GREEN SMOOTHIE #7

This Green Smoothie is different from the others in that is does not turn out a pretty green, but rather a light purple, but it adds different fruit than the others, which is our goal.  Try to mix up the greens and the fruits every day so that we are getting different benefits. The raspberries add a nice taste to this mix.

• 1 cup of raspberries (i used fresh)
• 1 cup of blueberries (i used fresh)
• 1 apple cored (if you have a vitavix...like Kelley and Daniel you don't have to core the apple)
• 3 big handfuls of spinach
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup of ice cubes  (if you don't have ice, use 2 cups of water
• 1 scoop of protein powder
• 1 tsp of flax seed oil if you have it.

GREEN SMOOTHIE #6

This is my last green smoothie post for awhile.  My goal was to have enough recipes to alternate the fruits and greens to maximize the nutrient values. I have also gone back and edited the previous green smoothie posts and added the protein powder to each one, to remind you that this is a great way to get your protein in the morning.  The one that I have been using suggests two scoops and this equals 25g of protein. Since I am looking for 40g of protein daily this is a great start to the day.  Some of the recipes make a full blender and I share some of this so the protein would be cut in 1/2.  I also discovered that while I have a full glass in the morning,  I put blender container in the fridge and I will have another glass mid-morning. The protein powders come in a variety of flavors etc, and I am liking the ones flavored with vanilla which adds a nice sweetness to ones where I am using kale.  And for some reason the last batch of protein powder that I bought had whey in it, and I have since discovered that this is a milk by product....so if you are looking to eliminate dairy or reduce the amount of dairy then look for the ones without whey.

***if you are lucky enough to have a vita mix then you can just throw in the apples and 1/2 lemon whole with the skin and all.

• 2 apples skinned and cored
• 1/2 to 1 lemon peeled
• 2 romaine lettuce leaves....add more to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup of ice cubes
• 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder

GREEN SMOOTHIE #5

This recipe is not as pretty to look at as the previous Green Smoothie recipes.  Lets just say that it tasted way better than it looks. The ingredients were what initially attracted me to the recipe since I love mangos and strawberries, and I happened to have both of them. The color of the smoothie was a green/brown color and would probably scare off some people, but the texture was amazing....really smooooooth with a hint of strawberry. Since the experts on the Green Smoothie sites recommend that you switch up the fruits and veggies everyday, so that you don't overload on the same nutrients makes sense to me. My goal is to have 5-7 green smoothies recipes so that I can rotate them over the course of a week.  I don't want to get bored and stop making them, since I am pumped on the raw green veggies that I am consuming! Tomorrow I am trying a recipe with romaine lettuce.

• 1 mango (peel using the same trick I posted for the orange)
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 cups of spinach (approx 2 handfuls)
• 1/2 to 1 cup water...start with 1/2 cup and add to desired consistency
• 2 cups of ice
• 2 scoops of protein powder

GREEN SMOOTHIE #4

This smoothie uses an apple, orange and lemon this time.  The idea of the lemon intrigued me so I had to try it.  It is not as sweet as previous ones, but it has a nice tart almost lemonade taste.  The recipe called for spinach, but I only had bok choy and it still tasted great.  One author stated that bok choy in a smoothie creates a very smooth texture and it was true.  I recommend this recipe since in adds another flavor....we run this risk of making a healthy meal like this boring if we don't mix it up.  Plus switching up the ingredients each day adds different vitamins and minerals to our system.

• 1/2 lemon peeled (remember hint on how to peel citrus from smoothies #2)
• 1 large peeled orange (if orange is small use 2)
• 1 large apple cored (leave peel on)
• 1/2 to 1 banana to taste
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups of ice
• 2 scoops of protein powder

blend for a few minutes.

GREEN SMOOTHIE #3

This version was milder than the previous ones, probably because it used spinach as the green.  I am hunting for one that uses apple, so stay tuned.....

GREEN SMOOTHIE #3

• 1 cup of green grapes
• 1/2 cup of pineapple
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1/2 of a banana
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 cup of ice cubes
• 2 scoops of protein powder

GREEN SMOOTHIE #2

This recipe is from the Vita Mix website and it calls for ice cubes, so if you don't have ice cubes (Kelley) add some more water until desired consistency.  But I have to say that the ice cubes really made it nice and cold.
When you shop for bananas buy extra for freezing.  Put 5-6 bananas into a freezer bag and use as needed.  Freezing the bananas adds a creamy texture to the smoothie.  But you can also use fresh bananas.

• 1 orange, peeled (see note below)
• 1 cup of green grapes
• 1/2 of one pear
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of kale
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups of ice cubes
• 2 scoops of protein powder

blend for 2 minutes.

**hint** I was recently reading a recipe and it called for a peeled orange.  I hate peeling oranges!  But I found this great suggestion to make it easier.  Cut a slice off the top and bottom of the orange exposing the flesh. Stand the orange upright on the cutting board, and using a sharp knife cut the peel off in slices cutting the white pith as you go. You end up with a orange you can easily now break into slices.  For the smoothie I just broke it in two pieces and threw it into the blender.

GREEN SMOOTHIE #1....TROPICAL TANGO

I have been trying very hard to get more of the dark green leafy vegetables into my diet.  The vitamins, minerals, and the overall benefits are key to our well-being.  And most people have very few dark green veggies in their diet. Sure we all eat salads, and have the occasional green bean, but what about kale, mustard greens, collard greens, swiss chard, cabbage, bok choy, spinach?  To be honest I have cabbage once in awhile and the occasional spinach salad.  The longer I am a vegan and the more reading and experimenting that I do, the more these green veggies are rearing their heads.  So I am on a quest for the next month to try more and more recipes using these vegetables.  Daniel sent me a recipe recently for a kale salad with cashew cream dressing and it was great!  I will be posting that soon. Everywhere you go on the vegan/vegetarian sites there is a buzz about green smoothies and I am going to be trying a new one every day for the next week and will post the successes.  The two that I have tried so far were so good that I can't wait to try another one tomorrow. This is such an easy way to incorporate green veggies into the family diets.  If they ask why it is green,  just tell them you used green apples to make it. :-)

I am also adding a tsp of flax seed oil to each recipe even when it isn't called for and a scoop of protein powder.

GREEN SMOOTHIE #1..... TROPICAL TANGO

• 1-2 cups of fresh pineapple
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of fresh orange juice (approx the juice of two oranges)
• 1 cup water
• big handful of greens ( used spinach but anything will do)
• add some flaxseed oil or protein powder (optional)

Blend for 2 minutes

Easy Smoothie

I love this smoothie because there are only a few ingredients, you don't have to use ice, and it incorporates a protein and a green veggie.  The recipe makes 1 smoothie so adjust the ingredients accordingly for more servings. The spinach is optional but it doesn't alter the taste so why not?.....just don't let the kids see it going into the blender and they will be none the wiser. You can have this for breakfast, as a snack, or as a dessert. I'll make this mid-morning and split with my husband for a little pick me up.

1/2 cup frozen peach slices

1/2 cup of any other frozen berry or combo....I think my favorite is strawberry

1/2 cup of soy milk or other non dairy milk

1/2 cup apple or orange juice
1 Tbl of protein powder
handful of spinach ---optional

Put in the blender and let it whirl for a minute or so.