the other week i mentioned to you all about my new addiction to green smoothies. i've been having a green smoothie almost everyday for about 6 weeks now. i usually have it for either breakfast or lunch but lunchtime is my favorite time for having one. it's the perfect afternoon pick me up and helps keep me energized and falling prey to the 2-3pm slump. you know the one when you are grumpy and will do anything for a 2nd strong cup of coffee? i hate the slump. so bye bye slump - hello green smoothie!
i've also been eating gluten free (wheat free), dairy free, and as little sugar as possible. i feel fabulous and noticed a huge change in my health issues in as little as one week (you can read more about my health issues here). i've also been working out 3 times a week (lost 6 pounds already - yay!) and will be working my way back to 5 times with the help of my chiropractor and my new found energy. i loved that you all asked me to keep you updated so it's fun to be able to post this here!
i've been having so much fun experimenting with new foods, recipes and of course different combos for my green smoothies. and since i started chatting about it you guys have been so enthusiastic and supportive it's been awesome! i also got a ton of emails and requests from people on recipes, how to even start to make green smoothies and tips. i thought it would be fun to put together a wee post on the subject and see if i can get y'all as addicted as i am.
now i'm not an expert or a cook but i know what i like and what i like is easy and as fast and accessible as possible on a budget. so i'm just going to share my tips and thoughts on green smoothies and then link over to some other peeps who know more than i do. what i have learned is that green smoothies are wonderful for all sorts of health issues and are great for your body. especially if you're like me and would never consume as much fruit and vegetables in one day that i can get in one smoothie. so where to start?
HOW TO START MAKING GREEN SMOOTHIES
- get a good blender & make sure it blends ice real good. this is important for all your frozen fruits or ice. i have an oster from costco that literally cost like $40 but it works. i think if i keep going with the smoothies though i might invest in a better blender later on down the road. the vitamix may be mine one day :)
- invest in buying a few staple ingredients. i really like chia seeds & ground flax. i rotate which one i add to my smoothies each day. i usually use 1tbsp when i use them. the chia is fabulous though. you can find it in your local grocery store or health food store. i don't soak mine but you can. i checked with my naturopathic doctor and she said you don't need to and the benefit is the same.
- make friends with kale. i heart kale. kale makes me feel wonderful. try the green smoothies with kale and make sure to add something frozen so the ice crusher feature gets the kale blended up real good. i don't use the spine of the leaf and rip/cut up the leaves before putting them in the blender. here's a post showing you how to blend up the kale. i just chuck mine in with everything but i don't mind having teeny bits in it.
- don't overdo the kale though. try to rotate the greens. use spinach or something else you'd enjoy. too much kale can affect your thyroid function.
- stock up on your favorite fresh in season fruits or buy frozen and keep them handy.
- i like to put in my frozen items first, then liquid, then adding my kale or greens and then the fruit. start slow and add more milk if the blender isn't moving things, or add ice if you need to thicken it up.
i personally have liked everything that i have thrown in for green smoothies and i just mostly wing it now. i use whatever i've got on hand. here are some of my fave ingredients to use:
- 1 leaf kale
- 1 banana
- almond milk
- pineapple
- 1 whole orange (skin removed)
- frozen blueberries
- handful of rasberries
- 1/2 avocado
- frozen fruit medleys
i always, always use either kale or spinach, 1 banana, and frozen or fresh blueberries then add on from there. make sure if you aren't using any frozen fruit you add in a couple ice cubes so it's nice and cold!
(p.s. i know i left the stickers on all my produce...lol. i took my shots and got so into it i didn't even realize till after when i was editing and my hubby pointed out that i should have removed them. oops! oh well..keeping it real folks...keeping it real.)
GREAT PLACES FOR GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES
i also started a new handy pinterest board! you can now follow my journey through my "healthy eating in the mommyhood" pinterest board. i've been pinning my fave recipes that i have tried or plan on making. i get lots of helpful tips and recipes from my bestie jane richmond whose cooking is to die for (and she has the same food avoidance's) and the lovely aja (swelldove). between the two of those i'm set. they keep me hungry. i've linked their instagram profiles so you can follow along & see their yummy foods too! i definitely recommend asking around if any of your friends eat this way. odds are they have some great tips and recipes to share and will also be a good support for you when you transition to adding them to your diet.
here are some of my fave sites of the moment for recipes:
- how to make a smoothie from pretty prudent (this was how i got started - great resource post!)
- 20 amazing smoothie recipes from pretty prudent on babble.com
- www.greenmonstermovement.com and ohsheglows.com
- nomnompaleo.comand i also like their ipad app
- skinnytaste.com
- sproutedkitchen.com
- glutenfreegoddess
- paleomg.com
READERS FAVORITES
- simplegreensmoothies.com
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES & BLOGS
so go get that blender warmed up, get those chia seeds ready (see them above? these things are amazing!) and get smoothie making! you're gonna love it! feel free to share your favorite smoothie recipes and favorite foodie sites in the comments below. i'll add them to the post above in a "readers favorites section". i'm always on the hunt for great gluten/dairy/sugar free cooking websites & books so share away!!!
thanks again for all your wonderful and loving comments on my post the other week. it means so much to me that you all shared your stories too and offered up support. i heart you guys <3