green smoothies

ThinUpGirl
ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
edited December 18 in Food and Nutrition
What's your fav green smoothie?

I just started making them... like I made one today!

- 2 big handfuls of baby spinach
- 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 cup water

It looked a pretty, lime green colour and tasted delish!!

I hate veggies, especially greens so I thought it would be a good way to get some in my diet.
I was thinking of doing a 5 day cleanse of just green smoothies.

Has anyone tried a cleanse and gotten great results?

Replies

  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I don't know about cleanses, but I do green smoothies pretty much every day after my workout with a few modifications. I use kale rather than spinach, I use frozen fruit so it has that icy consistency and I add a scoop of vanilla protein, and sometimes a greek yogurt. Kale is a tricky mistress- it's super healthy but it's bitter and not right as a salad green, but works great in smoothie form- bitterness disappears in the mix.
  • cara4art
    cara4art Posts: 48 Member
    Green smoothies are awesome - great way to automatically and painlessly get in a lot of greens. I add in hemp protein powder and chia seeds - makes them very filling without all THAT many calories. But I exercise 5-6 days a week too. Only thing is, on the food tracking, the fruit counts as sugar just like a candy bar would, which seems strange to me. I just joined up here 3 days ago, but have been doing green smoothies for quite awhile. I have a hard time believing that fruit is as "bad" as candy as far as sugars in it. Now I'm afraid to eat bananas at 14-19 grams of sugar each, and I've been using them in my smoothies without thinking about this:(
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Green smoothies are awesome - great way to automatically and painlessly get in a lot of greens. I add in hemp protein powder and chia seeds - makes them very filling without all THAT many calories. But I exercise 5-6 days a week too. Only thing is, on the food tracking, the fruit counts as sugar just like a candy bar would, which seems strange to me. I just joined up here 3 days ago, but have been doing green smoothies for quite awhile. I have a hard time believing that fruit is as "bad" as candy as far as sugars in it. Now I'm afraid to eat bananas at 14-19 grams of sugar each, and I've been using them in my smoothies without thinking about this:(

    I completely disregard the sugar counter for that reason. I don't eat any processed sugar on a regular day, and the default settings make it such that you can't eat any fruit. You can adjust that setting manually if it makes you feel better. Now I would not recommend ignoring the sugar if you eat a combo of candy bars and fruit, but for me it makes no sense.
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    Green smoothies are awesome - great way to automatically and painlessly get in a lot of greens. I add in hemp protein powder and chia seeds - makes them very filling without all THAT many calories. But I exercise 5-6 days a week too. Only thing is, on the food tracking, the fruit counts as sugar just like a candy bar would, which seems strange to me. I just joined up here 3 days ago, but have been doing green smoothies for quite awhile. I have a hard time believing that fruit is as "bad" as candy as far as sugars in it. Now I'm afraid to eat bananas at 14-19 grams of sugar each, and I've been using them in my smoothies without thinking about this:(

    I know what you mean about the high sugar in fruit, I've noticed since I started using MFP I'm always over in my sugar, but under in carve and fat. I thought fruit was good sugar, but I'm just getting started on my fitness journey so I'm still trying to figure things out. I will definitely try some sort of protein powder.
  • twoboys2012
    twoboys2012 Posts: 352 Member
    i have friends who love these but and i think they use pineapple juice instead of chunks but i guess you could do both ... i wanna try them too but never seem to remember to get the ingredients. Maybe will try next week. Any other smoothies for other greens or is it just spinach?
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    That sounds delish!
    I want to get into making smoothies but I'd have to buy a blender and just don't know how much I'd use it xD
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    I don't know about cleanses, but I do green smoothies pretty much every day after my workout with a few modifications. I use kale rather than spinach, I use frozen fruit so it has that icy consistency and I add a scoop of vanilla protein, and sometimes a greek yogurt. Kale is a tricky mistress- it's super healthy but it's bitter and not right as a salad green, but works great in smoothie form- bitterness disappears in the mix.

    I've never tried kale, it looks bitter, mind you I've never been a leafy salad kinda girl, but its worth a try.
    The frozen fruit sounds great especially after a work out or on a hot summer day.

    I had my smoothie before I ate my breakfast this AM and ended up skipping my coffee. I'm hoping that adding greens (from absolutely no greens) will help increase my energy. I find I'm ofter very tired which is why I decided to start my fitness journey.

    I'm loving all the helpful info I'm getting :)
  • scadoodles
    scadoodles Posts: 110 Member
    my favorite =

    2 handfulls baby spinach
    1/4C blueberries fresh or frozen.
    1/2-3/4C pinapple chunks fresh or frozen.
    1/4 C almond milk
    ICE


    YUM!!

    I also like peanut butter and banana ones.
  • zen_mama
    zen_mama Posts: 51
    I love green smoothies! I also drink green juice when I have fruits and greens I need to use up. My favorite green smoothie is banana, blueberry, spinach and apple with some water to thin. For green juice I use a combination similar to the blend used in the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". I use spinach or kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger and green apple. Sometimes it can be a little tart or bitter (depending on how much leafy greens I use) so I'll add a carrot or a fuji apple to sweeten a bit. Usually makes about 20 oz or so and I drink in place of a meal. Calories seem to range between 220-450 depending on amounts of fruit used.
  • looplooploop
    looplooploop Posts: 56
    Here's my typical smoothie:

    1 banana
    1 tbsp hemp hearts (for healthy fats.. could use flax instead)
    1/2 cup frozen fruit (usually mango or pineapple)
    2 cups greens (usually spinach or kale but sometimes romaine, dandelion greens, etc)
    1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
    1/2 cup water
    1 scoop brown rice protein powder
    and sometimes 1 tbsp of cocoa of I'm craving something chocolate
  • hurleycutie142
    hurleycutie142 Posts: 479 Member
    i love my smoothie that i make every morning... i have had great weight loss results i was 210 when i started my weight loss journey... dont worry too much about the sugar in fruits... i mean dont eat it all day... but i love it as a snack or more as a dessert... think of it this way in a candy bar ur adding a bunch of extra stuff in your system that is not only just sugar... fruit is a natural sugar...

    my fav smoothie has a couple key elements that start my morning...

    fresh squeezed grapefruit <--- natural fat burner... and acts as my coffee because it is so sour and the smell when squeezing it makes me wake up lol
    protein powder <--- i use metabolic reset protein powder... it tastes good and great on calories...
    hand full of spinach <--- get some veggies in and u cant taste it
    strawberries <--- frozen
    banana <--- great source of carb for a workout...
    and alittle bit of water because i dont want a dairy in the system when im going to work out after drinking this...

    taste amazing and a great way to wake up in the morning :]
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    this recipe is a little different. Sort of a green pudding:

    1 large head of romaine lettuce
    5 tbsp of chia seeds
    1 cup almond milk
    2 ml english toffee flavored stevia (or fruit) or sweeten to taste

    I'm on a very low sugar diet so I can't have much fruit.

    It's very filling and high in protein and fiber.
  • AngelofMusic13
    AngelofMusic13 Posts: 105 Member
    My favourite is probably:
    1 cup spinach
    1 cup kale
    1 pear
    1 banana
    1 1/2 cup almond milk
    1 Tbsp honey

    It puts me over my sugar on its own, but it delicious :) (I think last time I added 4 strawberries to it since I had them on hand)

    The best bet is to experiment around! Kiwi is great to use and avocado makes nice thick smoothies.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    this recipe is a little different. Sort of a green pudding:

    1 large head of romaine lettuce
    5 tbsp of chia seeds
    1 cup almond milk
    2 ml english toffee flavored stevia (or fruit) or sweeten to taste

    I'm on a very low sugar diet so I can't have much fruit.

    It's very filling and high in protein and fiber.

    Do you put that in a blender then and it comes out pudding consistency?
  • Ihatechokos4eva
    Ihatechokos4eva Posts: 26
    Bump
  • saralynn594
    saralynn594 Posts: 321
    bumping!!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I'm simple. I just do:

    1 cup spinach
    2 scoops chocolate protein powder (varies)
    16 ounces of water
    Whatever other supplement powders I need to be adding at the time.
  • ciaobella47
    ciaobella47 Posts: 95 Member
    BUMP
  • pigsfly1972
    pigsfly1972 Posts: 14
    what else goes in the banana peanut butter one?
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    i love my smoothie that i make every morning... i have had great weight loss results i was 210 when i started my weight loss journey... dont worry too much about the sugar in fruits... i mean dont eat it all day... but i love it as a snack or more as a dessert... think of it this way in a candy bar ur adding a bunch of extra stuff in your system that is not only just sugar... fruit is a natural sugar...

    my fav smoothie has a couple key elements that start my morning...

    fresh squeezed grapefruit <--- natural fat burner... and acts as my coffee because it is so sour and the smell when squeezing it makes me wake up lol
    protein powder <--- i use metabolic reset protein powder... it tastes good and great on calories...
    hand full of spinach <--- get some veggies in and u cant taste it
    strawberries <--- frozen
    banana <--- great source of carb for a workout...
    and alittle bit of water because i dont want a dairy in the system when im going to work out after drinking this...

    taste amazing and a great way to wake up in the morning :]

    That sounds amazing. I'll have to get some protein powder, but ill be able to try that out tomorrow without it. I can't wait!! :D
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    Here's my typical smoothie:

    1 banana
    1 tbsp hemp hearts (for healthy fats.. could use flax instead)
    1/2 cup frozen fruit (usually mango or pineapple)
    2 cups greens (usually spinach or kale but sometimes romaine, dandelion greens, etc)
    1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
    1/2 cup water
    1 scoop brown rice protein powder
    and sometimes 1 tbsp of cocoa of I'm craving something chocolate
    Love mango and almond milk!!
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    this recipe is a little different. Sort of a green pudding:

    1 large head of romaine lettuce
    5 tbsp of chia seeds
    1 cup almond milk
    2 ml english toffee flavored stevia (or fruit) or sweeten to taste

    I'm on a very low sugar diet so I can't have much fruit.

    It's very filling and high in protein and fiber.

    Do you put that in a blender then and it comes out pudding consistency?
    Yes. If you want a thicker pudding consistency, you might want to try 1/2 cup of almond milk and add more if necessary.
  • lilah808
    lilah808 Posts: 60
    I make a veggie smoothie in the afternoon to help with that occasional late afternoon energy slump. It helps a TON!

    1 C Kale
    1 C Water
    1/2 Apple
    1/2 Lemon
    2 Sprigs Mint

    I use a Vitamix blender which liquifies EVERYTHING, even the lemon rind!

    Also there's a FANTASTIC app that you can get for your phone called "Green Smoothies"... there are recipes for smoothies, puddings, soups, as well as nutritional info/calorie content and more!
  • fionamac77
    fionamac77 Posts: 10 Member
    I had really nice one this morning

    Almond Milk
    Pineapple
    Banana
    Spinach
    Sprigs of Watercress and Basil
    1 tbsp milled flaxseed

    I also made I nice pick me up yesterday afternoon, really refreshing:

    1/4 Cucumber
    1 medium Kiwi peeled
    Fresh Mint
    Squeeze of Lemon Juice


    Still starting out on my green smoothie journey, but feeling great with them so far!
  • delikium
    delikium Posts: 196 Member
    I lost 5 pounds after a 3 day detox. it all came back after, but i felt good still. and i did take more care of eating less sugar and junk after that.
  • cara4art
    cara4art Posts: 48 Member
    Actually, it's a good idea to rotate one's greens when doing green smoothies, because different greens have different properties. I use parsley, spinach, chard and kale, in varying combos depending on what I have on hand that day. Often it's parsley and spinach, or chard and kale. A word of warning - those tougher greens like chard and kale do require a higher-speed blender, which I have and love, the Blend-tec. Mint leaves are great for flavoring too and help hide the stronger greens flavors if one is not used to them. I tend to use about twice as many greens as fruit volume-wise.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories