Green is the New Healthy

 Now that Chi has finally thawed, I am more than ready to bust out of L7.

When the weather warms up, I just can’t be bothered with  my usual hot coffee or tea and hot meal for breakfast.  Sometimes I have fruit, nuts and/or yogurt. But most times, I make a smoothie. I first fell in love with Jamba Juice back in the 90s during visits to L.A.  and then I discovered prepared smoothies and juices from Naked, Odwalla  and Evolution. An actor friend got me hooked on Naked’s green machine cause it satisfied my sweet tooth but still had so much fruits and veggies packed in. I would guzzle gallons, especially when doing the bi-annual Daniel Fast.

Since it was becoming a daily meal choice and I wanted to control what fruits and veggies I was putting in the drinks (the fast has many restrictions as far as preservatives, added sugars, etc.), I got a blender and started making my own smoothies. A few years ago, I happened on a recipe for a “green” smoothie and I’ve been adding greens to my drinks ever since.  

Benefits of drinking green smoothies include regular digestion, more energy, decrease in sugar or salt cravings, better skin, hair growth, weight loss, stabilization of blood sugars and more.

Here is a fool proof formula for making green smoothies.

How To Create A Green Smoothie:

2 cups liquid (i.e. water, coconut water, juice, milk ­_cow, almond, coconut cashew, rice, green tea)

2 cups leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, Romaine)

3 cups fruit (fresh, frozen) and veggies (beets, carrots, celery, zucchini, avocado, cucumber

Blend greens with liquids first, then add other ingredients. You might have to adjust measurements according to desired consistency so I recommend starting with 1 cup liquid and adding in small increments.

Another Tip: buy a bunch of bananas (Aldi’s and Sam’s Club sell for good prices); allow to ripen (they will have brown specks and spots – remember the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice (smile)). Peel, slice and store in freezer. When ready to make smoothie, this frozen banana will act as sweetener and provide a creamy consistency. I like using frozen fruit so you don’t have to add ice which waters the smoothie down.

Other add-ins include:

·         Raisins and dates for sweetness

·         cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne

·         lemon, lime, orange, apples, carrots,

·         cocoa or cacao powder

·         vanilla bean or extract

·         flavored extracts such as mint, rum, coconut, etc

·         yogurt or coconut milk

·         oatmeal,  quinoa or chia seeds, nuts or nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond) _these provide fiber and help fill you up

·         coconut oil

Green Smoothie Recipes:

·         Pina Colada Goodness: 2 cups coconut water, 2 cups spinach, 1 cup pineapple, 1 banana, ¼ avocado

·         Coconut milk, spinach, green grapes and banana

·         2 cups almond milk, 2 cups spinach, bananas, blueberries and peaches

·         2-4 cups spinach, ¼ cup pineapple tidbits, ¼ banana, 2 Tbsp ginger, water

·         2 cups spinach, 1 cup mixed fruits, ginger, water

·         3 cups frozen peaches, 1 banana, 2 cups spinach, 2 cups water

·         Coconut milk +frozen fruit (pineapples, blueberries, mango) +  spinach

·         Cucumber, apple, lime

·         Spinach, blackberries, blue berries, raspberries, pineapples, ice and water

·         Banana, spinach, granny smith apple, ginger and mint leaf

·         Almond milk, honey, strawberry, spinach

·         Bananas, blueberries, spinach and coconut milk

·         Frozen berries, spinach, yogurt, orange juice

·         Shamrock Shake: frozen banana, avocado, spirulina or spinach, fresh mint or mint extract, cacao nibs

·         Fat Burning Green Tea Smoothie: 2 cup fresh spinach, 1 cup fresh romaine, 2 cups brewed green tea (chilled), 2 ½ cups peaches, 1 banana, 1 inch fresh ginger. This recipe is great for those who want to kick the caffeine habit

Other Smoothies:

·         Vanilla soy or almond milk, banana, peanut butter

·         3 peaches, 2 bananas, ½ coconut almond milk, ice

·         This smoothie has a day’s worth of fiber: Strawberries, frozen banana, peanut butter, almond or soy milk, Greek yogurt, ice

·         Thick Chocolate Shake: 1 ½ cup water, 5 frozen bananas, 1 ½ Tbsp cocoa powder

 

So are you going green? Share your fave green smoothie recipe below.....

 

Luv La