large quantity of organic frozen fruits, and spinach.
A good website with more info and recipes is greensmoothiegirl.com. Robyn openshaw is amazing and a great teacher/lecturer/author. A sweet friend and I had the priviledge of hosting a green smoothie demo for her at MarketStreet in Colleyville. Love her site and anything she has written!
Plugs for green smoothies--you are getting tons of fiber, nutrients, and healthy greens. I almost always start my day with these. Since I have been doing this, I rarely get sick, have more energy and my skin looks so much better. Read more on the green smoothie site!! 