Smoothies are a HUGE part of my family's diet! We drink at least one per day (sometimes more!) They're great for our family because my boys, like most kids, don't appreciate veggies as much as they should. This is a great way to get them to eat it. It's not like I'm hiding vegetables from them. They love adding all the veggies to the smoothie. I think it's just a texture thing. I'm hoping someday that will change. Until then, smoothies it is!
When my family and I first started making smoothies, I thought there was some kind of specific recipe we had to use. There's not. Well, I mean, I'm sure there is but I don't feel the need to use one. I just try to make sure there's a higher veggie volume than fruit when I'm making the smoothie. I use fruits like banana, pineapple, and orange juice to help disguise the flavor of the greens we use.
The picture above is the beginning stages of our smoothie. This smoothie had zucchini, spinach, broccoli, and cilantro for the greens. We add cilantro or parsley to our smoothies because they help your body detox. They remove heavy metals from your system. We just had fish the other day so adding some cilantro to our smoothie just gave us a little peace of mind that any mercury that may have been in the fish won't stay in our bodies. The cilantro flavor is STRONG so if you're just starting out with smoothies you may just want to use parsley instead.
The bottom liquid is apple juice, coconut water, and grapefruit juice. We blend up the fresh veggies first so we have room to add some fruits. We use frozen fruits because it's cheaper and saves a TON of time. Plus it makes the smoothie more "smoothie like" without having to add ice cubes.
The bottom liquid is apple juice, coconut water, and grapefruit juice. We blend up the fresh veggies first so we have room to add some fruits. We use frozen fruits because it's cheaper and saves a TON of time. Plus it makes the smoothie more "smoothie like" without having to add ice cubes.
This smoothie has frozen banana, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, mango, pineapple, and beet (mostly for color, the hubs thinks it makes the smoothie taste like dirt lol). How pretty does that look?! I love making smoothies! I make sure to taste each batch to check for sweetness. If it's too bitter I'll add another half of banana to help sweeten it up.
This smoothie went right into the Noodle's lunchbox. He loves getting smoothies in his lunch! Just be sure your kiddo knows to shake it up a bit before they drink it. You could also put a smoothie in their thermos, add some seeds, nuts, or more fruits to the top, and give them a spoon. Instant smoothie bowl! I know it seems like a silly food trend (it's what I originally thought) but it really is helpful. That way you don't have to worry about blending up all the seeds or nuts and it being a gritty smoothie.
If you don't feel comfortable making a smoothie without a recipe yet, here are some good ones you should check out!
Anti-flu smoothie
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake - For kids
Body Balancing Green Rx (this site really breaks down why this smoothie is good for your body. I love sites like that!)
Not So Moody Maca Smoothie
Green Monster Smoothie
Fall Time Protein Smoothies (4 different fall smoothies in one post! YAY!)
*Tip of the day: Buy the bananas that look like they're about to go bad at any second. My grocery store has them at a marked down price since most people don't want them. As soon as you get home from the store, peal and freeze them in freezer bags. They're perfect for smoothies and will save you some extra $$. Who doesn't love that?!*
This smoothie went right into the Noodle's lunchbox. He loves getting smoothies in his lunch! Just be sure your kiddo knows to shake it up a bit before they drink it. You could also put a smoothie in their thermos, add some seeds, nuts, or more fruits to the top, and give them a spoon. Instant smoothie bowl! I know it seems like a silly food trend (it's what I originally thought) but it really is helpful. That way you don't have to worry about blending up all the seeds or nuts and it being a gritty smoothie.
If you don't feel comfortable making a smoothie without a recipe yet, here are some good ones you should check out!
Anti-flu smoothie
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake - For kids
Body Balancing Green Rx (this site really breaks down why this smoothie is good for your body. I love sites like that!)
Not So Moody Maca Smoothie
Green Monster Smoothie
Fall Time Protein Smoothies (4 different fall smoothies in one post! YAY!)
*Tip of the day: Buy the bananas that look like they're about to go bad at any second. My grocery store has them at a marked down price since most people don't want them. As soon as you get home from the store, peal and freeze them in freezer bags. They're perfect for smoothies and will save you some extra $$. Who doesn't love that?!*