A weeks worth of green smoothies

gutsnglory9
gutsnglory9 Posts: 16
in Recipes
I try to start my day with a green smoothie. Once you get over the fact they taste healthy, they're actually really good. They aren't a magic cure all, as some proponents would have you believe, but I often start my day by eating half a bunch of spinach, and this is the only way that is ever going to happen.

To keep it simple, on quiet Sunday afternoons like today I make a week's worth of smoothies. I usually make up 3 recipes, and make 2 of each.

I use organic, 2% yogurt, because I'm trying to eat more probiotics, and because it tastes good. These would be super simple to make non-dairy (you could sub the yogurt with a banana, or a non-dairy milk or yogurt product, or even remove it all together.)

DSC_0005_zps80f7f7f4.jpg

1. 3/4 c yogurt, 1/2 yellow mango, 1/2 bunch spinach (148 calls, 22g carbs (17g sugar) 3g fat, 10g protein)
2. 3/4 c yogurt, 1 granny smith apple, 1/2 head red leaf lettuce (169 cals, 30g carbs (18g sugar) 3g fat, 9g protein)
3. 3/4 c yogurt, 1 bartlett pear, 1 bunch parsley (198 cals, 36g carbs (21g sugar), 3g fat, 11g protein)

And for today, day 7? I used a whole mango, yogurt and red leaf lettuce. Mmmmm.

If you're new to the green smoothie, there's lots of ideas and information elsewhere on the internet. For more recipes and information: I recommend the nutribullet manual (even though I don't actually own a nutribullet): http://www.nutribullet.com/themes/36/docs/NutriBullet_Manual.pdf
And Tara Warner's 3-Day smoothie challenge comes with a free recipe book: http://www.terawarner.com/hhh/commons/3DayShoppingGuide.pdf

Replies

  • christy7322
    christy7322 Posts: 31
    Bump...

    ...even though this looks like sofrito :)

    thanks for the recipes!
  • gutsnglory9
    gutsnglory9 Posts: 16
    Ha! It totally does! Doesn't taste like it, I promise.
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
    Thanks! I have been thinking of doing the green smoothie thing for awhile! I need a new blender! LOL
  • sandy_gee
    sandy_gee Posts: 372 Member
    Tagged. :D
  • sndyrs
    sndyrs Posts: 4
    Thank you... I know green doesn't look good but I love green.. thank so much for the recipes. what kind of blender do you use? I just got an OLD OLD Vitamix from my fb friend who didn't want it.. it is a workhorse and does a great job with the green stuff. it is the kind with the old stainless steel container
  • dnish53
    dnish53 Posts: 162 Member
    Try making one with kale. I use Kale, 1/2 frozen banana. celery, carrots, and sometimes 1/2 Fuji apple, or some berries (less sugar than a mango). Mix in blender with 1/2 - 1 c water. I even add some protein powder to the smoothie to round it out.
  • sweetpea101077
    sweetpea101077 Posts: 58 Member
    Bump
  • avocado22
    avocado22 Posts: 19 Member
    Do you usually find they taste okay by the end of the week? I'm assuming that you store them in the fridge
  • king1988
    king1988 Posts: 22 Member
    bump
  • gutsnglory9
    gutsnglory9 Posts: 16
    Yes, I store them in the fridge, but I haven't cleaned it in a while, so I took them out for the photo. They taste fine after 6 days, I wouldn't leave them much longer than that, so it's incentive to drink them.

    And kale smoothies are awesome too! Just didn't make it into this week's batch...
  • lemmyhead
    lemmyhead Posts: 116 Member
    How do you find the flavour by the end of the week? I have been making 2-days at a time, but not convinced to make any more than that!

    I also read somewhere that once vegetables are chopped up, they start to lose nutrients even faster ... thoughts anyone?

    EDIT: haha woops someone else bet me to the same question :ohwell:
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    Bump
  • sweetums2
    sweetums2 Posts: 14
    I hope someone can help! I never tried this kind of smoothie do you only drink it once a day? How is it working or you? Do you feel any better? If I ate the same things with out making it into a smoothie would it have the same effect? I need to kick start my body this kind of sounds like a good way to do it?
  • Snatched614
    Snatched614 Posts: 115 Member
    I've done the green smoothie thing but would like to know the significance of ppl using lettuce in it? Why not stop at spinach? I'm about to look it up, but would u use it for its water content?
  • dahtram
    dahtram Posts: 2
    I also use the nutri bullet for my morning smoothie. It is amazing. I use kale, spinach, almond milk, H20,flax seeds, decadent
    chocolate protein powder, extra cocoa powder, frozen banana. It tastes awesome!!!! If I was making in advance, I would freeze
    so they would stay fresh.
  • gutsnglory9
    gutsnglory9 Posts: 16
    lemmyhead - I read that bit about vegetables losing nutrients once their juiced, apparently because smoothies still have fiber, it doesn't apply (this is from unscientific sources, so I may be wrong). Generally, I've seen people advise you that smoothies keep 3 days after they're made, but from experience, I can tell you they taste exactly the same after 6.

    sweetums2 - I think if you at the exact same things and didn't make it into a smoothie, you'd get the same effect (although some blogs would disagree with me there). However, given the amount of greens you can get into these things, it's a lot faster and takes less chewing.
    Like I said in my original post, I think, overall, eating lots of vegetables has a positive impact on my health, and I don't think there's much out there that would contest that. I find the smoothies a great way to start the day. Overall, I feel healthy, energized, and my skin has been pretty good lately, but I'm not going to give the smoothies full credit, I think the rest of my lifestyle helps there too.

    And Snatched614 - I like the way lettuce tastes, so I use it, and even though it's just lettuce, it still has lots of fiber and nutrients. I make the recipes based on what looks good at the grocery store that week.
  • sweetums2
    sweetums2 Posts: 14
    Thanks, I'll try to find more on line about greens I eat a lot of green veggies a lot. but smooties in the morning sounds a lot easier
  • apothecarist
    apothecarist Posts: 193
    That's actually a very nice photo! I had a smoothie this a.m. w/spinach and frozen blueberries, half of a small banana, and a little bit of almond milk. Tasted like a blueberry milkshake! Soooo good!
  • avocado22
    avocado22 Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks. And thanks for sharing your recipes :)
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    Bump
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    They taste so very good. My fav part when I juice..... Ow Damn.... the smell in my house is amazing. Its the perfect air freshener.
    I don't add the yogurt tho, but I see how that would make it more filling.
  • Quix82
    Quix82 Posts: 99 Member
    Nice. I bookmarked this. Thanks!
  • Val_from_OH
    Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
    I love green smoothies, but I have to make them fresh. I like mine with either ice or frozen fruit and clearly that doesn't keep in the fridge :-) Also, I think the spinach tastes too "spinachy" on day 2. The absolute best one I have made so far included plain fat free greek yogurt, avocado, frozen pineapple & spinach. I added a bit of sugar as the yogurt + pineapple was pretty sour. Oh my gosh, it was SO good.

Categories