Tag Archives: Green Smoothie

It’s a Tropical Day in the Neighborhood

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Rural midwest never feels like the tropics. But how would I know? I’ve ever been to the tropics. I have been to California and Florida–once each, mostly inside at conferences. But I have seen real live palm trees!  But a girl can dream. And a girl can enjoy the tastes of the tropics without going there, in these times. Blessings indeed. And it is even a blessing to be able to get them frozen when fresh is not available.

pina colada green smoothie

Today’s Green Smoothie is straight from the tropics, with a flavor many love, even if they’ve never tasted the real, fresh fruits. Pina Colada–Pineapple and Coconut.

Pina Colada Green Smoothie

  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh young coconut meat (no they don’t cost near this much locally or through Azure Standard)
  • 1/2 banana
  • 2 large handfuls baby spinach or other greens
  • water kefir (or fresh coconut water or purified water)
  • 1 Tbl. fresh ground flax seed (optional)

As always ingredients should all be organic, as much as you are able to find.

Blend till smooth, in a high performance blender. Enjoy!

What was in your Green Smoothie today? Comment below!

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Can(‘t) be Beet Veggie Berry Green Smoothie

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Beets are a great cleansing food. Fantastic to add to our fresh juices, green smoothies, and grated in our fresh salads. The rich red color indicates a high level of antioxidants. They are also anti-inflammatory and a great detoxifier.

beet-veggie-berry green smoothie

This delicious green smoothie, that doesn’t look very green despite the fact that it has twice as much greens as everything else put together, is higher on veggies, including beet, and lower on fruits than others. But beets and carrots are both naturally sweet, so this is not a bitter, or even savory smoothie. If you aren’t used to eating beets, you may want to start with 1/4 beet, and gradually work up in the amount you include here, due to the cleansing properties. I’ve given amounts to start with. You can certainly add more veggies than listed in the recipe.

Can(‘t) be Beet Veggie-Berry Green Smoothie

  • 1/4+ beet with greens (from whole beet)
  • 1+ carrot
  • 1+ celery stalk
  • handful strawberries
  • large handful (or 2) baby spinach
  • 1 Tbl. fresh ground flax seed
  • water kefir (or purified water)

As always ingredients should all be organic, as much as you are able to find. Strawberries are #1 on the Dirty Dozen list for pesticides. Celery and Spinach are also in the top 12.

Blend till smooth, in a high performance blender. Enjoy!

What was in your Green Smoothie today? Comment below!

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On the Road Again {Green Smoothie Mason Jars!}

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Not on the road this week, but I’ve been on the road a lot this past year. Business building, parents’ hospitalizations, family trips. Traveling is fun (most of the time), but not always the best for healthy eating. In addition, the added stress of traveling (even when it is fun, but especially when it’s for concerns of loved ones,) means we need to be extra vigilant in nourishing our bodies well.

green smoothie to goAs always, Green Smoothies are my go-to! They are a quick, easy, healthy, nutrient packed meal or snack that can be made in a minute when you’re on the go. However, bags of several frozen fruits (that won’t stay frozen) or even many bags of a variety of fresh fruits are difficult on a trip. (I take plenty to snack on, but adding a lot more for daily green smoothies gets to be too much.) I also want to take a little time as possible prepping food while I am traveling. Pre-prepping works out better. Grab and go is the way to roll on the road–OK, maybe at home too!

nutribulletproSo first thing I did was get a good travel-friendly but powerful blender to take on the road. My family doesn’t like being without the BlendTec at home while I’m gone. My research led me to get the NutriBullet Pro 900 for travel. Powerful and large blending jar (yeah I only use the BIG one), but sleek design and size–and its handy travel bag ^^–make it a great travel partner.

Next, on to the smoothies themselves. I’ve been a Mason Jar Junkie since way before it was cool to be one. I love Mason Jars of all shapes, sizes, and even colors! I ♥ that I can use them for my Smoothies–for more than just drinking them. Gather those jars!

freezer smoothie jarHere’s the trick. I freeze my smoothie ingredients in single servingjars. All the ingredients for each smoothie together in a jar. Well mostly. Because even quart size jars are not large enough to hold all the greens I put in, along with the other ingredients, I take my greens separately, not frozen, usually in the large box or bag they come in. Each day’s other ingredients (besides liquid) are put into mason jars, 1 per smoothie, then put in the freezer. I use the 24 oz. (or 16 oz.) wide mouth jars. (I tend to make really large smoothies, so usually the 24 oz.) As long as the fruits start to thaw just a bit, I can drop the ingredients right out of the jar and into my blender with my greens and add water.

Ideally, I have a freezer to transfer the jars to when I arrive at my destination. (At my mom’s or a hotel I usually do.) But I have had times I’ve had to just keep my cooler well iced. It’s OK if they start to thaw, but you don’t want them completely thawed for long. Many times I move one from the freezer to the fridge before bed, so it’ll start thawing a bit by morning.

smoothie bullet
I just add my greens to the blender jar, the contents of one Smoothie Mason Jar, and some bottled purified water. Blend it up and I’m on my way. Easy-Peasy!

green smoothie thickOf course, I don’t drink out of the plastic blender jar. I have to have the really cool mason jar (that 24 oz one would work) or a glass or stainless steel bottle to drink it out of and a glass or silicone smoothie straw. (Those links are a couple faves. I don’t have this bottle –yet! Yeah, I collect water bottles too. And my favorite glass straws are from Strawsome.) ‘Cuz that’s the way I like it, so that’s the way I roll.

Hope you like it too, and this will help you roll more Smooth-lie.

See this post if you are lost about What exactly are Green Smoothies or Why on earth would I want to drink them or How do I make them?

Do you make your daily Green Smoothies when you travel? How’s it work for you? Comment below.

 

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Green Smoothies

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What else for today but Green Smoothies? No Luck o’ the Irish needed, just the proven science of biology. These are good stuff for your body.

green smoothie duo

Green Goodness ~ Freedom & Simplicity™ Guide to Green Smoothies ~ http://gfy.frommeandmyhouse.comIt’s no secret that a primary secret to health is dark green leafy vegetables, the most nutrient dense foods available, and low in calories too. In addition to all the known and explored vitamins and minerals in them, they are also packed with hundreds of phytonutrients and antioxidants that promote healthy bodies and minds.

It’s also no secret that most people don’t get enough of these powerhouse foods. Very few eat these dark leafy greens daily, and many that do eat only small amounts, not big bowls full.

What also is not a secret, but may not be well known is that it is easy to get what you need in a way that won’t have you chewing on them all day long. Green Smoothies!

green smoothie2Green Smoothies are a combination of dark leafy greens and fruits and/or other vegetables, and water, blended into a delicious “shake”. Although you can find plenty of Green Smoothie recipes out there, no recipe is needed. Just use what you have on hand and like.
You want to shoot for at least 60% or more dark leafy greens to 40% or less fresh or frozen fruit (no additives). To start you may need to reverse those percentages and gradually increase your greens and reduce your fruits. This isn’t just a few leaves of spinach and a couple of strawberries. We’re talking 3 cups greens to 2 cups fresh fruit.

Savory Green Smoothies can be made with vegetables. Tomatoes (really a fruit), carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, avocados (another fruit) are all good to start with. Then branch out to whatever you’d like. Get adventurous and try new veggies.

green smoothie1For fruits, include berries (another health super food). A banana is a great addition especially in the beginning to make it nice and creamy and help cover the “green” taste. Add common apples, oranges, and lemons; tropical pineapple, young coconut, mango, kiwi, and limes; and all the other varieties of fruit available.

Baby spinach is very mild and a great place to start with your greens. Move on to baby kale and chard, then get adventurous with other dark leafy greens. Rotate your greens, using different ones either daily or weekly.

Blend it smooth with purified water, or fresh coconut water, fresh coconut water kefir, or homemade Raw Almond (or other) Milk. Use enough to get it to the consistency you like. You can add a dash of vanilla too, if you’d like.

Other health boosters you can add in are (organic, raw): fresh ground flax seed, hemp seed, chia seed. For an occasional treat, add a bit of raw carob or cacao powder.

Throw this all in your blender. Blend till smooth. And drink up!

BlendTec Total Blender - http://gfy.frommeandmyhouse.comA high performance blender will do 2 things for your Green Smoothies. 1) blend them smoother. 2) break open the cell structure of your greens to get more of their nutrients available to you. But if you don’t have a high performance blender yet, use the blender you have. (Pick one up at your local thrift store if you don’t have one.) In a less powerful blender, blend your greens and water first, then add your fruit (especially frozen) and blend, then blend again with any softer ingredients and add ins. These little rests for your blender will blend it smoother and keep it from heating up destroying nutrients and burning out your blender.

Green Smoothies are a great way to start every day. They pack a powerful nutrition punch for energy, weight loss, and good overall health. Get more info in Green Goodness, a beginners guide to Green Smoothies.

green smoothie3

One of my favorite combos is a Tropical Green Smoothie with fresh young Coconut Meat and Water, Pineapple, Mango, Pomegranate seeds, and Spinach. Sometimes I add some Banana, and a bit of ground Flax seed to0.

My other go-to is Berry Good; Baby Kale, Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Banana, Coconut Water Kefir,  and Hemp Seeds.

Do you drink fresh Green Smoothies daily? What is your favorite combo? Comment below!

 

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