Kale Smoothie For Kids

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at how they make their green smoothies.  Extra greens?  Vanilla extract?  A little coconut butter?  A handful of almonds?  It's definitely tells you more about the person than asking how they take their coffee.

If you've been reading this blog for awhile I hope that you're no stranger to a green smoothie.  But, for you newbies out there let me introduce you.

Readers, this is a green smoothie.  Do not be afraid.  It comes in peace.

It will change your life.  It will power your workouts.  It will curb your sugar cravings.  It will noursh your body and mind when you wake up in the morning.  And it might just become your new obsession.

For the past four years I have been in love with kale smoothies and I'm happy to announce that in that time I've changed a lot of skeptics into green smoothie lovers as well.  I know that a lot of people are put off by how green it is, but, lucky for you, this recipe doesn't taste "green" at all!

Now if you don't believe me, I dare you to try it. Double dog dare you. And, if you're a parent, I dare you to try making it with your kids.



One of the things that I love most about my job is that I get to work with young children and introduce them to seasonal fruits and vegetables.  For most kids this is where they start entering into a "picky eater" phase so they are often skeptical of the food samples we offer them.

For fall, I wanted to focus on introducing them to greens because we often hear that "kids just won't eat greens."  Really?  I decided to take it as a challenge. 

Over the past couple of weeks I have made this smoothie with over 50 children who not only drink up every last drop, but they will literally fight each other for seconds, thirds, and fourths.  I have seen plenty of pushing, tears, and spills around here.  Luckily, the abundance of green smiles makes up for it.



The key to making a green smoothie is to blend, blend, blend! Making a smoothie with your child is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen and create a healthy snack together. Kids of all ages can help by tearing up kale and putting it in the blender, pouring the apple juice (possibly with assistance!) and peeling the bananas. Kids will love the green color and you'll be surprised by how much they also love the taste!

Note: You can also omit the ice and substitute frozen bananas for a creamier smoothie.  Simply peel the bananas, chop into pieces, and freeze overnight.

Kale Smoothie for Kids
Yields: 4 servings

12 ounces 100% apple juice
3 - 4 large kale leaves (stem removed)
3 bananas (peel removed)
2 cups of ice

Blend juice and greens for about one minute on high. Make sure the greens are thoroughly blended. Then add the banana & ice and blend for an additional 30 seconds, until smooth.