Green smoothies are all the rage right now, but are they any good? Something that green can’t possible taste good, can it? Wrong! Green smoothies are not only packed with nutritious vitamins and minerals, they can be pretty darn tasty as well. They’re also a fantastic way to get rid of leftover produce sitting around the house. We make them so often in our house, our 2-year old gets excited by the sound of the blender while yelling “smoothie, smoothie!” The trick to a finger-lickin’ good smoothie? Always use a banana as a base. It adds the creamy texture, the sweetness to counteract the bite of some of your greens, and the potassium to boot! Here’s one of our favorite go-to recipes (I use the word “recipes” loosely because no exact measurements are required.)
Ingredients
1 banana (this is perfect for overripe ones)
3-4 strawberries
A handful of spinach
A handful of kale
2-3 pieces of broccoli
Blueberries, apples, or any other fruit you have on hand
1 tablespoon of flaxseed
* sometimes we mix in yogurt or whole milk for the little one. If you’re watching calories, simply use 1/2 cup of water to start. Add more until the smoothie fits your desired consistency.
Directions
If you have super-power blender like a Vitamix or Blendec, literally drop everything in whole and just hit Pulse until it’s at the consistency you want. If using a regular blender, you may want to cut the fruit into small chunks to help it along. Voila! A healthy and delicious snack or breakfast on-the-go!
And the possibilities are really endless. Add in a scoop of almond or peanut butter. Try dates instead of bananas. Or add in some cocoa for a healthy sweet treat. Go wild!
Here are some more recipes for healthy and yummy green smoothies:
Peanut Butter Cocoa Spinach Green Smoothie
– Esther Carlstone
