Green is Good

 This morning as I was sitting in my office someone (who will remain nameless) walked in and said "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT" with this disgusted look on their face. I said " it's my morning smoothie", and they said "oh YUCK! Truth is many people probably think the same thing because they never had one (a good one) or don't know all the ways they can benefit from a cup of green goodness once a day.

Truth is I LOVE SMOOTHIES and drink them all year round for all kinds of reasons. I typically experiment alot so I can try new flavors and find ways to pack even more fruits and veggies into my diet, but it's also fun and DELICIOUS! Eating healthy doesn't have to taste bad, be boring, or expensive and I can share a little bit about how I do it.

I typically get alot of questions about my smoothies and I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite recipes with all of you! So first- what is a green smoothie? A green smoothie consists of leafy greens (My fav are Kale and Spinach), fruit, and a liquid "starter". Typically when people see me drinking a smoothie they immediately think that I am on some fad diet or something, but the truth is that for me, its the EASIEST way to get the fruits and veggies I need to have a balanced diet.

Green smoothies are: 

1. PACKED with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, all of which support good health. 
2. You should be eating from the RAINBOW, and smoothies can help you pack more colors into your diet
3. Can be a natural energy booster because you are getting a grand slam of nutritious deliciousness and are skipping the rituals of eating food that may leave you tired and sluggish.
4. Quick and easy to prepare means that you have more time for the important things in your life, and can avoid grabbing junk food because it's quick and fast. 

The recipes below are all ones that I have experimented with and use often. I have added in the measurement amounts but honestly alot of what I do consists of eyeballing it and blend more or less depending upon how it looks after adding in my ingredients. Typically these also make 1 large smoothie or two smaller ones. I use a Magic bullet for mine and it works great. Unless you have alot of extra cash laying around there is no need to have an expensive blender for these recipes. Use whatever blender you have and if it doesn't work THEN upgrade!

Peach Machine:

• 1C Kale
• 1C Spinach
• 1/2 C Coconut Water
• 1 Peach (pitted and sliced)
• 1 Apple (cored)

Mango Tango:

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 1/2C Water
• 1C mango
• 1C Pineapple
• 1 Pear

Cucumber Blast

• 1 Small cucumber (sliced)
• 1C spinach
• 1C Kale
• 1/2C water
• 1 Apple (cored)

Pineapple Paradise

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 1/2 C of water
• 1C Pineapple
• 1 Orange (peeled)

Berry Blast

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 1C almond Milk
• 1/2C strawberries
• 1/2C Blueberries
• 1/2C Raspberries
• 1 Banana

Almond Delight:

• 1C Kale
• 1C Spinach 
• 1 Banana
• 2TBSP Almond Butter
• 1/2C Almond Milk

Orange Delight:

• 2C Kale
• 1C Orange juice
• 1C Pineapple
• 1 Orange
• 1/2 C Peaches

BPJ

• 1C Spinnach or Kale
• 1C almond or soy milk
• 1C red grapes
• 2TBSP Almond Butter
• 1 Banana

Spinach Mango:

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 2C Mango's (chopped and peeled)
• 1 Banana
• 1/2C Water, coconut water, or orange juice

Peachy Peach:

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 2 Peaches (pit removed)
• 1C Orange Juice 

Tropical Dream: 

• 1C Kale
• 1C Spinach
• 1C Water
• 1C pineapple
• 1 Banana

Blueberry Bliss:

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 3/4C Blueberries
• 1 Apple
• 1/4 C lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• 1C Water

Grape Chill:

•  1-2 C Spinach  
• 1 Banana
• 1-2 C Grapes
• 1/2C Water 

 Cucumber Crush:

•  1-2 C Spinach  
• 1C Cucumber
• 1/4 inch ginger
• 1 C Water
• 1C pineapple 

Orange Avocado

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 1 Banana
• 1C Almond Milk
• 1 Orange (seeds removed and peeled) 

Banana Berry:

•  1-2 C Spinach   
• 1C Mixed berries
• 1/2C Orange juice
• 1 Banana

Strawberry- Kiwi:

•  1-2 C Spinach  
• 1/2C Strawberries
• 1/2C Pineapple 
• 1/2 C Kiwi
• 1/2 C water 

Raspberry Lemonade

•  1-2 C Spinach  
• 1C Raspberries
• 1 Lemon (peeled and seeded) 
• 1C water or coconut water
• 1/2C Pineapple 

Strawberry Cream

• 1-2 C Spinach  
• 1C Strawberries
• 1/2C almond milk
• 1/2 Avocado
• 1 Banana 

Peanut Butter Blast

• 1C Kale
• 1/2 - 3/4 C Almond Milk
• 2-3 TBSP Peanut Butter
• 1 Banana

Blending Tips:

1. Add liquid and leafy greens to the blender first. (avoids everything getting stuck)
2. Use at-least one frozen fruit to chill the smoothie and give it that refreshing taste.(or cold liquid)
3. Add a little at a time and continue blending until all chinks are gone.
4. If the smoothie is too thick add in some water. Fruits and veggies are mostly water anyways and it won't make it taste bad! (PROMISE!)

Time Saving Tips:

1. Pack your smoothie ahead of time and freeze in a zip-lock baggy. You will want to add the fruits at the bottom and leafy greens on top so that as you take it out of the bag it can be blended in order and the greens don't get smashed and yucky.
2. Pack the smoothie in a zip-lock bag and label it for easy picking when ready to blend. 
3. You can store the smoothie ingredients in the freezer up to 6 months.

FAQ's:

1. Can you make the smoothie ahead of time? ABSOLUTELY! I like to blend mine the night before and then re blend in the morning before heading out the door. If you will be string for more than 1 day (up to 3) make sure that you have a sealed container (I use mason jars) to store mine.
2. What if my smoothie is bitter tasting? I suggest using a natural sweetener like apple or banana. Fruits will add flavor and also a sweet taste to any smoothie without ruining the base.  
3. What can I add to my smoothie for fiber or other nutrients? I suggest adding flax seeds, chia seeds (add a thickness to the smoothie too, just soak a few minutes before blending), or protein powder. There are many more options, just make sure you research what's best for you! 

Let me know if you have any questions or need additional ideas. Like I said basically I blend what I think will taste good (or whats left in my refrigerator) and go from there.  To keep these as healthy as possible I don't recommend starting to add in any sugars or sweeteners. Again if it needs more flavor add in a dominant tasting fruit and chances are you will be good to go!

Coach Mandy