For me, green smoothies are all about packing good stuff into my diet, things that I might not get around to eating otherwise. Dark, leafy greens such as kale, spinach, swiss chard and collard greens are loaded with vitamins A and C, while also being very high in calcium and iron, not to mention fiber, phytonutrients, and digestion-enhancing enzymes. Fruits and berries (common smoothie ingredients) are also great for you, but I personally never have a hard time working them into my diet. It’s easy to toss back a few handfuls of blueberries, less easy to throw down a couple cups of kale.
That said, green smoothie making isn’t as straight-forward as fruit smoothie making. Throw fruit in a blender and, 9 times out of 10, you’re going to be pleased with the results. Throw lettuce in a blender, however, and you might end up wondering why you’re choking down a pureed salad.
It helps to have a couple of tips.
I find that the key to creating a tasty green smoothie is the addition of some healthy fat, soft fruit, or both. My favorite green-smoothie fats are avocado, almond butter, cold-pressed flax seed oil, and occasionally, coconut oil. As to soft fruits, I opt for avocado or frozen banana. Adding these elements will help to homogenize your smoothie and give it a creamy mouthfeel. Having a high-power blender, like a Vitamix or a Blendtec makes an enormous difference as well.
Now onto the recipe.
In addition to the nutrients mentioned above, this particular green smoothie is loaded with protein, vitamin E, and healthy fats. It’s very low in sugar which makes it, for me, the perfect meal to start the day. It’s not short on calories (having about 450) and keeps me full and energized until lunch. Usually 🙂
INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups kale – washed and rough chopped
1/4 avocado
2 tbsp almond butter
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
A handful of ice
Stevia, or other sweetener to taste
Optional: 1 Tbsp raw cacoa powder
- Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth!
I’d given up on green smoothies until trying this recipe. The proportions of ingredients are just perfect, thank you! I’m addicted. I just tried one for breakfast this morning with a little mint thrown in for a summery taste and it was amazing. Keep up the blog!
Amazing! I’m so glad you like it, and that it’s getting you back in the green smoothie grove ;). I’ll keep ’em comin!
If I could have only one thing for breakfast every day for the rest of my life, it would be this! What a delicious recipe, thank you so much.
So happy to hear that Kimberly!
nice post
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