green smoothies - a basic guide to daily goodness

Each morning, I use roughly the same process to make my green smoothie: water -> chunks -> bitter greens -> base greens -> extras.  It’s different every day depending on what is in-season, on sale (sometimes the same as in-season), or whatever sounds good that particular morning.  I make 32oz each morning (or the night before) to be drank at some point the same day, and it typically takes 3-10 minutes depending on how much prep the morning’s ingredients require.  Keep it simple and quick so you don’t give yourself an excuse for not making it any given morning.  Here's the basic process, explained a bit further.



My Basic Process:

• Add 6-12oz of water
• Add chunks of fruits or vegetables (strawberries, pineapple, cucumbers, etc) up to about 16-20oz
• Add 3-6 leaves of Kale (or chicory, escarole, arugula, etc - bitter greens) - de-stemmed.
• Add 2 Cups of loose spinach or baby spinach - the base greens.
• Add any extras: additional small greens (mint, parsley, etc), additives like ginger root or coconut oil, or small amounts of fresh juices (cherry or pomegranate typically)

With my Blend-Tec, I simply touch “Smoothie” and in a minute it’s perfectly blended - it's just as easy with a Vitamix or other high-powered blender.  If you're using a less-powerful blender, you're going to have to be a bit careful when picking ingredients.

Have fun with the ingredients!  Find a few standard recipes that you like, and then try blending in new things - a few later posts will discuss the vast variety of available options!