Recipe: Green Energy Smoothie
i know, i know, many of you may be thinking this sounds gross and not only will i never like it, but there's no way my kids would! if you have the proper ratio of greens:fruit (approx. 2:3) i swear it tastes like a normal smoothie and you cannot taste the greens!
greens are the most missing foods in modern diets, and are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and vit's A, C, E, & K. They help with circulation, strengthening immunities, cancer prevention, and clearing congestion, among many other things. i can't prove this, but after i drink one of these, i swear i get a little "buzz" and feel energized & very alert for a while.
regarding getting kids to eat these -i have two schools of thought. 1. you can always pour it into a cup w/ a lid so your kids don't see the puke green color it usually turns, and by the time they taste it, they'll be sold, or 2. you can just tell them what's it in, and let them make their own decision, while watching you enjoy it. (i personally don't take the kid-deception route, but to each his/her own!)
Green Energy Smoothie
1 banana -best if frozen (i slice & freeze in advance for these!) but room temp is fine, too
4 frozen strawberries (or fruit equivalent of your choice)
a handful of spinach, swiss chard, kale or any green of your choice - if using fresh strawberries, keep the tops on!!
5-9 mint leaves
1/2 T cocoa powder
1/2 - 3/4 C almond milk (can sub skim milk or soy)
1 t raw (or regular) honey
2 drops of vanilla or almond extract
blend ALOT and enjoy!
tips:
put the greens in first with the liquids to get them really pureed nicely and make sure they're nicely incorporated.
add 5-7 ice cubes if you want it thicker/frostier.
if you want a little caffeine for a pre-workout punch, blend in some cool
ed green tea! (just note the solid:liquid ratio)
you can really play with this - if you don't like mint, leave it out! want sweeter? up the honey.
for extra boosts of protein & fiber, i usually add in some ground chia seeds or flax meal, and instead of the cocoa, i use cacao with maca. but i know some of you don't have these ingredients on hand, which is totally fine.