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green smoothies

Drinks/ GF, Vegan & Raw/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES

My Kids Drink Their Greens: Simple Easy Smoothies To Give Your Kids More Greens

My-Kids-Drink-Their-Greens

by Teniel Moore–our Austrailian Raw Foods Contributor

Now that I have your attention……. Do your kids get enough vegetables in their day?
I know as a mum of 3, with 2 younger kids it can be a challenge. But quite simply you can get loads of greens into your little darlings even before they walk out the door for school or kindy that day. It’s as simple as throwing a few items in a blender and off you go.

I have included a few recipes that I make for my kids as an example. But like any recipe you can make it what ever you want. Just remember to include a leafy green and or a vegetable. Lets face it. Most kids get enough fruit in their diet. It’s the veggie part I’m trying to emphasise here.

If you have to start off by hiding the greens you put into your drinks, then do so. Do whatever you can to get your kids enjoying them. After they taste how delicious drinking their greens are, they might not mind you adding the mystery items.

I have come to a point now where I don’t need to hide what I put in. They see me throw in zucchini and kale and they still drink it. Some are more popular than others, so don’t give up. Just keep trying new recipes and combinations until you find what works for your child.

Green Pineapple Smoothie : Aka Tropical Slim

1 cup of good quality coconut water (look for one that has no added sugar)
1 large handful of organic baby spinach
1 Tsp of Raw honey (or your sweetener of choice)
1/2 small pineapple
1/2 zucchini (trust me, you can’t taste it)

Blend until smooth & creamy. Pour into a fun cup or mason jar with a straw. Kids love straws.

 

Banana Smoothie: Aka Nutty Monkey

1 Banana fresh or frozen
1 cup of Almond milk
Generous dash of cinnamon
Stevia to taste
1 Tbls of Nut butter
Dash of vanilla
Ice
1/2 peeled zucchini (I peel the zucchini in this recipe to keep the colour nice)

Blend all in a high-speed blender till smooth & creamy. Pour into fun glasses with a straw.

 

Green Juice : Aka Rise & Shine

1 Small aloe vera leaf (leave this out for newbies)
1 – 2 celery stalks leaves & all
1 bunch of Pak choy or Bok choy
1 green Apple
1 Lemon peeled
Handful of green grapes

Juice all your ingredients. If you do not own a juicer you can blend everything in a high-speed blender & strain through a nut milk bag then pour into a glass and serve with a cute straw.

 

My Tips For Getting Kids To Drink Them

1. Give them a choice of the type of smoothie flavour they want and work from there
2. Let them help you make it
3. Make up crazy silly names for the drinks
4. They gotta taste good
5. Make their smoothies attractive and fun to look at. It’s as simple as giving them a straw or a fun cup, Let them add a topping like coconut, chia seeds, fruit or crunchy nuts or seeds

………………..

Teniel-Veggies-Resized

 TENIEL MOORE OF ADDICTED TO RAW

Raw Foods Contributor

Drinks/ RECIPES

Clementine Mango Green Smoothie

A new favorite green smoothie recipe!  Clementine Mango Green Smoothie is super sweet and fresh. Kids and those new to green smoothies will love this one!

My Avery and I had it for breakfast this morning and it was delicious.  The banana I used was really ripe which adds great sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie.

Frozen mango added frostiness, and clementines added a nice citrus sweetness.  Say that 10 times…citrus sweetness, citrus sweetness…

{her smoothie was on the side table just out of sight of the camera}

My little one slurped away on her green smoothie while reading.  She commented between slurps that she liked being able to eat breakfast while reading at the same time.

When she finished she asked how many fruits and vegetables she just ingested.  I thought that was a great question.

I told her what she just drank was like eating a big spinach salad for breakfast.  I told her to picture a big handful of fresh leafy spinach on a plate, topped with 1/2 cup of mango chunks, one clementine, and 1/2 a banana.

We split the smoothie so this was 1/2 of the blender contents.

I told her if she ate some carrots with her dinner and berries for snack, she would have eaten all her servings of fruits and veggies for the day.

She grinned and said.. “yep, I’m eating the rainbow!”

I love that she thinks about the importance of getting all the colors in.  She is starting to get the importance of eating her fruits and vegetables.  Yes! #momwin

Clementine Mango Green Smoothie

2 large handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups)
2 clementines, peeled
1 cup frozen mango (fresh is ok but if fresh use a frozen banana)
1 ripe banana (can be frozen)
2 cups water


If you have a high-speed blender, go ahead and throw all in and blend away.

If not, start with spinach and one cup of water.  Blend well until spinach is in teeny tiny bits.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend away.  

The key to good consistency is seeing a vortex in the middle.  Keep adding water until you see this.

Drinks/ RECIPES

My Everyday Green Smoothie

greensmoothie

What do you get when you blend 2 large handfuls of spinach, 1 banana, milk, scoop of vanilla protein powder, and a cup of ice?  A super easy, super filling, and super nutritious snack.  I often whip this together minutes before I’m heading out the door, pour it into a mason jar or insulated cup with a large straw, and sip as I drive.  It has kept me away from hitting up fast food, which is tempting to do when hungry in the car.

 

If you think about it, this is easily a meal in a cup.  There is enough spinach in it to fill up a large plate, a whole banana, protein from the powder.  The cup of milk or milk substitute (I use almond milk) is also nutrient rich and filling.  I sometimes add chia seeds for extra omega, fiber and protein.

I know there are times that I just don’t want to eat another green salad on a plate, or have the time to shovel it in my mouth and chew!  On days I am in the mood for a plate of salad greens, I still have my smoothie, and it feels good knowing I am getting so many nutrients into my body in one day.

 

I do not have a fancy blender, you don’t need one for this.  Mine is Oster brand (the one above) and it has served me well!

 

The finished product is an interesting color, but it is smooth, creamy and you cannot taste the spinach.  It tastes like a banana shake.  The vanilla protein powder and banana both add enough sweetness so no added sweetener is needed.

The protein powder I use is Plant Fusion Pea Protein Powder.  It is vegan and is sweetened with stevia herb. No yucky artificial sweeteners.  Love it!

 

If I am ever in a chocolate mood, I use chocolate almond milk, or add some cocoa to it.  It is also great with a scoop of peanut butter or almond butter.  MMM..This makes it into a chocolate, peanut butter, banana smoothie!  Delish.

If you have digestive issues, these smoothies are a great way to get fiber into your diet.  I notice a huge difference when I drink them regularly.  I feel they are very cleansing to the system.

Want one more reason to drink your greens?  I have people tell me my coloring looks great.  Well, after reading this article, titled “Want a golden glow?  Don’t Bother With a Suntan, Eat Your Greens Instead,” I think I can thank my green smoothies for that!

Easy, Everyday Green Smoothie

{inspired by Green Monster @ Oh She Glows}

 

2 large handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups)

1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice-coconut, soy, dairy)

1 banana

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Plant Fusion)

1 cup ice

2 tbls chia seeds (optional)

 

Place spinach, almond milk, banana, chia and protein powder in blender.  Blend until smooth.  You should see a cortex in the middle, if you don’t add a bit more milk until you do.  When smooth, add ice.  Blend a bit more.  Pour and enjoy!

Navitas Naturals Chia Seeds Aztec Superfood, 16 Ounce Pouch

Chia Seeds

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RECIPES/ Sweets

Green Smoothie Popsicles

We have been making all kinds of real fruit popsicles around here.  The price for real fruit popsicles at the store is sky high, so we save money and make our own.

I throw in whatever frozen fruit we happen to have hanging out in the freezer.  I try to get some type of green vegetable in there, so they usually end up in some shade of green.

My frozen fruit bin.  I usually have mango, pineapple, wild blueberries, mixed berries & cherries in it.

This is considered the “snack/dessert” bin in our home.

 

These particular Green Smoothie popsicles have mango, pineapple, avocado, kale, and banana.

The avocado gives them wonderful creaminess, and the fruit gives them a tropical sweetness.  The kale just disappears, my kids don’t even notice it.

I start by throwing in about 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks, and a peeled, frozen banana.  To easily peel the frozen banana, soak in some water for a couple minutes, pop the top of the peel off and slide it right out into the blender.  Add the avocado and kale, and 1/2 cup of water. Then blend.

You may have to stop the blender and stir, adding more water as you go.

Your goal is to add just enough water to make a vortex in the middle of the blender, as the picture above shows.  Blend a couple of minutes, until kale is chopped into tiny bits.  Taste.  If needs more sweetness, add your choice of sweetener-agave nectar, stevia, honey or sugar.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until set.

 

My girls get so excited when they hear the blender.  They know they either get a smoothie or that I am making popsicles.

Sometimes I add a scoop of Plant Fusion Vanilla Protein Powder.

When I do this, I will often give into their request to have popsicles for breakfast.  After all, they contain protein, fiber, vegetables and fruits!  Add some toast and it is a very filling breakfast!

 

I enjoy the leftovers in smoothie form.  If the girls are too impatient to wait for the popsicles to freeze, then they join in with me.:)

Green Smoothie Popsicles

1/2 cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup frozen mango

1 frozen banana, peeled

1 avocado, pitted and flesh scooped out (optional, adds creaminess)

a large handful of kale (or spinach, or romaine)

water added for consistency

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Add all ingredients into the blender.  Continue to blend while adding water, until “vortex” forms in the middle.  You may have to stop the blender and use a spoon to stir occasionally.

Blend for a minute or 2, until kale is chopped into very small pieces.

Pour into popsicle molds or enjoy as a smoothie.

Drinks/ RECIPES

Smoothies- Green Smoothies

Don’t be afraid!  They are super duper delish, and a great way to get a big chunk of your daily fruits and veggies in one drink!  In fact, if I have one of these smoothies in the morning, and make sure I eat a salad full of veggies with my dinner,  I know I have had ALL my fruits and veggies for the day.
I can’t tell you how much energy I get from drinking green smoothies.  I really notice it when I am able to drink one a day for multiple days.  We have had to cut our grocery bill down a bit, so lately I have only made smoothies once or twice a week, and I consider them a treat. I love them!

 You have to admit, it really is a beautiful color, don’t you think?
This one has fresh pineapple, frozen banana, frozen cantaloupe, grapes and strawberries, a whole peeled orange, spinach and water.  The fresh pineapple adds so much sweetness, the orange adds a little tang, and the spinach you can barely taste, if at all.

I follow the directions given on the blog Happy Foody.  This is a great video of  step by step instructions.

How To Make a Green Smoothie from Sara Janssen on Vimeo.

My girls get very excited when I am making these.  They especially love when I make popsicles out of them.  Its been so funny when their little friends come over to play and we pull out the green smoothies.  When in drink form, kids seem to get a bit freaked out, but when made into a popsicle, they just can’t gobble them up fast enough and end up begging for more.  I guess they are used to seeing popsicles in bright colors??  My girls love them, and when I ask what my girls want for snack, I often get asked, “Mom, do you have all the stuff to make green smoothies?”  Ahh. I love hearing that question. What a great feeling to feed them super foods that they love!

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