We are always trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into our diets. So I decided that we could either sit around and eat salads all day or we could find a way to consume a lot of fruits/veggies at one time.
Enter the green smoothie!
I researched a bunch of recipes and combined them to create one that works well for us. I also created a system to make it easier to make in the mornings.
The fruits and veggies are easy to pull out of the fridge but the other ingredients were more cumbersome to retrieve from the pantry. Picture pulling lots of bags and containers to use just a small amount from each bag.
Since I love me some canning jars, I decided to make up a bunch of 1/2 pint canning jars of the powdered ingredients. Each time I want to make smoothies, I grab a jar of “green smoothie starter” along with whatever fruits and veggies I have on hand and whip up some healthy goodness.
What’s in the starter?
First, I use this pea protein powder. I buy the vanilla flavor which I feel mixes well with veggies. If I ever want to make a yummy chocolate smoothie, I just add cocoa powder to it. I only add 1 scoop even though the container says to add 2. I really don’t need 21 grams of protein in my smoothie. We consume enough protein throughout the day so I limit what I put in our smoothies.
I also add chia seeds, flax meal, and oat bran. Just a few tablespoons each.
A few unusual ingredients I like to add are Amla powder, Moringa leaf powder, and DE. I only use a small amount of these ingredients (1/2 teaspoon or so) and they last a loooong time! Amla powder is more tart than cranberries and has lots of antioxidants. Moringa leaf is a powerful superfood with a lot of phytonutrients. DE is Diatomaceous Earth. It is silica that can help boost the production of collagen, detox your body, and clear your insides of foreign substances and free radicals. Since Hubs and I both have lots of dental fillings that contain questionable substances, we use DE.
What fruits and veggies do I use?
Greens: I put a large (as much as my hand can grab) handful of fresh greens. Spinach, kale, or mixed salad greens. Whatever I have on hand.
Veggies: I almost always include a stalk of celery and one medium carrot.
Fruits: I use a half of a lemon or lime (peel included), an apple (peel included), and some sort of berry (blueberries, cranberries, etc.), grapes, or deep red or purple fruit. I also add a small amount of fresh ginger root and a banana if I have one handy. Peeled and frozen bananas work well. You’ll notice I don’t add any sweetener to my smoothie. I don’t really need it but the banana does make for a sweeter flavor.
What else goes in?
After adding all of the fruits, veggies, and smoothie starter ingredients to the blender cup, I use 1 cup of coconut milk and then fill it up to the fill line with filtered water.
Important note:
I feel it is very important to use only organic ingredients as much as I can. I’ve found large bags of organic frozen berries at Costco and Sams and always keep them in our freezer. I also buy bags of organic carrots, apples, and containers of greens at our local grocery stores.
