It's Friday, can you say Green Smoothie?

Fun Food Friday
I don’t know about you all but I am actually tired of eating…all that holiday “Fete” has just done me in. Therefor, the thought of a recipe for any thing other than a “clean healthy” smoothie was more than I could fathom.  By the way, that smoothie you buy on the run may not be nearly as healthy as you think. Many have loads of sugar and calories. Bon Appétit has a nice little write-up. http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/consciouscook/2009/08/why-smoothies-arent-healthy-an.html

All the following info is from a website called Growing Raw (growingraw.com)

” How to Make Green Smoothies

♦ When you have a decent blender green smoothies are a snap to prepare. Simply wash your greens, chop your fruit, add water and superfoods and blend for 30-60 seconds.
♦ Make enough extra to drink throughout the morning and you won’t have to stop for a snack later, you can just get on with what you want to do while you top up with green smoothie.
♦ To save yourself time in the morning you can wash your greens and chop your fruit the night before and keep it all together in the fridge. Then all you have to do is empty your ingredients into the blender for a convenient and portable nutrition source.

For more detailed instructions and smoothie combinations check out how to make smoothies.

Favourite Green Smoothie Recipe

We are huge fans of bok choy as a smoothie base in our house. Not only is it easy to grow ourselves so that we know our supply is fresh, organic and cheap, but it gives a light fresh flavour that we all love, including the kids. Here are some of our favourite bok choy combinations:
♦ Bok choy and banana
♦ Bok choy, rockmelon and banana (the kids’ favourite)
♦ Bok choy, honeydew and kiwifruit
♦ Bok choy, rockmelon and persimmon*
♦ Bok choy, papaya and banana
♦ Bok choy, persimmon* and banana (my favorite – must grow a persimmon tree!)

For extra calcium, bok choy bases blend well w/chia seeds* soaked overnight into a jelly. Chia seed is a reasonably priced superfood that has 5 times the calcium content of milk.

Combinations that seem to give a huge boost in vitality and endurance tend to be an impressively dark green. They’re the kind of green that people really stare at when they see you drinking them… here’s a sample:

  • Spinach or silverbeet, melon, banana and hempseed oil (a superfood that’s great for immunity)
  • Kale*, kiwi fruit and very ripe bananas
  • Parsley, mint, spirulina*, melon and bananas
  • Spinach or silverbeet, sprouts , persimmon* and banana (this is for the really brave, but trust me you will feel fantastic after one of these…)

Even though you’re sure to find your own favourites, remember it’s a good idea to vary your green smoothie ingredients so that you get a diverse range of nutrients.” –Thanks to: http://www.growingraw.com/how-to-make-smoothies.html

Note * These foods are listed on many websites as superfoods of 2012.
Was a 2012 plan one of Health? Start the day out with a fresh green smoothie!
Bon Appétit