Over the last few years, I have reluctantly become a smoothie girl. I’ve never liked them much, but that’s also because I was rather horrible at making them. Usually they were barely edible.
And then I got a VitaMix
And if you have a VitaMix, you know there’s no longer any good excuse NOT to become a master of smoothies. I’m not one to bow to a gadget, but this blender changed my life. (Based on my informal research, this is a statement commonly uttered by VitaMix owners). Yes, it’s a spendy blender, but it’s worth every penny.
But I digress. I have experimented, I have played with recipes, I have been taught by a smoothie pro, and I have now come up with my own variation on the green smoothie. If you don’t have a VitaMix, a very good high-powered blender will do, but I’d replace the whole nuts with nut-butter.
Ingredients:
- 1 head romaine lettuce, stem removed
- 1 big handful parsley
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and deseeded
- handful of raw, presoaked cashews (optional)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1-2 cups of coconut water
- 1 small granny smith apple, core and seeds removed
Combine all ingredients in your trusty VitaMix (or otherwise high-speed blender) and gradually bring up the speed from low to max. You’ll need to use the “wand” that comes with it to push the ingredients down into the blade. Mix thoroughly until nice and smooth.
This makes 2 servings.
I too was never a fan of smoothies until I explored some of the green smoothie blends, now I’m a huge fan. My current green blend fav is cucumber, kale, spinach, parsley, fresh basil and mint with pineapple….and now that I’ve read your endorsement of the Vita Mix, I will adding that my must have list, thank you!
If you love green smoothies, the VitaMix will become your best friend. It’s probably the best used piece of gear in our kitchen! Love your current green smoothie blend. Will try it!
Hey Margaret,
I have another smoothie I made up and LOVE.
organic apple juice to cover blender blades
1-2 handfuls of spinach
1 pear- (I like yellow or green pear vs red )
lots of cinnamon
YUMMY!
I am working on healing my adrenals. I need to eat frequently to keep maintain blood sugar levels. Are green smoothies OK for this or will it spike my blood sugar levels? Very confused about how to eat after watching Fork Over Knives and all of those other films saying animal products cause so many problems. However, the naturopath helping me with my adrenals says I should eat protein every time I eat, preferrably animal protein. But people like Elena at Veggalicious says her health was transformed dramatically when eliminating animal products.
Hi Valerie, This green smoothie won’t spike your blood sugar levels too much, especially if you omit the sweetener. Sadly the nutrition field is confusing and Forks over Knives only added to the confusion (and a lot of misinformation). I would encourage you to listen to your naturopath. In my experience personally (as a former vegetarian for 15 years) and in my practice, I see people thrive eating a responsible diet of nutrient dense whole foods that includes animal protein (from pastured, humanely raised animals – not feedlot fare) and lots of veggies and good fats, and struggle with all sorts of health issues when trying to eat a vegetarian diet that typically relies too heavily on grains and soy. Here are a couple of posts on the topic that might help you out: https://www.eatnakedkitchen.com/eatnaked/2011/11/08/confessions-of-a-recovering-vegetarian-how-i-made-peace-with-eating-meat/; https://www.eatnakedkitchen.com/eatnaked/2011/11/14/book-review-guest-post-the-vegetarian-myth/
Use a protein powder
Salad smoothie with mango dressing recipe
Tried this this morning, and loving it. I mix the juicer and blender to get to my final result.
Juice:
2 tomatoes
1 red pepper
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
Blend with:
2 cups mixed greens (spinach, baby bok choy, and chard)
Frozen diced mango
Yummm!
Drink 32 oz green smoothies a day and use the ninja blender which works great.Change greens daily also.
As a former owner of a Vitamix, yes they are nice. But really, they’re just faster (and hold a heckuva lot more!). I was forced to sell my Vitamix and now I have a cheap Oster blender. I just blend the greens to death and they liquify. I also chop up beets and ginger now too. They liquify also. Just a matter of blending it for several MINUTES, not seconds. Add powders, nuts/seeds, eggs, coconut oil, fruit and such — after it’s blended. I add ice cubes or frozen fruit at the end also, after the coconut oil is incorporated. Cheers!
In the morning I mix 1/2 apple water and pineapple in a blender and throw in Spirulina and wheatgrass to add greens to the mix. Does this constitute eating greens or does it have to be actual greens.
You’re definitely getting greens in here – the wheatgrass does count, but you’ll always want to mix it up to add variety. Diversity is key!
A Magic Bullet works great for lettuce, spinach, kale, anything but hard carrots but if you buy the shredded carrots, the bullet blends those nicely, too. I got tired of cleaning juicers and Magic Bullets are easy to clean.
Hi Margaret,
I would love to have more green smoothies. I don’t eat breakfast since I have now been doing IF for almost a year. I do like smoothies as a meal replacement (on crazy days) or to supplement what I eat. These smoothies have berries, usually plus greens. However, when I have tried smoothies with a lot of spinach, I end up being constipated. All I have to do is have a small amount and then I suffer. I am afraid to try another smoothie like that. Will the romaine lettuce be easier on my system?
Some people are sensitive to the oxalates in spinach. Romaine is definitely gentler and easier on the system. It also has higher water content which is very helpful with constipation.
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for the reply. I will try this recipe with romaine. Also, I have heard that you can steam the spinach so that it isn’t raw and freeze. Would the oxalates still bother me if it was cooked? Are there other greens that could potentially cause similar problems?
I love using my vitamix for smoothies and other things as well.
It’s a bit more complicated than it seems. How your body deals with oxalates is determined by your gut health. Yes, you can steam the spinach, which helps, you can soak nuts and seeds. Some foods that are higher in oxalates are Beet greens, Rhubarb, Spinach, Beets, Swiss chard, Endive, Cocoa powder, Kale, Sweet potatoes, Peanuts, Turnip greens, Star fruit. While these foods are high in oxalates they are also rich in many minerals and nutrients so it isn’t best to use this list as a “do not eat” list. Better to gauge in your own body how you feel when you eat these foods; To not always eat the same vegetables and to steam/boil the vegetables that are high in oxalates. The rub is that when you cook them, you also lower their nutrient content in most cases.
I love my vitamix & I love my green smoothie. I will try adding some lime & avocado.
Hi Magi,my baby is currently 6months and am trying to loose weight so am doing great smoothie ie made of kale,spinach,apple,grapes,watermelon,banana,mango.Snacks salads unsalted nuts white eggs not more than 3a day baby carrots an apple. Then I spice it up with canyee pepper and lemon juice and something ACV and all that is not one time I alternate.so my question is it safe while my little baby one is nursing
Hi Mary, Nothing your eating is necessarily unnatural thus should be fine for your baby. Your baby and your body will tell you what is working or not. Make sure that your desire to lose weight doesn’t result in your sacrificing healthy fats like avocado, fish, whole eggs, organ meats, etc…. Your baby is in development mode and needs as much nutrient-dense food as possible. Plus, your body is recovering and needs to be replenished with nutrient-dense foods too. Once you are no longer nursing, your body will more quickly and easily lose weight (if you’re eating well and exercising).