Green Pina Colada Smoothie

One of my kids shared this nasty cold/cough bug with me and I've been trying to fight it hard with food.  I set out to make a green smoothie and was looking for something a little different from my norm.  I went in search of fruits high in Vitamin C and discovered 3/4 cup of frozen pineapple chunks contains 130% daily value of Vitamin C.  I threw this little yummy concoction together with ingredients I had in the house:

1/2 c. unsweetened coconut milk

3/4 c. frozen pineapple chunks (~12 chunks)

1 T. unsweetened shredded coconut

1 handful fresh spinach

1 handful (or 1 stalk) fresh kale

ice

Blend until smooth.  Add more coconut milk or ice to adjust the texture to your liking.

Happy Spring!

dawn

Chocolate Smoothie

Chocolate Smoothie

For those of you who know Dawn & I well,  you know we LOVE.SOME.SUNSHINE!  Ya'll we text each other weekly updates on the sunshine forecast!  I seriously think I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder in the winter months.  Bentley jokes he is going to buy me one of those lights, and I truly think I just might let him next winter!

With the warmer temperatures & sunshine this week (YAY), I wanted to share one of my favorite smoothie recipes.  It's very similar to a chocolate milkshake or slushy!

Double Green Smoothies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy beverage, such as almond, rice or soy 


2 dried apricots or 4 pitted dates 


1 banana 


1 cup chopped kale leaves 


1 cup spinach leaves 


1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries

Combine non-dairy beverage, apricots/dates, banana, kale, spinach and berries in a blender and blend until smooth.

(from Whole Foods website)

Chocolate Almond Cherry Smoothie

This yummy smoothie is a nice deviation from my regular morning berry & greens smoothie.  And a departure from my recent afternoon snack addiction to a PBO Smoothie (I use almond butter because it is my favorite).  I like just a hint of chocolate flavor, but if you like more, use 1 Tbsp instead of 1 Tsp.  If you're using fresh fruit vs. frozen, simply add more ice. 


1 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 T. almond butter
8 frozen pitted cherries (~1/2 cup)
6 frozen banana slices (~1/2 banana)
small handful spinach (~1/2 cup)
1 t. unsweetened cocoa powder
handful ice


This recipe is adapted from Peas and Thank You cookbook.


happy green eats-
dawn

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie

1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 c. rolled oats

1/2-1 banana

14 frozen strawberries

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.  If you are using PLAIN unsweetened almond milk, add 1/2 t. vanilla extract for a hint of vanilla flavor.  All of my fruit was frozen, including bananas, and the texture was perfect for me.  However, if you want thinner, add more almond milk.  If you need thicker or colder, add more frozen strawberries or ice.  Next time I'll throw in some kale or spinach.

Happy pink eats-

dawn

Green Smoothies

Green smoothies rock!  They are a great way to incorporate greens into your diet.  My two youngest will thus far not eat greens cooked the traditional way (sauteed or steamed).  They also will not touch kale chips with a ten foot pole, although I'm convinced they would like them if they'd just put one in their mouth!  I'll keep trying!  So, smoothies are a great way for me to get nutrient dense greens (kale, spinach, etc.) in their bodies.  At first I did not tell them I was putting kale & spinach in their smoothies.  But now they know and they don't care.  Yesterday I even had some little helpers putting greens in the blender.  You can't even tell by taste that they're in there! 


We eat smoothies a lot at our house and yes, even during the winter.  I make a big batch, we all have some, and then I put leftovers in popsicle molds.  And yes, they eat popsicles in winter, too!  I've been known to let my kids have popsicles for breakfast!  There is really no wrong or right way to make a smoothie.  I've never had one that didn't taste good.  And I NEVER measure!  Most of mine use coconut water, unsweetened coconut milk, or unsweetened almond milk as a base liquid.  Add whatever frozen fruits you like.  I always add ground flaxseed.  I don't measure, but maybe 2 or 3 T?  And then add 1 cup of greens.  Taste and adjust to what you like.  If it needs to be thinner, add more nondairy milk or coconut water or just plain water.  If it needs to be thicker, add more frozen fruit.  Etc. 


I dream of owning a Vitamix, for many reasons, but especially because it pulverizes and leaves you with no bits, just a smooth creamy texture!  LeAnne loves hers!  But until that cash tree grows in the backyard, I make do with my Ninja blender.  Fortunately my kids do not mind the bits.  And they don't mind if it's not a pretty color smoothie.  They have learned that even if it's a yucky color, it still tastes good!  If you want a pretty color, stick with like colors in the blender.


This Vitamix chart is a great place to start.  Except in Column 3, I would eliminate yogurt and fruit juice, and instead add unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk, coconut water, carrot juice, etc.


 Vitamix Green Smoothie List


Happy green eats (& drinks!)-
Dawn