green smoothie recipes

[Calee]

I haven't done a search yet, sorry if this is repetative. Anyway, I've printed all of Kathryn's recipes from her blog but I'm still a little scared to make my own up; I'm afraid I'll make something too yucky to drink and have wasted my ingredients. I'd love to see other's recipes though!
and thank you Kathryn btw!

 

[softballmom11]

I totally know what you mean about wasting the ingredients. I tried something I like. Don't know if you have costco where you live but here in ca mine sells a yoplait fruit smoothie berry mix. (which is mixed strawberries, blueberries, and rasberries and frozen yougurt pieces) I guess you normally add milk. But what I did is blend up a blender of spinach and then banana, little fresh pineapple and the mix and it mAkes a quick tasty smoothie. Otherwise my favorite right now is spinich bananna orange pineapple smoothie. Just getting started so trying to work more greens then fruit

 

[kathryn]

Hi, Calee!
Glad you like the recipes!

As for making your own combos, just start with a base of one you know you like, and change the fruit or veggie a bit (after a while, I found that I would wake up thinking of combinations, and most of them turned out really well for me!).

Stick with a few ingredients at first : a sweet fruit (frozen banana or mango), some water or ice, some greens (spinach is one of the easiest to disguise). If it tastes a bit too green, add some lemon or lime juice or more banana.

I recommend staying away from grapefruit (that's one that went into the compost for me!). Also, some things like arugula and cilantro are quite strong. Use them sparingly (if you like them).

Remember, you can always add more, but you can take out what you already have in, so start conservatively.

 

[Fidget Queen]

I'm sure you already know this if you've been researching, but a good blender makes all the difference in making it taste good or making it taste like you've just blended your salad with a piece of fruit stuck in there.

I've also found that you can do very little wrong with baby spinach. It is probably the best thing to start with, and you can put in quite a bit before you start to notice. I always squeeze half a lime or lemon in my smoothie and let it sit for 10-15 mins. It totally helps take away the greenie taste, but it must sit for a bit to do that.

Chard is also a good one for taste, but I don't love the texture. It's mild like the spinach, but it tends to make the smoothie kind of frothy (and not in a way I like). I love using kale (curly or lacinato) but you can't use too much before you really start to taste it. Lettuce is just plain gross. Dandylion greens are too bitter.

Collard greens are surprisingly ok to use in the smoothies. It's not as forgiving as spinach, but I've done it quite a bit and like it. Mustard greens not so much.

ITA with Kathryn about the grapefruit. DON'T DO IT! Blech. I don't like what oranges, apples, or pears do for a smoothie, either.

I think you'll figure out what works for you and what doesn't in no time.

 

[Calee]

ok, note to self- no grapefruit! I definitely will use lots of baby spinach though, I seem to do well with the "green-ness" of it. and collard greens, sounds gross but I'll give em a try since I don't want to start out with anything too bitter for me to handle.
Ooh and I like the tip of sqeezing lemon or lime in and letting it mellow for a bit, I'll be sure to stock up. Thanks to you both!

 

[bakert]

My favorite this week is: 2 mangoes, a half of a bunch of parsley (no stems) and a few handfuls of baby spinach. Yummy! The parsley mixes really well with mangoes as long as you don't overdo it (a mistake I made once, just once ).

Tracey

 

[kathryn]

I don't like what oranges, apples, or pears do for a smoothie, either.

One of my favorite basic smoothies is oranges, frozen bananas and kale.

 

[Fidget Queen]

One of my favorite basic smoothies is oranges, frozen bananas and kale.

I should be careful about what I say I hate, because then I might scare people off from something they might love!

I think apples and pears are even used quite often in smoothies and green smoothies, but they do something texture-wise that I really don't like.

 

[MadnNatsmom]

I went a little too green with:

Broccoli
Spinach
grapes or strawberries


It took me a few tries to get the ratios down, but now even my son will drink it.

 

[jdawnc]

I like:

Frozen Mixed berries, rasberries, blueberries, and strawberries
two fist fulls of baby spinach
and about 1/2 cup of milk

I think I am going to try some frozen mango and banana.

 

[kathryn]

I went a little too green with:

Broccoli
Spinach
grapes or strawberries


It took me a few tries to get the ratios down, but now even my son will drink it.

Broccoli is one I haven't tried yet (nor have the intention to). I can take my smoothies pretty "green," but broccoli's on my 'no-go' list!

 

[pgun]

Smoothie only post??

Maybe everyone w/experience w/smoothies could post them here and give us a review of how they taste! I am interested in trying but I am not a real fan of bananas in them because that is all I can taste. Keep the recipes coming! Someday I will try them!

Penny

 

[L Sass]

Ohhh I just threw in what I thought would be yummy - and WOW was it ever.

Spinach
Kale
Cucumber
Kiwi
Chia seeds
almond milk
a few drops of orange blossom honey.

YYYYUUUUMMMMM!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the great tips.

 

[kathryn]

Maybe everyone w/experience w/smoothies could post them here and give us a review of how they taste! I am interested in trying but I am not a real fan of bananas in them because that is all I can taste. Keep the recipes coming! Someday I will try them!

Penny

If you do a search, there was a thread a while back with a lot of smoothie recipes in.