Just not so sure.....

[mykidzrkute]

So i had my first green smoothie today. Not so sure how i feel about it. It was to thick and mildly bland. It was bearable and i did drink it, however, my children really enjoyed it which was odd. So, can anyone give me some tips. here is what my smoothie consisted of

1/2 banana, the blender 1/2 full of spinich leaves, about 1/4 C of coconut milk, 1/2 and apple and 1 whole orange.

plus i want it to be cold, what can i do to make it better?

[Holli]

I personally don't like my smoothies thick, so I put a minimum of 2 cups of liquid (usually water or a mix or water and oj) and sometimes add more. To sweeten it, you can get some raw agave nectar or I've found that just adding more fruit that's really sweet works well (apples, ripe bananas, purple grapes etc.). Also, I like to keep my smoothies very simple...one green (spinach, romaine, kale, etc.) and maybe 2-3 other fruits/sweetners. I know some people make some really elaborate, delicious-sounding smoothies, but if I'm going to do this every day, it needs to be quick and simple and good. Hope this helps!

[klomasius]

You could try adding fresh squeezed orange juice, it gives the smoothie a bit a of a zing, and the vitamin C aids in the absorption of the iron in the greens.

And to make it cold, you could put in some frozen bananas, or freeze the orange juice before you add it, or add ice blocks.

I'm sure you'll come up with something you'll like, glad to hear the kids like it though!

[RawHeaven]

Your smoothie sounds good too. What may help make them colder is to put fresh frozen fruit in them...like bananas, strawberries, blueberries etc. I buy bananas in bulk, peel them and keep them in the freezer. Frozen bananas go really well with green smoothies.

I like mine thick enough to eat with a spoon. :D If you don't want them as thick use more spring water.

I experiment daily but today I put a lot in mine for dinner. I'm still drinking it, probably 1/2 gallon or 2 liters worth.

I used lots of kale, a few handfuls of red cabbage, spinach leaves, 2 frozen bananas, 1/2 avocado, 1 chopped large red apple, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 zucchini, 1/2 jalapeno pepper, sunflower sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, 2 teaspoons of spirulina, 1 tsp flaxseed oil, about 8-12 oz?? of spring water.

My first smoothies kind of sucked, lol. As you get the hang of it you'll be whipping them up like there's no tomorrow.

Enjoy!

[gettingskinny]

i keep apples out of my smoothies b/c i think they add too much thickness. i use juicier fruits like oranges and grapes for my liquid, b/c i don't add water. maybe i should though, b/c smoothies are getting expensive for our family of 4! for coldness i add either frozen fruit or ice!

[mykidzrkute]

oooo!!!!!! freezing my fuit sounds like a great idea!! i don't know what agave is, i would like to though! Im giving it another go in the morning though! i don't have a juicer so i'll add water tomorrow. Thanks for the advice u guys! i think it's really going to help

[GoingtoRAW]

For a little more sweetness let your bananas get really ripe - to the point that have started turning a little brown and then freeze them. Somehow when the fruit is frozen the smoothie seems to taste better to me. Try adding 2 oranges instead of 1. When I add 2 oranges I don't need to add any other liquids to my smoothie-or very minimal if the oranges are not real juicy. Also a little piece of ginger will add a little kick too but not too much because it can really over power the drink. Maybe use whole pieces of fruit instead of 1/2 banana, 1/2 apple, etc. and try some spinach-that's a little milder green. Basically just experiment with different things until you find combinations that work for you. When you start to feel the benefits of drinking green smoothies you will you will be glad that you stuck it out. Hope that helps.:rolleyes:

[mykidzrkute]

i actually did use spinach, and i hate hate hate ginger! Not my thing! but i actually was wondering if there were any wspices i may like in my smoothie, or maybe even some flavors, i bought some alcohol free vanilla and maple at the health food store this week. i am deffinetly adding whole fruit tomorrow and the two oranges thing sounds like a great idea. thanks!