Green Smoothie

[findingmyway]

Hey Everyone,

Can I make a GS with whatever I like as long as it has a dark green leafy vegetable?

[Revvell]

Yes. Play with your food.

Revvell

[jacsam]

Yep.....it can be different every time....whatever you have on hand and what is in season. You learn quickly what combinations say YUM to you.

[rawfoodistdavid]

Actually, be a bit careful as fruit smoothies with 'any old stuff' in them can be seriously bad.

I make green smoothies (for two) with two bananas, an 'overflowing handful' of greens (try to get two types in) and then I'll either take it more 'creamy' by adding things like sunflower, linseed and pumpkin seeds or more 'fruity' by adding berries, pears, apples, etc.

The key is the banana, I think, as this is a good masker of stronger-flavored greens.

[Ambug]

I think for just starting out with green smoothies to keep them as simple as possible. I read on another thread of someone making a green smoothie and putting all kinds of things in it, and hating it.

My very first one I ever made had celery, bananas, blueberries and it was the worst ever. All bitter and stringy(i only had a cheapie blender back then.) I hated it, but drank it anyway because "it was good for me." lol
I never made that combo again.

One of my old favorites is the "Strawberry fields" from Victoria Boutenkos book "Green for life." That's the book that got me interested in green smoothies.
A couple cups of strawberries, 2 bananas, 8 leaves of romaine and 2 cups water. Plus I like to grind fresh cinnamon in there before I blend it all.

The other one that comes out bright green, I made that one yesterday:
2 cups water
Half a bunch of spinach
banana
1/2 of a lime with skin on

I made that one using a whole bunch of spinach and I tossed in a few key limes. It all came out super bright green and thick. :D My husband tried it and didn't like it. He liked this one best:

1 cup water
5 cups watermelon
8 leaves romaine
With ground cinnamon

I use cinnamon in a lot of smoothies to even out the taste and it makes more of them taste better than they normally would.

[carolg]

Ambug,
Got plenty of strawberries. Now have to get to store for bananas and greens. Thanks for sharing. I love a thin slice of lemon in all my smoothies too.

carolg

[carolg]

Never thought of adding nuts, but I do hemp seeds, so why not pumpkin or others. Thanks for sharing.
carolg

[supergreen]

I think for just starting out with green smoothies to keep them as simple as possible. I read on another thread of someone making a green smoothie and putting all kinds of things in it, and hating it.

My very first one I ever made had celery, bananas, blueberries and it was the worst ever. All bitter and stringy(i only had a cheapie blender back then.) I hated it, but drank it anyway because "it was good for me." lol
I never made that combo again.

One of my old favorites is the "Strawberry fields" from Victoria Boutenkos book "Green for life." That's the book that got me interested in green smoothies.
A couple cups of strawberries, 2 bananas, 8 leaves of romaine and 2 cups water. Plus I like to grind fresh cinnamon in there before I blend it all.

The other one that comes out bright green, I made that one yesterday:
2 cups water
Half a bunch of spinach
banana
1/2 of a lime with skin on

I made that one using a whole bunch of spinach and I tossed in a few key limes. It all came out super bright green and thick. :D My husband tried it and didn't like it. He liked this one best:

1 cup water
5 cups watermelon
8 leaves romaine
With ground cinnamon

I use cinnamon in a lot of smoothies to even out the taste and it makes more of them taste better than they normally would.

I know the green smoothie idea has spread largely through Victoria Boutenko, but those recipes in her book are often severely lacking in greens when compared to the fruit. 8 leaves of romaine with 2 bananas and a couple cups of strawberries is very unbalanced.

[ab_raw]

I know the green smoothie idea has spread largely through Victoria Boutenko, but those recipes in her book are often severely lacking in greens when compared to the fruit. 8 leaves of romaine with 2 bananas and a couple cups of strawberries is very unbalanced.

I'm just reading that book now. I think those recipes are like 'starter' recipes, for people who are just learning to drink GS. I think its important to up the greens as quickly as you can. Right now I'm doing 60% fruit and 40% greens, and will up that again to 50/50 at some point soon.
The point is to get started at whatever level is doable for you.

[carolg]

I just had a nice smoothie (GS) today:

hemp seed
romaine
mango peeled
banana
water
dandelion--start with little and can add...strong flavor


Oh, gosh, I forgot to add to my smoothie a slice of lemon I shared I use. Maybe an excuse to make another one with spring greens this time. I bought tons of greens for the next few days if they last that long.

Enjoy.

I do eat tons of greens however.

carolg

[cara4art]

I love 'em! Right from the beginning, I got into putting about 40% greens in there, and I had no problem with the flavors. What I do is to keep a bag with a couple or three days worth of spinach and parsley loosely chopped up so it's ready in the morning to throw into the blender with whatever fruits I have on hand. Usually I'll blend up an orange first and add another fruit like pineapple, or an apple, or half a mango, or strawberries , my hemp protein powder and a tablespoon of ground-up flax seeds, blend those(adding some water)and then add the greens mixture. If I have any, I'll stick some kale into that spinach-parsley mixture as well. These are really the best things going IMO, as they are nutrient-rich, filling, and RAW!