12 Step Green Smoothie Program

Just kidding.  There are 12 Step programs for many things, and I may even be in the process of writing one for myself, but it doesn't take 12 steps to make a green smoothie.  Or does it?

1.  Find blender.  Yeah - that thing that maybe you got for a wedding present?  

2.  Fill with filtered water.  I prefer filtered water.  If all you got is tap, fill with that.  By fill, I mean 3 cups.  If you have a small blender....I suggest buying a bigger one for an anniversary present.

3.  Put in two bunches of greens.  I choose usually between spinach, kale, beet greens (those tops of raw beets that most people cut off and throw away), collard greens, broccoli greens (if you have a mother-in-law growing broccoli in her garden), mustard greens, romaine, and organic spring mix (yup, those big containers that you buy at Costco with good intentions to eat salads every day, but then they go bad so you dump them).

4.  Blend as high as you can for as short a period of time as possible.  For the love - do not throw in anything else but greens right now unless you have a Vitamix or Blendtec or some other high powered blender.  Trust me, you would much rather have fruit chunks than green chunks.  When the greens are blended to a color that reminds you of Cafe Rio's tomatillo ranch dressing, turn the blender off.

5.  Add a "creamy fruit".  I choose between banana (my favorite), apple, pear, mango, peaches, or apricots.  A creamy fruit creates a sweet base, where sometimes just adding berries can make the whole thing "sour-like".  I just made up the word sour-like.

6.  Blend again, remember to put the lid on.  When you introduce the first fruit to your blender, it often gets "splashy-like".

7.  Add a berry.  More like 1/2-1 cup of berries.  I choose between blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries unless I have one of those triple berry bags from Costco.  I also put in the berries frozen.  I don't put ice in smoothies, because the frozen berries ARE my ice.

8.  Blend again, keeping the lid on.  Make sure everything is super blended.

9.  This step is optional.  I have found that when I scrap and cut up carrots for my kids' lunches or snacks, I hang onto the peelings and put them in a container to throw into my smoothies.  I must emphasize that carrots and raw beets are the ONLY vegetables that I sometimes add to my smoothies (beets make smoothies pink, which fool kids into thinking it is a fruit smoothie).  My husband likes to add celery, but I think that overpowers everything else.  I would rather get other vegetables by eating them whole or steamed or baked or whatever.  My point is - I consider these smoothies with greens. 

10.  Additions.  When I make smoothies I like to throw in secret treasures like chia seeds, ground flax, and wheatgrass powder.  They add a whole bunch of lovelies.  I do not add cups, I add a Tablespoon of chia seeds, a Tablespoon of ground flax, and a scoop of whatever comes in the wheatgrass powder thingie that I buy off of Amazon.  I add a few drops of stevia with vanilla if it tastes too...green

11.  If you have added more stuff, blend some more.  

12.  Pour into a cup of your choice.  I use a shakeology blender cup so that I can keep shaking it if anything settles.  Drink throughout the morning.  If you drink diet coke before noon, drink this instead.  You might thank me later, and certainly your bones will when you are 80.

Woah!  That was 12 steps!  No way! 

P.S.  I drink 1-2 quarts throughout the morning.  My kids drink about a cup of it with breakfast.  My husband gulps down the whole thing before work.  I recommend using Bountiful Baskets if you have one near you.  I get the Organic basket and try to use what is in it in my smoothies each week.  Altogether we make 3-4 quarts of green smoothie per day.

P.P.S.  I heart green smoothies.

3 comments:

  1. Great ideas, I can't wait to try them!!!

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  2. Heidi you are awesome! Thank you so much. I made one last nighy of my own design ...Yuck! Looks like I need to get some berries. I have the worst cold right now and I think I need to boost my immune system. Green smoothies seem like a great way to do that.

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  3. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. Had to share it. Funny, informative... wow... this might just be the best bit of journalism I've read all month. :)

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