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As you know, I love smoothies, and my favorite kind to make is green smoothies. Because I am sure I will have lots of smoothies on the blog I should make sure you know the basics. As a rule of thumb whenever you add greens just add one whole frozen banana to create balance. If you feel brave enough to add extra greens (kale), go for it, but keep in mind it will be slightly more bitter – unless of course you add another frozen banana chunk.  Always taste test to make sure it suits you. The more banana the sweeter it will be, the more greens the less sweet. You get the idea.

BASE FOR GREEN SMOOTHIES

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of liquid (non dairy milk, coconut water, or filtered water)
  • 1 T chia seeds (you can put chia, flax or both)
  • 1 T hemp seeds (optional but adds extra protein)
  • 1 scoop protien powder (if replacing a meal) (My favorite brands of protein are “RAW Protein” Vanilla, “Amazing Grass Amazing Meal”, or “Vega”)
  • 2-3 large handfuls spinach
  • 1 leave of kale (the large center stems are bitter, so ALWAYS remove these)
  • 1 frozen banana or more to taste
  • 5 ice cubes
Directions
Blend in the order shown above.
Thats it! This is the base for all my smoothies.  You can drink it just like this, or mix it up by adding other berries, fruits, & veggies such as cabbage, swiss chard, romaine, bok choy, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, and carrots.  I have used all of the above at one time or another (not all at once) in my smoothies and they have all turned out very appealing.  If you have it at home, give it a try!  Just remember balance :)
**If your smoothie is too thick, add more liquid. If you want a sweeter smoothie add a little stevia, agave, maple syrup, or raw honey. If you are nervous to use kale, try this smoothie with just spinach for a few times and slowly start incorporating the kale later when you feel ready**
If you want peanut butter banana flavor (which is my bf’s FAVE – he asks for it just about every morning and he is an extremely picky eater) just make your base and add the following~
Ingredients
  • Basic smoothie (see above)
  • 2 T peanut butter or your favorite nut butter
  • lots of cinnamon (I don’t measure and I use generously because cinnamon complements nut butter nicely)
  • large sprinkle of nutmeg
  • dash of vanilla extract
  • agave or other sweetener to taste (he likes it very sweet so I use one, maybe two generous squeezes)
Directions
  • Put all ingredients into the blender. Liquids first, then powders & seeds, peanut butter, greens, frozen banana, and LAST ice (or blend first, and then add ice if your blender is too full)

I encourage you to experiment and find out what flavors you like by trying different fresh produce! Become a pro at your favorite smoothie and get in the habit of making them!
They are so good for you, and they really give you more energy than a cup of coffee or energy drink, and they taste like a milkshake!! Drink those greens :)
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