If I'm trying to avoid....smoothie ?????

[tvillemom]

I am currently trying to avoid kale, spinach...and watching my intake on REALLY sweet fruits like bananas. I love green smoothies in the summer. What GREEN should I use instead? I think I will use apples or pears and other berries for the sweetness...but I'm stumped on the best green to use. In case you are wondering, I am watching out for goitrogenic foods.
Thanks,
Wendi

[Rawkinlocs]

You could try various lettuces (I've found some of them to make my smoothies bitter, though), parsley, chard (not sure if it falls into the category of greens you're trying to avoid), and Victoria B. suggests weeds such as dandelion greens (bitter), stinging nettles, etc. Do you have Green for Life? If not, you should look into it for suggestions of other types of greens.

But I really like parsley in mine! I also add Alissa's Green Powder to my (already) green smoothies - that have barley greens, wheatgrass, spirulina and other stuff.

[solarliving]

You can also use collards and chard.

[garden granny]

You can also use collards and chard.

Are collards strong tasting in a smoothie? I've never tried them.

[solarliving]

The only greens I use are collards, chard, parsley, dandelion. They taste pretty good to me. I use about 2-3 leaves per 3 bananas and an orange. You can also use collards and chard for wraps.

[Naiad]

Collards are goitrogenic.

Chards are fine :)

[tvillemom]

Thanks for the ideas. I didn't know that COLLARDS were goitrogenic too!:( I have some organic raw barley powder...I guess I could use that with some romaine, and chard? Is chard bitter?? I guess I'll just try different stuff. Thanks again.
Wendi

[eatyourbroccoli]

parsley makes it taste sooo yummy and fresh. maybe dates for sweetness?

[farong suay mak]

Just out of curiosity, why are you trying to avoid spinach and bananas?

[Tirza]

No, chard is not bitter, or shouldn't be. It is rather mild in my experience, and very nice. It is a bit like beet tops, but more crinkly and milder in flavor. Sometimes they are just plain green with thick light green stalks and veins, and you can also find them with very pretty red stalks and veins.

[Tirza]

Here is a link FYI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goitrogen

I would say parsley and cilantro. Sometimes if I don't have spinach or other greens I just fill 'er up with those two and it makes a great smoothie! They both have many great nutritionsl qualities. Cilantro is known for clearing out the heavy metals in your bloodstream. Cilantro has a unique mild anise flavor (which I guess is logical, since anise seeds are from cilantro gone to seed-but the seeds have a much more intense flavor).