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| Green Smoothie |
This smoothie came into my life this past summer. We’d gone on vacation and overindulged like I’d never had before! It was a wonderful trip, but as soon as we returned home, I felt the need to detox! I bought a few books, did a lot of reading and began drinking green smoothies every morning. After a few days I started feeling so much better. I did find that after some time, my skin was brighter and I felt more energetic.
If you haven’t tried a green smoothie before, you probably made an icky face when you saw this recipe! Although, if you’re still reading this, maybe I can persuade you to give it a try! The first time I tried one, I prepared myself to spit it out! Seriously, I stood in front of the sink! I was completely surprised at just how much I liked it. I’ve tweaked the original recipe that I had tried. There were some things in that recipe that emphasized the “green” taste. I’ve also added some golden flaxseed meal for the healthy fats it contains and additional fiber. I think you’ll find this sweet and refreshing.
Don’t be scared off by the amount of ingredients. This is not a one serving recipe. This will make an entire pitcher full that can last you two or three days. I like to make a batch, have a large glassful for breakfast, then put the rest in a large glass jar and refrigerate.
You can play around with these ingredients. Sometimes I add kale in place of the spinach or in addition to it. Try to add whatever seasonal fruits you enjoy. I’ve made so many versions of this. I’ll pass them on to you from time to time.
Green Smoothie
1 C. water
6 ice cubes
3 – 4 C. baby spinach
4 -5 sprigs parsley
5 – 6 large stalks of romaine lettuce
1 organic apple, core removed, cut into large wedges
1 organic, ripe pear, core removed, cut into large wedges
1 very ripe banana
1 t. organic golden flaxseed meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
juice of one small lemon or half of a large lemon
Put the ingredients in the order listed into the blender up to the parsley. Blend on high until liquified, then add the romaine. Once that is liquified, add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until nice and smooth.
If you’d like the smoothie a bit colder, serve over ice.
About 3 very large servings.
Notes:
- If you do not have organic apples or pears, peel the skins before blending, otherwise, no need to peel.
- The smoothie will retain its nutrients for 2 to 3 days max. Be sure to give your leftovers a good shake before serving.
- You can use two apples instead of the pear, try using one sweet red apple and one tart green apple!
- Keep in mind…if you add something like blueberries…well, this won’t be a “green” smoothie! I’ve tried it, and although it tasted amazing, the color was an interesting brown!
