By Rima Pundir | Lifehack
Getting in those daily servings of green can sometimes be a pain – and sure, salads are a great option but when you think of the amount of calories you end up ingesting with salad dressing – well, leaf chomping suddenly doesn’t sound all that great! So how do you get that daily dose of greens in without actually having to go through endless plates of drab and tasteless salad? Simple, you drink it!
Green Smoothies
Traditionally smoothies used to be calorie-laden drinks with yogurt being the only good thing in them, the rest being artificial flavors and tons of sugar. Then came the concept of the healthy smoothie of yogurt with fruits. Now of course, the trend has changed with the concept of the green smoothie that incorporates all that is healthy; veggies, fruits and of course, all natural additives like nuts, seeds and herbs. 1.
If you are a green smoothie virgin, then the very concept will sounds alien and tasteless to you. That said, after a few hits and misses, you can make green smoothie recipes that are good to taste and very healthy to eat/drink as well. The advantage of green smoothies are many; they are nutrient-packed with ample fiber, low on calories, filling and hydrating and are easy to make, be it pocket-wise or kitchen wise. Here’s how you can make that perfect green smoothie 2.
An infographic to basic green smoothie!
- Use alkaline greens: 60 to 80 percent of your smoothie should be alkaline greens – start with mild tasting ones like cucumber, romaine and spinach and move on to more adventurous tastes like kale, fennel, collard greens as well as green herbs like cilantro, basil, parsley and coriander.
- Use low GI fruit: Sugary fruits can give you a sugar rush early in the morning – in smoothies, keep your fruits flavorful and low GI. Think apples, pears, kiwi, citrus, strawberries and plums; and even bananas, mangoes, papaya and pineapple.
- Add in some healthy organic supplements for taste and health: For fiber, think flax or chia seeds whilst for protein you can add in nuts like almonds, walnuts or brazil or seeds like pumpkin, sesame or sunflower. Various herbs and roots can also give you vitamin and mineral boosts – cacao for magnesium or maca root for Vitamin B, iron and calcium. To make a creamier but no less healthy smoothie add coconut meat or avocado. And in case you need to make it sweeter, think of dates or even stevia.
Green Smoothie Recipes
So now that you know the basics, here are some ideas how to make awesome green smoothies that are as good to taste, as they are for the health…
1. The Greenest Smoothie Ever
Think spinach, cucumber, jalepeño, mint, cilantro, coconut water, mango. Sounds yum and is one healthy smoothie.
2. Microgreen Smoothie
With kale, mango, microgreens (or alfalfa sprouts), hemp seeds, and almond milk, with some raspberries thrown in, this smoothie will not taste green at all.
3. Grapefruit & Spinach Smoothie
The cooling citrus, couple with mild-tasting spinach greens makes for an excellent smoothie, excellently spiced up with ginger and with the added fiber of flax seeds.
4. Pomegranate Green
Coconut water, strawberries, spinach, and pomegranate, thickened with banana or Greek yogurt make this green smoothie an antioxidant superstar.
5. Spinach & Kale Greenie
This may sound a bit much but it calls for just a leaf of kale for the flavor and is made yummy with spinach, frozen yogurt and almond milk. The recipe is here.
6. Cranberry Kick
With kale, cranberries, oranges, bananas and water – how simple is it to make this awesome smoothie?
7. Kale Up
For a great fall smoothie that’s sweet and energizing, think of kale, pear, grapes, banana and cashew almond milk.
8. Yummilicious
Made with avocado, cinnamon, spinach, banana and almond milk, this is one smoothie that simply does not taste like one.
9. Green Warrior Smoothie
This one is for the algae lovers, and the serious vegetarians only. With algae oil, virgin coconut oil, grapefruit, kale, celery and a host of other ingredients – this is one complicated and nutritionally dense smoothie indeed.
10. Go Vegan All The Way
This vegan smoothie is made from fresh spinach leaves, frozen mango chunks, banana, coconut milk, and a splash of orange juice.
11. Raw Mango Yumminess
A raw mango coupled with frozen banana and kale make for the perfect yummy green smoothie, complemented by chia and pumpkin seeds.
12. Ginger Pear Green Smoothie
Kale, pear, banana, ginger and citrus flavor kombucha give this smoothie a probiotic twist.
13. 3-Layers Spinach Smoothie
Spinach, mango, strawberry and honey give this green smoothie a sweet pick-me-up flavor.
14. Strawberry Kiwi Kicker
Kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, spinach and a twist of lemon along with coconut water go into making this a simple and sweet smoothie, suited to beginners too.
15. Green is for Pistachios too!
Fresh mint, avocado, pistachios, and protein powder go into this slightly heavy but very fulfilling green smoothie.
16. Green “Slime”
Don’t go by its name! With spinach, frozen strawberries and the goodness of honey, this green gunk will be popular with the kids too.
17. Pineapple Whiz
Pineapples, grapes, spinach and oranges. Sounds good doesn’t it? Well, this smoothie tastes even better!
18. Green PB&J Smothie
Yogurt, banana, spinach and PB aka peanut butter make this smoothie one awesome one indeed.
19. Coconutty Kale Smoothie
Spice up bland kale with tropical flavors of peach, banana, ginger, honey and coconut water for a healthy and delicious smoothie.
20. Simple Beginner Smoothie
Marry celery, banana, cucumber and pineapple for a simple and fulfilling smoothie that’s easy on the tongue.
