Do again? Yes, I make it often, sometimes stretches of every day
I was first inspired to try a green smoothie after reading this article in Cranky Fitness. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was.
Prep: Ideally, slice and freeze a banana. Also, freeze a bag/package of fresh spinach leaves. I accidentally froze my bag of spinach once. I discovered this was actually a good thing -- it helped the shake be more frosty and preserved the spinach longer.
1 cup soy milk*
1 cup frozen fruit slices (I use 3/4 strawberries, 1/4 banana)
1-2 handfuls of frozen spinach
A splash of vanilla
A dash of cinnamon
1-2 tsp of sugar (or to taste)
*7-11-11 update: After trying both soy milk and regular cow's milk with this recipe, I've discovered that soy milk has a much better consistency and color when mixed with the fruits and veggies (probably because it is also plant-based). Milk tends to curdle a bit. -- I use Silk Original, btw.
{About the sugar: if I was a perfect mom that had perfect kids, I wouldn't need the sugar (maybe someday) -- right now, I'm trying to get spinach down their gullet. A green smoothie is better for them and less sugar than a fast-food shake. Doable changes, doable changes}.
It looks like a lot of spinach, but I can barely taste it. Start with one cup of the stuff; it won't be noticable. Also, if the blender is having a hard time, add more milk and/or stir.
Purty, ain't it? When I use dark berries such as blueberries, it looks nasty like the color of old play-doh that has all the colors mixed together. But it tastes good.
Family Review: Hubby, daughter, and I like it best. The boys drink it and like it more times than others depending on the batch.
