Green Smoothies – Health in a Glass

On Green Smoothies and Smoothies in General

Smoothies, especially green smoothies, offer you all possible vitamins, minerals (calcium and iron), antioxidants, fiber and proteins, depending on the chosen ingredients. Sheer health in a glass!

The thick juice has become exceedingly popular since the 1990s, what was once only to be found in health food shops is now a mainstream industry product. I do not buy them as they often contain added sugar and they are so easy to be made.

I often have small portions of seasonal fruit and vegetable left in my fridge, not enough for a whole dish but ideal to use up in a smoothie.

Have you noticed how the colours of fruit and vegetable change with the seasons?

In summer I prepare a fresh breakfast drink with berries, herbs, spices, seeds and yoghurt. I love the predominant colour red and the finished juices look appetizing!

In winter the produce mainly feature the colour green. I have to admit I am not visually seduced by the colour green in a juice but – wow – for the energy factor!

Use any leafy greens: kale, collards, chards, spinach, dandelions etc. and add fruit to it: apple, pear, oranges, pineapple, papaya, mango etc. Pimp your smoothies with herbs, spices, nuts and seeds: mint, basil, lovage, cardamom, nutmeg, almonds, hazelnuts, sesame, chia or linseeds. There is no limit to your imagination!

Green Smoothie With Spinach

Yield: about 6 dl

Ingredients
3 dl tomato juice
1 apple
1 banana
1 handful of fresh spinach
2 – 3 basil leaves
4 cm ginger grated
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds (dry roasted, keeps well on stock)
sea salt + pepper

Method
Start with the liquid ingredients and pile all the ingredients in your blender.

Change the consistency of your smoothie by adding more juice, milk or water.

Green Smoothie with Spinach

Smoothies strengthen your immune system by supplementing your diet with the necessary vitamins and minerals, they may help you to keep healthy especially during the cold seasons.

Tips

One glass (2 dl) per day is enough, a smoothie is not a substitute for a whole meal. Just think of all the sugar and carbohydrates!

Portion the rest and freeze it. Take it out to your fridge 12 hours prior to use and enjoy the luxury of a ready smoothie for your breakfast.

Feel like something more substantial? Use a portion of smoothie with muesli and yoghurt, garnish with fresh fruit and mint leaves.

More smoothie recipes on my blog: Smoothie of the Day, Sunday Sunrise Smoothiee, Tuesday is Juice Day and on my Pinterest board.