Step-by-step Green Smoothie

Initial Reaction to Green Smoothies

All folks physically cringe when I describe a glorious green smoothie. And some even audibly voice their disapproval with out loud gagging noises.

But, most take a sip when offered one, especially if they watch me drink mine first.

And then they chug the entire glassful when given the "okay" to do so.

After I explain a few health benefits, they often ask me how to make green smoothies at-home...

Reported Benefits of Green Smoothies

I would say that 9 out of 10 persons I have tempted to try one of these concoctions, continues to make and chug these nutrient-dense green drinks. Reported health benefits and improvements in my circle of green smoothie drinkers include:

increased energy

diminished food cravings

quicker recovery from physical exertion 

hair, darker & thicker

skin, softer & smoother

weight loss

lowered cholesterol

seasonal allergy relief

increase in general well-being

lowered blood sugar levels

and on 

and on

For an introduction to green smoothies, click here.

And for more ideas and recipes, click here.

Making a Green Smoothie 

1. 2 cups of water

2. add large amounts of greens (I fill to near the top)

pictured here: pink chard, yellow chard, lambs quarters (yes, it is a weed)

3. blend to smooth

a hi-speed, hi-power blender (i.e. K-tec or VitaMix) works best as you want to break open the actual cell walls of the greens

4. add frozen fruit (about 2 cups)

I often use blueberries or strawberries; add in a frozen banana if you are new at it and like a creamy texture akin to a shake

5. blend to smooth

add-in some other goodies like ground flax, hemp seeds...or for sweetness, add-in a couple of dates or a dollop of honey/agave/brown rice syrup

6. drink!

not all green smoothies are green when done--but the green nutrients are packed to the rim!

Why not give it a whirl?! Yeah, pun intended. Blend yourself up a nice glass of nutrients...

By the time breakfast is done, my family has met the standard daily recommended servings of fruits & veggies! Soon, I will post the rest of our general breakfast menu, complete with photos... 

whole wheat scones

strawberry sauce

fruit salad

Green Smoothie Anniversary & Experiment

This month marks my one year anniversary with green smoothies! One year ago a dear friend told me about these seemingly gross pond-sludge drinks that she concocts in her kitchen. Multiple times each day. I read the book she suggested ("Green For Life" by V. Boutenko). I gathered the greens, fruit, revved up my K-tec motor, and got busy with the smoothies.

My health improved. Simple fact.

Food cravings - gone.

Energy - up.

Weight - down.

Recovery from physical exertion - fast.

Hair - thicker.

Skin - clear.

Nourishment of body - excellent.

Food craving amendment - crave fresh veggies & fresh fruit.

Blood sugar levels - better control.

Insulin - dosage cut in half.

All in all, green smoothies have done wonders for my health, including my Type 1, child-onset, insulin-dependent diabetes. My insulin requirements have cut way, way back. Amazing. Some even believe that I will be "cured" of my diabetes if I stick to this. 

*(Please be advised that Type 2 diabetes for the most part, I think is self-induced with gluttony, lack of exercise, and lack of knowledge--the pancreas still manufactures insulin, the body just gets really mixed up on how to use it. To the contrary, with Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes no insulin, making injections or insulin pumps mandatory.)

If you are new to this site, please revisit previous posts regarding green smoothie facts & recipes, also look here for an intro to green smoothies. And it is true, I don't write as much here as I used to. Life is happening. God is leading. My family is following. That takes priority.

By the way, I conducted an experiment on myself. Oh yeah. I must say that I learned a lot. And I must also say that I would like to smack my forehead and say "duh" about my findings. You know, I did it for your sake. For the sake of those who doubt about why I eat this way. And drink this way.

Two days ago I ate some store-bought, non-raw food corn chips. Oh yes I did. I ate probably 15 of them. I also got out my hubby's tub of store-bought, non-raw food salsa and I dipped away. My taste buds didn't know what to do. My mouth burned. My stomach churned and gurgled and protested. My tongue started to swell. My mouth felt coated and gross. In a fit of desperate regret, I downed a bunch of live culture acidophilus. 

I went on my merry way for the rest of the day. 

Results from shocking my raw food body...

Same day: felt sluggish, grouchy, slight head ache, by bedtime was beat, did not sleep well that night.

Next day (yesterday): Made an intense green smoothie with lots of cilantro (blood purifier) and felt worse before I felt better... sick to my stomach, felt like I was gonna blow for the first half of the day, wanted to lay down with my ugly guts, clear skin replaced with the opposite, felt flu-ish (and foolish), slept like I was riding a rail car last night...  

Today: ready for green smoothies, lots of lemon water, and for my system to get back under control.

My experiment proved to me that eating a raw-food diet, complete with green smoothies is the best thing for my body. I have no desire to indulge in that sort of food fare again--the chips and salsa from the store. 

I will make my own flax crackers. And my own salsa. Thank you very much!

Living bodies do thrive on living foods!

Go Green

Green, green, glorious green!

We constantly hear the news reports and we continue to read about adding 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies into our diet. If one is a raw fooder or incorporates raw foods into their diet, it seems it would be easy to get enough of the green stuff, right? 

Truth be told, most vegetarians/vegans/raw fooders do not get the amount of greens needed to thrive. Most eat far too much fruit and not enough veggies. Seems to me that fruit is peelable and readily eat-able, whereas veggies need some more prep work like slicing, dicing, tossing, and dressing.

This is where green smoothies come in! They are easy, easy, easy. I had been doing raw food eating for a couple of years before I added in these wonderful concoctions. And now I cannot believe the difference I feel. Imagine if I had started green smoothies from the get-go?!

"Green for Life" by Victoria Boutenko is the book one needs to read if serious about improving health. If you want to not only survive, but thrive, read it! 

Basically, you need a high speed blender (such as K-Tec or Vita Mix), not your mamma's old yellow whip-up-some-fluff blender. Of course you need a good dose of greens (i.e. romaine heart, kale, spinach, celery, collard greens, beet tops, and so on), some fruit (frozen fruit adds a nice touch, but fresh works great too!), and about one cup of water. Viola!

This green mess is fondly referred to as pond sludge around our house. But I think such a yucky name should not be given to a drink that has the potential to restore health and vitality. You see, these green smoothies help your body in a myriad of ways. As pointed out in "Green for Life," Victoria discusses these benefits:

- adds minerals & nutrients at amounts you cannot get from eating your way through a salad

- in contrast to juicing (which has its place too), blending gives you much-needed fiber which is important to bind up waste and toxins for free ride outta the body

- helps to regulate your stomach acid to the needed level for proper food digestion (poor stomach acid levels walk hand-in-hand with food allergies, immunological disorders, and more)

- alkaline balance can be achieved (too much acid is really bad for our bodies--many types and forms of disease cannot exist in an alkaline environment)

Now as some of you may know, last fall I started a journey through a land of bad health due to unexplainable stomach distention and sometimes pain. I had an array of other issues at the same time too, none of which the doctors could connect or pinpoint a cause & effect. I had a slew of tests (invasive, toxic at times, not to mention expensive!)--only to find nothing "wrong" with me. 

Well, with my degree and background in health education and my desire to continually improve my health and that of my family and friends, I kept on searching. And praying. Finally, after two raw fooders suggested this book, I read it. Victoria ties together many of my health issues and gives me cause & effect answers that the docs with their hi-tech gear could not. 

Food. Nutrients. Nutrition. Healing. Health. Those terms all go together. Listen, we are what we eat. Eat living food for a living body.

Basically, the green smoothies have given me more energy, have taken away my food cravings, satisfy my stomach for longer than a non-blended breakfast, and help my body to need less sleep. In addition, my insulin requirements have been cut back drastically. Amazingly some times I can even take off my insulin pump for a few hours. I know of others (family and friends) who have also seen similar health improvements. In her book, Victoria also has a section of testimonials that are pretty awesome and inspiring. 

If you trying to make some minor or major health improvements, give the green smoothies a whirl, or should I say a "blend?" 

My favorite green smoothie:

- 1 cup of water

- a bunch of kale (when, if wadded up would be the size of 3 cups in the blender canister)

- 1 apple (just core it)

- juice of 1/3 of a lemon

* tip: do buy & use organic produce!

Experiment. Use any combination. Just be sure to add a lot of green matter. Add the fruit in too. And remember that if you throw in some blueberries, strawberries and other non-green produce, your smoothie will turn an odd color. Just put it in a colored cup with a lid and straw if you have an aversion to how it looks. I do this for my son and he drinks them down.

What are you waiting for? Go Green!

Simple Eating & Drinking

Simplicity. 

If you are a regular follower, you know that I am certainly a Simple Raw Food Mamma. There are two reasons I have not written much lately. The first is that I am homeschooling my son and it takes time...time that I gladly devote to him and his education. The second reason is that I have been eating and drinking so simply that I don't know what to tell y'all about! 

But alas, as the cold weather settles in, I am sure that those vegan raw comfort foods with substance will soon make a comeback in my dietary realm. So stay tuned for raw food recipes and how-to's for crackers, holiday desserts, "burgers," and even breads. With less time outside, more time will be spent inside doing food prep and eating.

So, what have I been eating that is so basic and simple for the past month? I start out the day with a green smoothie. I make a large batch and put half of it in the fridge for later.

Basic Green Smoothie

- water (1 cup)

- kale or rainbow chard (crammed in the blender to the 3 cup mark)

-> blend until smooth

- frozen blueberries (1 cup)

- frozen strawberries (1 cup)

-> blend again to smooth

Then for lunch I eat a 

Simple, Simple Salad 

- zucchini chopped

- tomato chopped 

- hemp seed sprinkled on top

or

I eat a 

Simple Raw Food Wrap

- zucchini cut into strips

- tomato sliced

- greens (kale, lettuce...)

- 1/2 avocado sliced, smeared, or chopped

- red pepper sliced

- raw (do not toast) nori sheet(s)

-> follow directions on nori sheet package; put veggies onto wrap at one end, moisten edges, roll wrap tight with sushi mat (or just use bare hands), cut if desired

~ here is a link to a previous post a nori wrap recipe & photos

And then for dinner, I usually make my two fellas something cooked (whole wheat pasta with sauce, baked potatoes, rice & beans...) and a bowl of mixed raw veggies. I either eat the veg. salad or drink my remaining green smoothie or both.

So, it has been a simple culinary autumn around here as we have been busy with dehydrating and freezing foods for wintertime...and doing homeschool.

I been requested to teach a raw food class concentrating on holiday dessert ideas. Keep an eye out for that event.

Welcome new readers. I hear there are a couple of you.

Keep it simple.

See results.

Feel better.

Stick with it!

Oh yes, watch out for some mustard greens! Yum-yum-yum. If you are a mustard green newbie, start with small bites. Oh, they are so good and add such a flare and flavor to your salad or even your smoothie. I grab wads of the greens throughout the day and cram into my mouth! Yeah, love that spicy sensation...

Beet Smoothie

Recently we had some warm weather so extra time was had outside in flower beds and soon-to-be-garden areas...less time for computers and blogs.

This morning I made a beauty of a green smoothie. This one was the most brilliant raspberry-ish color...no raspberries in it though.

1 cup of water

5 large collard green leafs

1/2 peeled beet (cut into 4 pieces or so)

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

3 dates (pits removed)

Blend the water and collards first. Then add the other stuff. Blend again and again. Those beet chunks like to bump around for a while in the blender.

Yum-yum-yum. This one will help to detox you too with the beets. By the way, children should only have about 1/2 a beet a day as they could be too harsh on their little selves. 

Do you look at the lid of your blender when you are done? It always displays a pretty picture of the living nutrients involved in making a green smoothie... Do like me, look at it and then lick it clean. We don't want any of that raw food goodness going down the drain!  ;-)

Make sure to save the greens of your beets to use in a smoothie. Actually mine are the first green to go in the fridge. They are so packed with nutrients. Look at some of these comparisons for the beet itself and the beet greens--per 100 grams...

calcium............beet-16mg........beet greens-117mg

vit A..................beet-33IU.........beet greens-6326IU

vitK...................beet-0.20mcg....beet greens-400mcg

~ info from p. 33 of  "Green for Life" by Victoria Boutenko

Beets roots are higher across the board in the B-vitamins and of course in calories. 

Just go ahead and use the whole plant in your healthy eating!

Breakfast

My son and I rummaged through our big upright freezer a couple weeks ago. I was running low on fresh greens for my green smoothies, but I didn't want to make a trip all the way to town. I knew I had stashed extra garden wonders in the freezer all last summer. I just had to find them!

After we organized the icebox, I found that I had a smorgasbord of greenery. Here is some kale. Several months ago when kale was in abundance, I rinsed it, patted it dry, gently rolled it into green smoothie portion sizes, and wrapped plastic wrap around each bundle. I put 3-4 bundles into a big sealable plastic bag and tossed them into the freezer.

I knew I needed to portion out the sizes beforehand. Frozen kale leaves all stuck together would be hard to separate for my pond sludge slurpies. ;-)

My smoothies have been as fresh and healthful this week as they were when the sun was shining and the garden was growing. 

Green Smoothie Recipe--Kale Delight:

To my kale, 

I added water (2 cups), 

frozen blueberries (handful)

a couple large frozen strawberries (more produce that I got fresh and froze for extended use), 

and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. 

Yum.

Simple breakfast. 

My son loves his fruit and honey laden rolled organic oatmeal to jump start his day. He drinks a small smoothie, but tops off his cavernous 5-year old tummy with our homemade oatmeal. 

I add hemp milk for the good fats and great protein--all essential for a growing boy!

Boil water.

Add whole oats.

and honey to taste.

Add some cinnamon.

Toss in a handful of blueberries

and some currants.

Cook for a minute.

Turn off stove.

Let concoction sit for a few minutes.

Healthy eating for my family works best when it is simple. 

For us, simple is repeatable and achievable. 

Day after day.

Do what works for you!

Green Smoothie Class Information

Country Village 

Café & Nutrition Shoppe 

in Longview, Washington

presents the

Saturday 

Health Education Series

with

An Introduction to

Green Smoothies

 

 
1.               What is a green smoothie?
2.               What are the health benefits?
3.               How do I start?
4.               What are some easy recipes?

 

These and more questions answered.

Samples provided.

Resources available.

Lose Weight  ~ Increase Energy 

~ Improve Health & Vitality

 

Do you constantly hear the news reports & read the articles that tell you to add 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies into your diet? Truth be told, even vegetarians/vegans/raw foodists do not get the amount of veggies, let alone greens needed to thrive. Let me teach you how to nourish your body all while increasing your consumption of amazing & healthy raw produce.

 

Space is limited so please pre-register by signing-up today!

date:   Saturday, September 27^th

^{time:   12pm-1pm}

^{cost:   $5/person}

 

Darlene is a local health educator & raw food/healthy living coach with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Idaho in School & Community Health Education (minors in Physical Education & Athletic Training). She was a guest lecturer at the University of Idaho, implemented a Women’s Health Education Series in Rainier, & teaches at various health-related venues in the area. Darlene also has in-depth knowledge of Type I, insulin-dependent diabetes and a background & knowledge in alternative medicine & health care.