Green smoothies are a tasty way to get cleansing green veggies into your diet, along with healthy fats, fiber and electrolytes. Making your own green smoothie is easy-peasy when you follow this basic blue-print:
1. Choose your base: Start with 8-10 ounces of liquid
- Coconut water, purified water, green tea, or for a creamier texture, try a non-dairy milk (almond, hemp, coconut or rice)…all unsweetened.
2. Add your greens: 2 cups of leafy greens
- Spinach, kale, dandelion greens, collards, romaine lettuce, arugula, cilantro, parsley (or a combination). Spinach and romaine have a milder taste than kale, collards or dandelion greens. Cilantro, basil and parsley add an extra nice flavor and cleansing benefits.
3. Add a sweetener: 1 cup or less of fresh or frozen fruit
- Banana, berries, apple, pear, pineapple, mango, kiwi, etc… Fruit adds fiber and a good dose of antioxidants as well!
4. Add a healthy fat and/or protein: 1 tablespoon
- Ground chia or flax seeds, nut butter, avocado, coconut oil, good quality protein powder.
5. Optional add-ins:
- Need extra sweeteners? Add just a touch of honey, maple syrup, pure stevia or soaked dates.
- Want more flavor? Play with spices…cinnamon, cardamom, garam masala, ginger, turmeric.
6. Add a boost:
- Add a bit of bee pollen, raw cacao or raw maca.
7. Blend, Drink and Enjoy!
Ready to get started? Try out the Green-a-Colada Smoothie recipe below!
Green-a-Colada Smoothie
Looking for a yummy cooling green smoothie for these hot summer days? Whip up this Green-A-Colada smoothie for a burst of tropical flavors along with cleansing greens. And as a bonus, it has lots of electrolytes to replenish what you lose from sweating.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut water (unsweetened)
- 2 cups spinach or kale
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup organic pineapple
- 1 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender, mix and enjoy!
