Tuesday 25 March 2014

The Green (Smoothie) Revolution

Greens are here to stay, and not just because spring is finally upon us. However, this is most certainly a cause for celebration! No, I’m referring to the green smoothie trend that seems to have taken over. These vibrantly coloured drinks are a deliciously simple, quick and portable way to up your intake of green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach, both of which are rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron and folate, as well as dietary fibre and various antioxidants. If done right, green smoothies can be a true breakfast of champions, an afternoon pick-me-up snack, or even a delicious dessert. What better alternative to caffeinated drinks and sugary, starchy processed snacks and sweets?

Although smoothie-making is not an exact science, here’s a simple formula for whipping up a nutrient-dense smoothie to get you started:

Step 1: Pick a liquid base (1 cup)
  • Use dairy milk, soy milk, almond milk or water

Step 2: Choose your leafy greens (1 large handful/1 cup)
  • Try kale, spinach, bok choy or collard greens

Step 3: Add some fruit (1-2 cups, fresh or frozen)
  • Banana, berries, avocado, pear, mango and pineapple are all great options

Step 4: Optional add-ins
  • Ground flax, chia or hemp seeds, almond butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, cinnamon, etc.

Step 5: Combine all ingredients, blend well, and serve! Yield: one serving.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! Feel free to experiment until you find your favourite combination.  One of my personal favourites combines unsweetened vanilla almond milk, kale, one medium banana, ½ an avocado, ½ cup frozen blueberries and one tsp cinnamon.

Is there any better way to make sure you get your 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?


Happy Smoothie-ing!

1 comment:

  1. Green drink made up of kale, spinach, avocado and few oranges is my favorite drink of summers. This drink helps me in losing my weight. Thanks for sharing recipe of green smoothie here for us, I will also try these at my home.

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