I started experimenting with the ever-so-popular “green monster smoothies” earlier this summer in hopes of catapulting past a post out-of-town decorating project/birthday/vacation weight-loss plateau. Well, actually, in the spirit of honesty, perhaps it wasn’t an actual “plateau” but more of just me misbehaving and not taking the time to eat as well as I should. It happens to the best of us.
Either way, there’s nothing more frustrating than hitting a wall when you’re so close to the finish line. And the harsh reality is that the smaller you get, the harder you have to work for every ounce. Isn’t it ironic that the first 10 pounds just melts away, yet it can take months to lose the last stubborn 10?
I was desperately anxious for the scale to start moving in the right direction again, and I’d been wanting to incorporate more raw greens like spinach, kale and Swiss chard into my daily diet anyway, so what better way than a green smoothie for breakfast? I figured that even if it didn’t jump-start my weight loss, a green smoothie is like a liquid living multivitamin, so it definitely wouldn’t hurt anything. If nothing else, I knew that my complexion, hair and nails would be appreciative.
Just right
There are tons of recipes out there for smoothies with greens and fruit, but none of them ever seemed to fit my picky requirements. I wanted a fruity sweet treat but without added sweeteners, real or artificial. I wanted plenty of fiber and protein to keep me satisfied for several hours but without adding fiber powders or protein powders.
I wanted it to be ice cold but without adding ice to water it down. I wanted lots of raw greens, but I didn’t want them to overtake the flavor of the smoothie. And finally, I wanted all of this wonderful nutrition to fit perfectly into a quart mason jar. Is that too much to ask? I think not.
After much experimenting, I finally created a concoction that meets all of my demands — a fruity, refreshing, ice-cold, high fiber, high protein green smoothie full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants, with nothing fake or phony. Not to mention that it helped me bust right through that plateau. Intrigued?
The details
First things first, a good blender is pretty important. The better it blends the smoother your smoothie will be. My Ninja was $100 well spent. So in your blender, layer 3 cups of frozen fruit. (Using frozen fruit eliminates the need for ice.)
I buy whatever’s in season at the farmers’ market: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, plums, pears, apples, cantaloupe and watermelon, and freeze them in gallon ziplock bags.
I buy kiwi, pineapple, mango, cherries, raspberries, pomegranate and bananas from the grocery store, prep them and freeze them. If you don’t want to do the prep work, Wal-Mart has a really good selection of frozen fruit. Just be sure it’s just fruit and no added sugar.
And for the greens
Variety is the spice of life, so I do a different combination of three fruits every day. One combo might be 1 cup of blueberries, 1 cup of strawberries, and 1 cup of banana slices. Next, layer on top of your frozen fruit 4 cups (or handfuls) of raw greens.
Start out with milder varieties like a combination of spinach and baby romaine before you dive into the heartier greens like kale, Swiss chard, arugula, etc. Again, variety is key for getting an array of nutrients so try to do a different combo every day.
Now, on top of your greens pour in 1 cup of light orange juice, which has half the calories and sugar of regular OJ. This just helps with flavor and blending. Top everything off with 1 cup of plain fat free Greek yogurt for protein.
I like to assemble my green smoothie the night before and stick it in the fridge. This allows the frozen fruit to melt a bit and seems to help the smoothie blend easier. And besides, it’s less to do in the morning, which is always a good thing. All you have to do is blend and drink. Bottoms up!
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with Dispatch readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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