Eating our greens is something we all need to do a better job of, but it’s not always so easy! We have busy schedules and those green leafies quickly turn to brown wilties after too much time in the fridge. We start with good intentions and find ourselves grunting under our breath when we have to throw out loads of healthy (and often expensive) vegetables.
For this reason, I quite often recommend green smoothies to my clients. They are pretty easy to prepare and they don’t even require chewing! In addition, they allow us to eat more raw veggies that are loaded with active enzymes that help aid in digestion. Those who loathe the idea of eating spinach really enjoy it in a smoothie because the taste is minimal and leaves your feeling really good.
Even so, sometimes even a green smoothie is hard to manage first thing in the morning. Between a super loud blender that wakes up the entire household and the seemingly endless chopping that goes into making a perfect smoothie, some people quickly give up. They either resort to a protein shake that has greens in it, or go back to their old ways.
I’m here to share with you a strategy that will help you stick to your green smoothies and will allow your roommates to get the rest they deserve. This idea was shared with me by a current client so I went ahead and tried it for myself. It simply involves making an enormous batch of green smoothies on Sunday then storing them in the fridge and freezer for the entire week! It only involves one day of chopping and peeling and a few minutes of loud high power blending. A win-win in my book. Being prepared is the key to success!
So what do you do? Below I have offered an idea for a green smoothie. The beauty of this recipe is that is can be shifted and changed to your needs. You don’t have to follow the recipe in a strict manner (unless you want to). I always vary my green smoothie based on what’s in season, what’s in my fridge and freezer, and how creative I am feeling. Have some fun with it and share one of your creations with a friend or co-worker! You never know, they might love it.
Supplies Needed:
- Cutting board
- High power blender (Vitamix or Blendtec work extremely well)
- Sharp knife
- Wide lid mason jars (16 oz)
Green Smoothie Recipe (serves 4-5)
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond or coconut milk (could also sub coconut water or plain water)
- 1 pineapple, peeled and chunked (can also buy pre-cut spears at Costco!)
- 8-10 oz spinach or combo of other greens (tot soi, bok choy, baby kale, etc.)
- 4 apple bananas
- 2 limes, peeled (can also use high quality lime essential oil)
- bunch of fresh mint, leaves separated and stems removed
- 3 cups strawberries or other berries (can be fresh or frozen)
- 4-5 Tbsp coconut oil (can also sub in your liquid fish oil or GLA supplement if you are taking that!)
- Optional add-ins: ground flax seeds and/or chia seeds (can make smoothie “gummy” so be careful with amount
Method
Place all items in the blender. Liquid first, followed by 1/2 of your fresh greens and bananas and frozen items on top. After mixture is smooth, add remaining greens. Pour into 5 glass jars and seal tightly with lids. Place 2 jars in fridge and remaining 3 jars in the freezer. After first two smoothies are consumed, pull out frozen jars one at a time and place in fridge the night before consumption.
I make two batches of this recipe for me and my husband so we can enjoy our green smoothies Monday through Friday with no hassle. For breakfast, I typically pair it with a couple hard boiled eggs (made on Sunday night as well!) for an extra protein punch. You could also have it with some leftover chicken or beef, a pieces of gluten-free toast and almond butter, or a slice of breakfast casserole. The smoothie itself is not super high in calories, so it’s okay to satisfy your hunger with a little something extra.
Looking for more tips and pointers and how to eat clean and live better? Need a little extra support to get you there? Contact me for more information and to see if we are a good fit.
