Smoothies- the 1st step

As I contemplated what recipe or tip I would like to share first, I decided that if you were only going to change one thing to make your family healthier, this would be it.  Most everyone enjoys a good smoothie, whether it's for breakfast, after school snack, or after a good workout.  They are the perfect way to power pack nutrition into a drink without them even knowing it.

My kids use to freak out when they saw the spinach on the counter next to the blender, but now it's just part of the routine.  So, my advice to you is to not let the kids see you put it into the blender and then they'll never know it's there!  After a while if they see you putting spinach in, just tell them that you put it in everyday and it's going to make their muscles big like Popeye!  

Why Spinach?

Spinach contains a synergy of multiple phytonutrients, lutein, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, glutathione, ALA, Vitamins C, E, B, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, polyphenols, and betaine)  Along with blueberries, spinach is right up at the pinnacle of the Super Foods powerhouse choices.  Spinach has more demonstrated health benefits than almost any other food.  Spinach is also an important source of the critical antioxidant, CoQ10.  It helps prevent cardiovascular disease, a host of cancers, AMD, and cataracts. 

There are so many ways to make a smoothie, but here is the way I like to do it: (serves 4)
This portion is for a big Vita-Mix container, so if you have a smaller blender, make 1/2 at a time.

1 c. water
1 c. juice (any kind is fine, we usually use OJ- with pulp) The pulp is very good for you.
1-2 big handful of spinach leaves (I buy the big package at Sam's or Costco. Once it starts to look wilted, just put it in the freezer and use it up until it's gone)
1-2 c. of any combination of frozen fruit (usually always strawberries and other fruits but I make sure it has blueberries because they are a wonderful Super Food) 
1 banana
1/2 c. yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt-the honey vanilla flavor is so creamy & delicious)
2 T. ground flax seed or flax oil (good supply of plant Omega-3's, which the American diet is greatly lacking)


Optional:  Add 1 scoop of protein powder (I prefer plant protein powders-especially hemp & rice)

Put the water, juice, & spinach in the blender first and blend until you don't see any more green leaves.  Then add the rest of the ingredients into the blender in the order I've listed and blend until very smooth.  If you want it thinner, add water.  If you want it thicker, add ice or more frozen berries.  If it's too sour, add a little agave, sugar, or sweet pineapple.  You can also add cream of coconut to really sweeten it up.  I would suggest making them a little sweeter at first so your kids get hooked on them, and then as their taste buds change, I would start to decrease the sugar.  They'll never know :) 

After I pour my kids smoothies, I leave the rest of the smoothie in the blender, add another handful of spinach, and blend it up to get in the extra nutrition for me!  You can really add anything to your smoothies that you need to be eating more of.  Experiment and have fun!  Find your families' favorite!   Almost 100% of any friends, kids, or family I have tried them on, love them!!  I love hearing my friends tell me about how their kids love their smoothies every morning.  It's music to my ears!!  Enjoy!