The Green Smoothie Blog

Last week, I was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio by Debba Haupert of Girlfriendology.  So much fun!  You can listen to our conversation here…http://bit.ly/wGNNI1

She asked me for a few tips for enlisting your friends to help you to keep your New Year’s Resolutions.  Having a group of friends around who are also committed to a healthy lifestyle makes making healthy choices infinitely easier.  Plus, it’s just plain more fun to do things with your friends.

Today, I have a very simple tip for you.  You can do it by yourself, with your friends, family or anyone else.  If you do nothing else this year on your journey towards healthier living, I suggest that you drink a green smoothie a day.  As my friend, Robin, recently put it, “it’s the lazy man’s way of eating vegetables.”

Leafy greens like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, swiss chard, broccoli rabe, spinach, romaine, escarole, red and green leafy lettuces, and radicchio are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.  But, very few Americans eat any of these vegetables each day.  Drinking a green smoothie each day is a really simple way to start adding important nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber to your life.  These babies are good for your heart, your waistline, your digestive system, and your endocrine system.  I have always been a greens lover.  I love their unique, sometimes bitter flavors.  I love their color and their complexity.  But, many of you have told me that you just don’t like their taste.  That’s OK.  We’ll just hide their bitterness in a beautiful glass of smoothie deliciousness.

The basic idea is that you combine a few (or a lot of) green leaves with some fruit to cover the bitterness, and some liquid so that it will blend.  So, a green smoothie can be something as simple as a big handful of kale leaves (washed), a cup or two of frozen strawberries and a half banana (to make it more like a shake), and some water.  Drinking something this simple could be just your key to the secret door of health.

For me, just fruit, greens and water is a bit to dull, and a bit too sweet, hopping up my blood sugar and insulin more than I like.  So, I usually add some healthy fat and sometimes some protein powder.  Green smoothies are very adaptable, and it’s easy to add a bit of superfood to them too.

I am a curious person.  I am obsessed with the joys of a healthy lifestyle and spreading the love to all of you.  Plus, I am a stickler when it comes to the scientific basis behind my recommendations.  To build on my previous skills, I just started a doctoral program in holistic nutrition at Hawthorn University.  Coincidentally, in my first class we are discussing smoothies.  Here is a basic recipe adapted from Hawthorn for making a delicious green smoothie.  Experiment!  Have fun!

1. The Base: start with 8 oz of liquid.  Some options: water, coconut water, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk and 2/3 cup of water (sometimes I used full on coconut milk… to make my smoothie more like a whipped cream dessert), milk, nut milk, hemp milk, yogurt, kefir, or fresh juice.
2. The Greens: Add 1-2 leaves or up to 2 cups of any kind of leafy greens that you like.  Experiment with kale, spinach, celery, swiss chard, arugula, mustard greens, etc.  Vary your greens because they each contain different nutrients.
3. The Fruit:  Add about ½ cup of fresh or frozen fruit.  Apple, pear, berries, and/ or peaches are my favorite.  For a sweeter smoothie try banana, pineapple or papaya.  For a twist or to make a more savory smoothie use avocado, tomato and/or cucumber.  Avocado and blueberry together are actually very good!
4. The Protein: (optional, but great for making your smoothie into a solid snack or a meal) 20 grams of protein powder.  Check the label to see how many scoops.  Some good brands: SunWarrior Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, Metagenics Ultra Clear, Garden of Life’s Goatein, Design for Health’s PaleoMeal, or Whey Cool
5. The Extra’s:  Consider adding some of these amazing superfoods.
   1. Greens Powder, such as spirulina, chlorella, blue green algae, or a blend (you can use these in place of the leafy greens when you are in a hurry.)
   2. 1-2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
   3. Spices: I often use cinnamon
   4. Essential Fatty Acid Oil: Barlean’s Flax, Healthy Essentials and Udo’s Choice are good options.

Blend and Enjoy!

*********************************************************************************

Recipe of the Week

Try a Green Smoothie of course!!

*********************************************************************************

High Energy Strategy Sessions are FULL!

If you want to stay up to date on all of the excitement that is coming this year, and let me just tell you there is a lot of cool stuff on the way, please sign up for my free weekly newsletter atwww.jessicadrummond.com.

Have a great week!

All the Best,

Jessica