Well I finally gave green smoothies a whirl at home, and…they’re great!
I first started adding just a small handful of baby spinach into a smoothie, but now I’ve expanded to kale and purslane.
A few weeks ago, I got a deal at the farmer’s market: two huge bundles of greens for $5. I bought collards and kale. I cooked the collards, and used some of the kale for salads. I washed, de-stemmed and tore the remaining kale leaves into pieces and stuck them in a ziplock bag in my freezer (my friend Brianna gave me that genius tip!). Now I have a cold green leafy veggie in my freezer for when the smoothie pangs hit (I would imagine that frozen kale is easy to toss into a soup or pasta recipe, too).
Having frozen smoothie ingredients on hand (i.e. chopped kale, chopped banana, frozen fruit) is key to keeping things cold. Sometimes I add ice at the very end to get the smoothie extra cold, but it is not always necessary.
If you are wary of the greens, don’t worry because you can’t taste them, especially if you use strong fruits like banana or mango and a nut butter like peanut or almond. The greens just make the smoothie turn, well, green.
Tip: blend the greens with the liquid first. Get it really nice and blended before adding in the remaining fruits and accouterment. This helps decrease the leafiness of the greens. I just use a regular blender.
A half portion of this smoothie fills me up in the morning when I drink it with coffee. I also make the full serving for a light lunch before a workout. Experiment with different greens and fruits and add-ins like chia seeds. Have fun, stay cool, and drink up!
Drink Up! Green Smoothie
Makes 1 large portion, or 2 small snack-size portions
1 cup of greens (I used 3/4 cup frozen kale and 1/4 cup fresh purslane)
1 cup liquid (I used 3/4 cup low-fat milk and 1/4 cup Greek yogurt)
1 heaping cup of fruit (I used about 1 cup frozen banana pieces and 1 poached fig)
1 heaping tablespoon nut/seed butter (I used peanut butter, but almond butter is great in smoothies, too)
optional: Ice
optional: a sprinkle of chia seeds (I didn’t use any in this smoothie because purslane is high in omega-3 fatty acids)
Blend the greens and the liquid in the blender. Get it nice and blended, may take 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the fruit and the nut/seed butter and the chia seeds (if using). Blend again to incorporate. If you want the smoothie extra cold, add in a few ice cubes and blend again. You can top the smoothie with extra chia seeds if you like.
NOTE: The full recipe, if you use nut butter, could add up to 350-400 calories, making this smoothie more of a mini meal than a snack.
Figsinmybelly 