Green Smoothie Question

[cheflissy]

I've been reading some of the posts on green smoothies and have decided to try one. I like green juices, but have not had green smoothies. The idea never occured to me. Do you guys add ice or liquid at all or just veggies? Do you have any favorite combos? Maybe some that don't require any fruit? I usually (for juice) do 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 2 chard leaves, several large handfuls of spinach and half a cucumber. Does that sound good for a smoothie?

Melissa

[Shivananda]

I've been reading some of the posts on green smoothies and have decided to try one. I like green juices, but have not had green smoothies. The idea never occured to me. Do you guys add ice or liquid at all or just veggies? Do you have any favorite combos? Maybe some that don't require any fruit? I usually (for juice) do 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 2 chard leaves, several large handfuls of spinach and half a cucumber. Does that sound good for a smoothie? Melissa That actually sounds much like a regular juice I make, minus the carrot. As I learned it*, green juice drinks are better made* without any fruit or sugar ( and carrots have a lot of sugar). I go heavier in the cuke, lighter on the celery, add some lettuce if necessary to make it milder.

*POST REVISION ! Based on Raw Truth's recommendation I have been reading Green for Life by Victoria Bouenko today, and it is an eyeopener. Dark leafy greens can actually be combined with every other food group, including fruits! Film at 11!

[mattsonfamily]

Here is my favorite one so far - and my hubby likes it too!

Young coconut water & meat
fresh baby greens (fill up the blender)
2 bananas (ripe)
dried mango (gives it a smooth texture)
fresh papaya (3/4 cup)
maca (1 tsp)
blend until smooth and add ice to make a "shake"...usually about 4 cups of ice. We like ours thick and cold.

I pour mine and then add a little agave necture to my husbands

Yummy

There are so many good combinations. I just look around and see what fruits are ripe and cut up ready to go. The dried fruit adds a really nice smooth consistancy.

It is a great way to get greens into those that you love.

Mindi

[RawTruth]

Go to www.rawfamily.com (Victoria Boutenko's website) and read about Green Smoothies there. She originated it and has sample "recipes".

The original Ode to a Green Smoothie should be posted there. Also, her book Green for Life is a must.

The benefits of green smoothies (which are superior to green juices) are:

* you get all that great fiber
* it's an easy way to get those crucial green leafies into you -- most of us can't chew long enough to get all we need!
* it's sort of "predigested" so we assimilate the nutrients better (many of us have less stomach acid due to antibiotic use, cooked food consumption, and other reasons I can't remember now!!)

Victoria's advice is start with 60% fruit to 40% greens. Use a variety of greens, the darker and wilder the better. Dandelion greens. Kale. Chard. Lambsquarter. Stinging nettle.

You'll naturally start decreasing the fruit and increasing the greens.

Drink at least one every day. Her study was based on people drinking 32 oz. daily, as I recall.

Keep it simple!!! -- example:

-- apples/pears and a mango with dandelion greens and spinach and pure water.

You don't need ice (unless you really want it icey cold - but be sure not to use tap water in the ice trays) nor do you need frozen fruit. The name "smoothie" is a bit misleading as it's not really like those things you buy in the mall or at Jamba Juice.

Have fun!!! There's LOTS of threads here about green smoothies. You can read for hours -- my best advice is keep it simple. Try different combinations if you don't like it at first. Keep trying; the benefits are enormous, amazing, and shared my many, many people across the world now!

[cheflissy]

Thanks for you suggestions. I just made a green smoothie and took a small taste of it. So far not too bad. Hopefully it will set well with my tummy today. Food doesn't look or even sound good at all today. How lond do they last? I'm just getting ready to head to work and will put it in the fridge. Will it still be thick and good at the end of the day if I don't eat it? Or should I throw it out? Like green juice...eat it as soon as you make it to get the most nutrients.