Green Smoothie 101 [Video]

I'm a big fan of drinking green smoothies and if there is one thing I could get you to start doing today to change your health, it would be loading up on these healthy green drinks. Today I'm doing something a bit different and sharing a video with you to help inspire you to jump start your health with a green smoothie!

Green smoothies have a ton of benefits, such as:

• Green smoothies are perfect for enhancing the immune system, purifying the blood, and rejuvenating the body. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients. Since you are consuming the greens raw, you are also getting the full nutritional value of the greens as well as their digestive enzymes.  
• Green smoothies are really easy to digest.  Since the greens are blended up, your body doesn’t have to work as hard in order to extract the nutrients and it is much easier on your digestive system. So, if you are someone that has digestive issues, this is a perfect way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet. 
• Green smoothies are fabulous for kids! If you have children or teenagers, I highly encourage you to make a green smoothie with them.  The key is to get them involved and let them help make the smoothie so they feel like they are part of the process (rather than being pressured into drinking something unfamiliar). I have honestly make this smoothie with well over 300 children over the last two years and it always amazes parents what kids will drink when they get to be involved in the process.
• Green smoothies reduce your cravings! When I work with clients in my health coaching practice one of the first things I will get them to do is start drinking green smoothies.  Most of them will immediately notice a decrease in sugar cravings because they are crowding out those less-healthy foods and their body will naturally start to crave fresh foods.  

If you are ready to have more energy and change your health, start with a green smoothie.  

Regardless of the benefits of a green smoothie, if you think that green smoothies are going to taste like liquid barnyard, I’m sure you are not very psyched to get blending.  Today, I’m here to dispel the gross green smoothie myth and show you how to make a delicious smoothie that won’t traumatize you for life!

Helpful tips for beginners:

• It's okay to start slow. If you have never had dark, leafy greens before or are nervous about adding them to the smoothie, start with a small amount.  You can always add more later and there is no reason to overload your drink in the beginning and then gross yourself out! For beginners, I recommend starting with a 3:1 ratio of fruit to greens. 
• The key to making the smoothie delicious (besides the ratio of ingredients) is having the right texture. It's definitely easier to make a green smoothie properly if you have a high-speed blender with a powerful motor (I use a Vitamix 5200), but if you don't have a high-speed blender, start by blending your greens and liquid completely before adding any fruit.  This will ensure that your greens are completely liquefied and there are no green chunks left in the smoothie!
• Use frozen fruit instead of ice to make it cold and creamy! Frozen bananas, frozen mango, frozen berries, and other frozen fruit make the texture smoother than using non-frozen fruit and adding ice. 

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, etc)
• 1.5 cups liquid (non-dairy milk, fresh juice, coconut water, green tea, or water)
• 1 frozen banana (remove the peel, cut into 1-inch slices, and freeze overnight)
• 1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)

Directions: 

Remove any tough stems from the greens. Blend greens and liquid for 15 seconds - 1 minute (depending on your blender) on high. Add fruits and blend for 15 - 30 seconds, or longer as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Drink up!

You can also try my advanced Green Smoothie 2.0 recipe and my Kale Smoothie for Kids. 

In the comments below, tell me what your favorite green smoothie recipe is or, if you've never made a green smoothie before, let me know when you'll be trying it!  

(And don't forget about our 2013 Health Revolution! I'd love for you to share your smoothie photos with me via Twitter and Facebook!)

Dreamsicle Smoothie

If you think it's hard to be a food blogger, I promise you that it's harder to live with one.  We food bloggers are a rare breed of creativity and crazy in the kitchen, but those that love us and have to put up with us on a daily basis are really the ones that deserve the credit.  This post is dedicated to all the significant others of food bloggers who have ever had to hear these words... probably repeatedly.

Don't eat that!  That's not for you, that's for the blog.

Don't touch that!  I haven't taken a picture yet!

No, I can't right now.  I have ten minutes of light left and I need to get these pictures taken.

Get out of the kitchen, I'm blogging.  Take the cats.

Can you edit this for me?  No, you can't wait until you finish that level on your video game.

Not yet.  I have to tweet, facebook, post this on foodgawker, tastespotting, finding vegan, healthy aperature, and.... I'll be there in a minute honey.

Thank you dear partner for all your patience and support.  I think it might be time to celebrate you.  How about a dreamsicle smoothie?

This smoothie is what you whip up when you really need to impress someone.  Maybe you're a food blogger that wants to treat your special someone to something special.  Or maybe you've had a hard day and all that you want right now is to crawl under the covers.  I won't judge.  But might I suggest taking a straw with you?

Dreamsicle Smoothie
Makes one 12-ounce smoothie

1 banana, peeled and frozen
3 clementines, peeled
3/4 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons raw cashews
5 - 7 drops liquid vanilla stevia drops, or to taste

Blend banana, clementines, almond milk, cashews, and stevia until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Chocolate-Covered Banana Bites with Coconut and Sea Salt

Have you ever found yourself standing in your kitchen thinking to yourself "I am culinary genius"?  I had that experience this week.  Okay, to be fair, I am definitely not a culinary genius as I am not the inventor of chocolate covered frozen bananas. But! I think I should get genius credit just for making them.... and then sprinkling them with dried coconut and sea salt.  Don't you agree?

I also had the startling revelation that the three best flavors in the world might just be chocolate, coconut, and sea salt.  Bringing them together is just too good.  And genius.

This recipe will forever go down in my mind as the recipe that finally made me buy parchment paper.  I don't know why I chose to be difficult about parchment paper, but I have never bothered to buy it because it seems silly when I have somehow managed to get around in life without it so far.  Yet here I was today, dreaming up my chocolate-covered frozen bananas and finally convinced into buying parchment paper.  Three hours later I can tell you that it was $5 well spent.

Chocolate-covered bananas are super simple to make and are definitely well-worth the effort.  Even your cat can help.  Ok, not really.  He'll just get in your way and try to put dirty paws on the bananas.  Not today, kitty.



We start by gathering our three favorite ingredients along with a few bananas.  Then it's time for a little chocolate melting.  Once you have that under way, slice up a few bananas and then let the dipping begin!

After a few hours in the freezer you're left with an incredible, decadent dessert.  Feel free to keep these all to yourself or serve them at your next dinner party. 



Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Bites with Coconut and Sea Salt
Makes about 40 bites

1 cup (vegan) chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 bananas, peeled and cut into slices (1/2-inch to 1-inch thick)
1/3 cup dried coconut flakes, crushed (you can also use unsweetened shredded coconut)
coarse sea salt

Add chocolate chips and oil to a small pan and gently heat on very low heat.  Stir continuously (to prevent the bottom from burning) and remove from heat as soon as the chocoalte is liquified.   (You can also use the double boiler method and melt your chocolate in a pot or bowl above boiling water.) 

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over a sheet pan.  (This makes them easy to put into the freezer).  Next, drop your banana slices into the chocolate and coat the banana evenly.  Put it on the parchment paper and sprinkle with the crushed coconut flakes and sea salt.  Continue until all the banana slices have been dipped and topped with goodies.

Put the pan in the freezer and let freeze 2 - 3 hours, until frozen.  Once the banana bites are frozen, you may serve immediately or transfer them to an airtight container and continue to store in the freezer until you are ready to serve them.  They last in the freezer about 2 - 3 weeks.