Green smoothie recipes? questions?

[Tetris15]

Hi, I have a juicer and make green juices, but I've seen so many people post about green smoothies. What is the differences between green juices and smoothies? What are the pros and cons of each? Would you kindly share some good green smoothie recipes? Thanks!

[3kidsmommy]

Hey that was my question as well!!! I usually put lots of spinach in my smoothie. However, this morning I was out of spinach and did not feel like using the other greens I have. (wanted to save for lunch and dinner!) So my smoothie was all fruits. Was wondering what the benefits of fruit smoothie vs. green smoothie.

[Veganforlife]

Green smoothies have the greens and fruits and/or other veggies (cucumber, etc.) blended thus providing fiber. Green juices have the pulp extracted and the juice remains. Juices are good for fasting. Green smoothies good for everyday intake of a lot of green in a short amount of time.

Here's a link:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23906&highlight=green+smoothie+recipes

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi Tetris,

Well, green smoothies are basically made in a blender - all of the fiber is there which helps to "sweep" toxins and debris out of the body. They're a great source of nutrition, a good meal replacement and you get ALL of the benefit of the greens.

Green juices, on the other hand, are high in nutrients but lack the fiber. They are beneficial as well, but I guess in a different way.

There are a LOT of recipes here for green smoothies. If you go to our Recipe Section and then in the "search" box type in "green smoothie recipes" I'm sure you'll come up with an abundance of them!

But one of my personal favorites is:

1-2 bananas
2 apples
a slice or two of pineapple
a few sprigs of parsley
a little water t (enough to make desired consistency, I prefer mine a little thick)
Ice (optional)

Blend until there are no more green particles floating in the smoothie and enjoy!

[dreamrawalwz]

I've had a green smoothie question that's been bugging me to no end. I've seen recipies for "green smoothies" with fruit and celery or fruit an cucumbers. Where are the greens!?!? To ME a green smoothie must include some leafy substance lol. Anyone care to explain this to me? :p

[SmilingRawDancer]

I'm with Dream...haha
It has to have some greens in it! And by greens I mean leaves etc....not a Granny Smith Apple or a cucumber :p

But I guess cucumbers are worth something too :)

My recipe for a yummy green smoothie:
2 cups frozen mixed berries (blackberry, raspberry blueberry etc.)
1 cup FRESH Berries
3 cups/handfulls Baby Spinach
2 scoops Stevia powder, or to taste
Optional: Hemp Protein powder, 1/2 serving

It's very good. And it doesn't look green. And it barely tastes like the spinach.
If I tasted it and didn't know what was in it, I wouldn't think there was anything green in it at all.

<3

[tisha]

A green smoothie should have greens in it and not just green apples. :D

Greens include, kale, collard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, etc.

My basic everyday smoothie recipe is:

Almond or cashew milk
frozen berries or peaches or cherries
frozen bananas
flax seeds
sesame seeds

To this I might add one or more of the afore mentioned greens. Collards and romaine are barely noticeable. Spinach has a bit more of a kick to it, in my opinion, but is still good and drinkable. My kids started calling these "Shrek" smoothies.:D

[snowdrop]

i prefer green smoothies hands down.
for all the reasons above (fiber)
also look at the clean up difference.
rinse a blender carafe & lid vs taking apart a juicer and washing out every blasted little piece and reassemble... trash out the pulp bowl, wash that...
and then being hungry when you are done drinking juice vs being satisfied drinking the g.s.

[peas-on-my-head]

also look at the clean up difference.
rinse a blender carafe & lid vs taking apart a juicer and washing out every blasted little piece and reassemble... trash out the pulp bowl, wash that...
and then being hungry when you are done drinking juice vs being satisfied drinking the g.s.

yeah, I deffinatly agree. My juicer is a pain in the gluteus maximus to clean out..

[tisha]

I like the example Victoria Boutenko gave in her book, "Green for Life". She said that drinking juices (with no fiber) compared to smoothies (with the pulp still in) is like cleaning the garage floor with Saran Wrap. :D

I still enjoy making veggie juices, but the image of using Saran Wrap to clean my innards sticks in my mind.

[3kidsmommy]

Honestly my green smoothies are not even green anymore. I am sucking down one that is quite brownish green. Almost quite disgusting. I just reminds me of paint mixing. When you mix red and blue you get purple. However, when you mix all the colors you get a yucky greyish brown -green or whatever. Now I know the more disgusting my smoothie looks, the better it is for me! (At least that is what I tell the kids. :p )

Angel