Thursday, March 1, 2012

Green Smoothies

This week's Next Level goal is to get in the greens. The simplest way? Green smoothies!



You've seen these babies on this blog (and probably every other food blog you read) multiple times. But, my green smoothies are a little different than the typical throw-a-handful-of-spinach-into-an-all-fruit-smoothie you see in the blog/healthy living world.

So, how do you build a nutrient packed smoothie? Start with the greens! Spinach, kale, Swiss chard and collard greens are all delicious in smoothies. Then, add in one to two servings of fruit. I always use a frozen banana, but sometimes throw in an apple or some frozen berries if I have them around.

Not that I'm an expert, but I thought I would share a few tips that work for me.

- Make it as easy as possible. I buy organic, pre-washed spinach from Costco. I also spend some time washing, drying and tearing up some other greens on the weekend.



- Fill 'er up. I fill my Vitamix all the way to the top with greens. Then I add in a little fruit. If you find that you need more fruit to make it palatable, do it! You could also add a few drops of stevia or xylitol. Eventually, I want to work my way to being able to drink an all green smoothie.



- It's a portable and filling lunch, too! I primarily drink green smoothies for breakfast, but the other day, I decided to double up and take some in a thermos for lunch. It was so refreshing and delicious. And, it was perfect for my crazy and hectic schedule that day.



Anyway, I hope you give green smoothies a try. I think you will fall in love. Also, you DO NOT need a Vitamix to make green smoothies. I used to make green smoothies all the time pre-Vitamix. So, don't let that deter you.

Have you tried green smoothies?

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