Go Green!

Green smoothies can be really intimidating to some people but I have a really simple recipe that I wanted to share. Getting in greens can be really difficult, especially if you don't have a lot of time to sit and eat them all. Putting them in a smoothie can hide the taste, and make it a lot more enjoyable.

There are three things I've learned throughout my green smoothie trials/errors over the years that's made making smoothies a lot easier.

1. Don't overthink / overcomplicate things.
    When I first started making smoothies, I would try to cram as much stuff in the blender as possible, not thinking about the actual taste of it. I've learned to not add a bunch of random ingredients, and keep it as simple as possible.

2. Fruit is the key

    Fruit should be the main ingredient in your smoothies, not only for taste, but also for calories and carbohydrates. Using at least 3/4 fruit, and 1/4 vegetables you're guaranteed to have a sweet and refreshing smoothie.

3. Choose your vegetables wisely
    Choosing the best vegetables to put in a smoothie is also important. If you're unsure about adding in vegetables, don't be. You can barely taste them! Sticking with high water content vegetables is best because they have lots of nutrients, but lack in strong flavors. My favorite vegetables to add to smoothies are spinach, kale, celery, celery leaves, cucumber, avocado, and peppers. Not all of them should go into one smoothie, but a choose just a few to put in one.

Now, it's time for the recipe! I absolutely love this green smoothie recipe because it's super sweet, inexpensive, easy to make, and it keeps me full for so long.


Ingredients:

2-3 frozen bananas (make sure they are frozen, this really helps to make the smoothie smooth and creamy. also use bananas when they are spotty, that's when they are ripe)
1 cup frozen mango (you could also use frozen or fresh pineapple instead)
2 cups spinach or kale
4 stalks of celery (include the leaves, they are packed full of nutrition!)
1/3 of a medium sized cucumber (leave the peeling on, it also has lots of nutrients and fiber)
1/4 lemon with the seeds removed
3/4 cup orange juice (I like to buy it with high pulp, to include more fiber)
1 cup water
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (optional)

Put all ingredients into your blender, and blend! If you like it thicker, add some ice. If you like it a little thinner add some more juice or water. You can keep this smoothie in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two days (although it may separate, just shake it up and enjoy!).

I put all the ingredient's into an online food processor to calculate the nutrition facts. If you're interested in checking them out, you can here!

My Refrigerator/Freezer Staples

There are several things that I almost always have in my fridge and freezer. It's important to find your own personal staples so that you are always prepared for when you're in a rush. Also, by having healthy staples in your house you won't be tempted by foods that may not be as nutritious.

What's Almost ALWAYS In My....

Refrigerator:

Unsweetened almond milk (Silk): Almond milk is a necessity in my opinion. Because I don't eat dairy, almond milk is my favorite milk alternative. I like to buy the Silk brand because it doesn't have carrageenan like the other brands (Almond Breeze) do. Carrageenan is a seaweed extract that can cause many digestive problems, so avoiding it is important. I use almond milk in almost everything; oatmeal, poured over frozen fruit, smoothies, and different desserts.







Leafy Greens: Greens are one of my favorite vegetables, and something I try to eat every day do keeping them in my fridge is a really great reminder for me to eat my daily greens! My favorites to have are spinach and kale because they go great with every dish, especially salads.



Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is the only non-acidic vinegar, which makes it a gentle vinegar on your digestive track. I love using raw ACV in everything, from salad dressing to drinking little sips of it every now and then. It's an amazing health booster to add to your diet, and having some in my refrigerator always reminds me to use a little everyday.






Tofu/Tempeh: Two of my favorite protein sources are organic tofu and tempeh. Both products are made from soybeans, and are good sources of plant based protein. Tempeh is my favorite because it is not as processed as tofu and it's fermented which makes digesting it a lot easier.





Hummus: Hummus is one of my favorite foods to have on hand because not only is a great source of fat, but it makes eating veggies even better. I wish I was cool enough to always make my own, but I usually just end up buying it which is fine, just make sure you're always reading that ingredient list! My favorites are roasted garlic and roasted red pepper, yum!

Raw Veggies: Just like leafy greens, veggies are another thing I make sure I eat daily. Having some sort of raw vegetable in the fridge always helps me to remember to eat them. Some that I always have on hand are carrots, celery and cucumbers.




Freezer:

Frozen fruit: To me, frozen fruit is one of the best things you can have in your freezer. Often times people don't buy fresh fruit because they're scared it's going to go bad, but if you buy it frozen then it'll never go bad!



Don't be scared of frozen fruit, just make sure there isn't any added sugar or preservatives (most frozen fruit doesn't). Often times frozen fruit has more nutrients than fresh fruit, because the fruit is picked and immediately frozen (which is preserving nutrients) unlike "fresh" fruit that is often times picked and then shipped thousands of miles to then sit on the grocery store shelve, allowing the amount of nutrients to decrease.


I could talk about frozen fruit all day, but it is definitely my most important staple item. Some of my favorite fruits to have on hand are blueberries, bananas (just freeze any bananas that are going bad), blackberries, and mango. Frozen fruit is very versatile, I use it as a key ingredient in smoothies, a great sweet treat to snack on, also I love pouring some almond milk over it and eating it like "cereal."

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: I recently became obsessed with coconut, and love putting it in everything. It's such a good source of fat, and extremely delicious. I like to buy the unsweetened coconut shreds in bulk and just stick the bag in the freezer. I use it in oatmeal, over frozen fruit, in smoothies, and in many different desserts. It's also great to just snack on every now and then.



Flaxseeds: I honestly don't know what I would do without my flaxseeds. They are inexpensive, packed with fiber, omega-3s and can be used in almost everything. Also, they last for a very long time in the freezer, so you never have to worry about them going bad. I buy the milled flaxseeds, and love throwing them in oatmeal, smoothies, and any baked goods I may be making. They don't have a strong flavor, so they can really be used in anything! So instead of taking those stinky fish oil supplements, just throw some flaxseed in you morning cereal/oatmeal, or in a smoothie for some omega-3s!

Frozen peas: This is another food that I just couldn't live without. They are so delicious, and SO SO SO good for you! Frozen peas are pretty inexpensive, and they are a great source of iron and plant-based protein. Another reason why I love them is that they are very versatile; they can be steamed, roasted, thrown into salads, used as a base for a salad, and if you're super weird like me you can just snack on them frozen, right out of the bag!