<p>I don’t drink green smoothies often, but I find that they are very good if you add fresh ginger and half an apple. It’s a way to consume more greens than you would otherwise.</p>
<p>I make S2 a smoothie almost every night - Greek yogurt, a banana, frozen fruit (mango, peaches, strawberries - whatever I have). I also add chia seeds, which add a nice texture (like poppy seeds) and fatty acids, and hemp hearts (small seeds) which are a rare plant-based source of complete protein. S2 is skinny as a rail. He’s a vegetarian and I think the smoothie provides some good protein, as well as other nutrients.</p>
<p>Not eating fruit wouldn’t be a particularly big problem. I guess there might be some vitamins/micronutrients that you’d have to get other places, but in general I can’t see much reason to go out of your way to eat more fruit.</p>
<p>I guess I’m one of the few who don’t find greens and smoothies made with them unpalatable without a lot of fruit. Maybe it’s an acquired taste. Just an apple, or a couple of carrots add a lot of sweetness.</p>
<p>A lot of reasons! It’s fun to experiment. Also, if time is short you can cover a lot of nutrients in one drink.
What I like about it, though, is that I find I throw out a lot less produce when I’m making smoothies. This morning I was able to finish off some lettuce that was a couple of days old, and add some other veggies that might not have been eaten. I received a new fresh box from my CSA, and needed to make some room in the fridge. Also, Dh is out of town, so that’s a couple of large salads that won’t get eaten at dinner time.
When I’ve had a green smoothie at breakfast, I feel that I’ve got “money in the bank” as far as healthy eating the rest of the day. If I only am able to grab a turkey sandwich or something like that for lunch, it’s ok.</p>
<p>And my smoothies are a bit "chewy.’ I use a Ninja blender, and while it purees everything really well, carrots, nuts and even some greens need to be chewed a bit. I actually don’t mind that, but it bugs some people to have to chew their drinks, which is why juicing is popular. After reading this thread again, I went in and made myself something: 1/4 c plain organic yogurt, 5 frozen strawberries, 1 c baby romaine, 1/2 c kale, 1 carrot, 1/4 c walnuts, 2 broccoli florets, 3/4 c water. Yum! </p>
<p>Just pulled out my Nutribullet last week that I got for Christmas. Half greens then fruit and nuts. I’ve used spinach, kale, Greek yogurt, avocado, bananas, apples, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds and berries. All different combos. I just can’t see how this is NOT healthy. It’s far better tasting than I imagined. </p>
<p>It would only be not healthy if you dumped in a ton of sugar (aka grape juice concentrate that is pure sugar) or if you end up eating a ton of fruit because you are mashing it up and drinking it. Fruit tends to be high in sugar and is something that should best be eaten in moderation. Maybe a piece or two a day.</p>
<p>NYMomof2…got my broccoli haters to eat it with a simple dressing ( really just a splash, not a heavy dressing). Simply juice a lemon (Meyer lemon in my backyard…omg, the best lemons), finely mince some garlic, add a tiny bit of olive oil (a teaspoon or two at most), salt/pepper and a few red pepper flakes. Toss steamed (don’t overcook) broccoli with this pungent, savory dressing. So delish! </p>
<p>I saute brocolli in a hot skillet with a ton of butter for a minute or two, then splash in some white wine, turn the heat to low, put a cover on it, and let it steam 'til it’s cooked. Plate it and pour any remaining sauce in the pan over it. Yum.</p>
<p>Smoothies and juices are very different. I make smoothies several mornings a week . Using a Vitamix lets me include whole fruits and vegetables for lots of fiber. I try to keep a 2-3:1 veg to fruit ratio. The smoothies usually consist of:</p>
<p>1-2 cups water, coconut water or UNSWEETENED almond milk
3 big handfuls of greens (kale, chard, spinach, cucumber, broccoli etc)
Greek yogurt
1 sm banana
1 other fruit (ex. apple, pear, grapes or berries)
ground flaxseed
chia seeds
slice of ginger
few shakes of cinnamon
ice</p>
<p>Some days I’ll add some oatmeal and omit other ingredients and adjust the liquids. Citrus zest will also add flavor and avocado will add creaminess. This usually serves H, S and myself.</p>
<p>Sounds good, my-3-sons. Vitamix is the gold standard, but very pricy. I bought a Ninja recently, which has similar capabilities, but much less expensive. (I think I paid $200 for my Professional.) I’m really pleased with the
blender so far. I had been using an immersion blender before that, but this one is so much easier and more fun to use.
Trader Joe’s organic frozen berries really make it possible to have yummy smoothies all year round. They also have recently added an organic tropical fruit blend that is yummy, too. </p>