Coconut milk

Blueberry Orange Apple Spinach Smoothie

Well, I have to say that it’s been a while! Sometimes, there’s so much to do in life that finding the time to reflect upon what you’ve done in a blog post doesn’t always work out! If this spring is bringing energy your way that is anything like what I’m seeing, you might also be finding that it’s more work than play. But I’m ok with that. Life is full of cycles, this one just happens to be more work related!

But work doesn’t take me away from my ritualistic green smoothie! Virtually every day I take time to mix up and enjoy some concoction that enlightens my entire morning. It’s just too easy! And they make me feel good.  J

This particular smoothie lifted my spirit for a number of days in a row and I don’t know how anyone can say that that’s a bad thing. It felt good. Yet I know, some people like to vary what they consume every day. That’s good. But when I find something I like, I love it when I can stick with it for a few days to really stretch out the positive effects. This time, I was lucky enough to have all the ingredients in a ready state to go for this smoothie. When I pause to really thing about this, I believe that the stability and longevitiy of the fruit in this smoothie is what makes this one so easy – everything is ready to go!

I can’t quite pinpoint what it is exactly that I love about this one, but it’s chilly (from the frozen blueberries), saucy (from the apples) and full bodied (from the oranges). There is a smoothness from the spinach that is offset by the grittiness of the seeds (from the blueberries) that makes it more than a drink and more than satisfying on the tummy.

Recipe:

  • 1 Apple
  • 2 Oranges
  • 3-5 Medjool dates (remove the seeds)
  • 1-2 cups frozen blueberries (the more the better)
  • ½ cup Mango flavor Good Belly Probiotic
  • 1 cup Coconut Milk (with Vanilla)
  • ½ lb baby Spinach

The beautiful thing about these smoothies is that you just toss everything in the blender and let it fly (on high) for 60 seconds or so.

The volume and weight from the liquid will easily pull down the light fluffy spinach so it won’t take much to get all this to liquidate.

Oranges are for volume – and they are a little cooling so make sure it’s a warmer day if you add more. In the end, you’ve got breakfast and lunch – or smoothie to share – which is what I do!

This fruit combination does really well with Swiss Chard, so if you’ve hit your limit with Spinach, you can add in chard and enjoy the combination for another few days!

Stay light-spirited – for the moment is what you make of it!

Kale Blueberry Orange Pear Smoothie

You’ll love it, or hate it. I’ll bet that you won’t find a middle ground with this one. It’s bold, heavy and filling – which can make this a meal rather than just a snack. But then, if you can’t tolerate it, the impact will simply be emotional and you’ll quickly look for something else that’s a lot more forgiving.

I love it. This is one of my favorite ways to eat kale. The lemon adds the sour, the blueberries add a bold flavor, the oranges add volume, the pear adds texture and the coconut milk adds a mild toner to bring it all together. A Meyer’s lemon is even better than a regular lemon, for it’s not as acidy and it’s a bit sweet.

But, this combination might not be for you. The mixture can separate and setup quickly making it a lumpy surprise – if you’re not on top of it. Some people just don’t like kale. And, well, this smoothie has a big bunch that might push you over the top!

Let’s get on with it. I’m finding myself buying more kale lately just so I can make this smoothie. The joy it brings to me adds to my excitement for sharing.

Recipe:

  • 1 Pear
  • 2 Oranges
  • The juice of ½ Meyer’s lemon
  • 1-2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 1 bunch kale
  • ½ cup flavored liquid probiotic
  • 1 cup coconut milk

Notice that it doesn’t have dates! Kale tastes better if it’s not mixed in a really sweet smoothie. Add all the fruit and give it a spin. Make sure you peal the oranges and remove seeds. With the pear, core it to remove the seeds.

After adding the greens, work them in slowly and then blend on high for about a minute. The frozen blueberries make it easy to run the mixture extra long, for it won’t heat up that quickly. When you’re done, you’ll have 7 cups of a brown sludge like liquid.

It tastes a lot better than it looks. Blueberries never really break down all the way so you’ll have specs of blue. You’ll also find bits of green (from the kale) and white (from the pear) that will keep you full for hours.

I can’t wait for the kale to start growing again in the garden. What I planted last spring is now about a foot tall waiting for the weather to warm just a little. Once it does, I’ll see the early spring leaves that should really make this smoothie pop!

Thanks for visiting! Have a great day.

Orange Grape Spinach Smoothie

Today’s a great day to post another beautiful green smoothie recipe. This one is light, yet not all that cooling. I find that typically, when I consume oranges, I find that they have a cooling effect on my body. Yet, this recipe finds a balance somehow and you don’t instantly cool down. It’s easy and all I’m willing to bet that the ingredients are all available today!

The one thing that’s different about this smoothie is that the red grapes have seeds in them. I normally don’t like seeds – of any type – in my smoothies, but this time it’s different. Somehow, I believe the feeling of this smoothie would not be the same without the seeds. Maybe that’s where the warmth came from to tame the cooling oranges! In any case, the seeds actually add to the smoothie rather than take away from it. So, if you’re feeling adventurous, keep the seeds. Give it a try.

Recipe:

  • 3 seedless oranges pealed and split
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 3 pitted dates
  • 1 ½ cup red grapes with seeds
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • ¼ cup probiotic (I used coconut water)
  • ½ pound young baby Spinach

You’ve got to look hard in the picture to see the grapes for they’re kind of hidden in the blender. In this second picture they show up better.

Spin for a few seconds to liquefy. Stuff in the spinach.

And then spin on high for nearly 60 seconds. You want to make sure you grind the seeds down to nothing – or next to nothing. If you find the smoothie warming up, don’t be afraid to add a couple ice cubes and grind a little longer.

In the end, you’ll get about 7 cups!

The jar is my late breakfast, the cup is for Lori and what’s left in the blender is my clean up treat!

Share the treat with yourself – peal a few oranges!

Good day.

Orange Mango Strawberry Parsley Smoothie

Add another worthwhile smoothie to the collection. This one gets its flavor from the strawberries, sweetness from the dates and creaminess from the mango. Parsley comes along to sweeten the breath and sharpen the eye-sight!

It’s the middle of November and I’m now getting down to the last of the greens from the garden. Event thought we’ve had a frost and more than half the leaves have fallen off the trees, the parsley’s strong enough to endure. What a great plant. Even though I’ve still got Collard Greens and kale, the parsley still tastes fresh and healthy! The Collard Greens turned peppery and that it’s too really not something I can stomach. The kale, well, no longer tastes all that flavorful, it’s kind of old.

So, using what’s offered, parsley’s on the menu!

Recipe:

  • 2 oranges
  • 1 ripe mango
  • 10 frozen strawberries
  • 3 medjool dates
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 fresh bunch parsley

The work comes pealing and removing the seeds. I like to buy oranges that have seeds for the fruit tastes better. Add the fruit to the blender and liquefy.

Once it’s liquid, press in the parsley.

Plan on having enough for breakfast and half a lunch! This combination yields about 6 cups.

I love these small mouth quart jars! This one is an old honey jar that I’ve been recycling for months now. As long as you promptly wash it out before the residue dries, the lid will not corrode very fast. When the lids ware out, it turns out that the jar doesn’t hold my interest much longer. Fortunately, I can still find great raw honey in quart jars so my source doesn’t run dry.

Have a great day!

Strawberry Orange Grape Spinach Smoothie

Good day for another raw green smoothie! This one has got to be one of the easiest and most comforting. I believe this is the first time that I’ve mixed oranges and strawberries. What a wonderful combination. The orange is so neutral, I rarely think of it as being a flavor all in its own. But in this case, when you add the strawberries, the orange flavor is really accentuated. Like wow!

Who would have thought that if you mix a few strawberries in with a couple oranges the oranges would taste stronger?

Even though I’m making the smoothie in order to get the greens, you don’t always want to get the flavor of the greens. In this smoothie, you’d think that the grapes and spinach are just along for the ride!

Winter is upon all of us in the northern hemisphere so oranges and frozen strawberries should be plentiful. You might want to give this one a try!

Recipe:

  • 2 oranges (remove the seeds)
  • 10 frozen strawberries
  • 1 to 1 ½ cups seedless grapes
  • 1 cup coconut milk (I like the one with added vanilla)
  • ¼ cup (or so) “Good Belly” probiotic
  • 2 medjool dates (remove the seeds)
  • ½ lb raw baby spinach

Pile everything but the greens into the blender.

I usually place the wettest, easiest to grind stuff at the bottom. Place the lid on tight and liquefy (this should only take a few seconds).

Now stuff in your spinach! You should be able to easily get the half pound in and around that juice. Now place the lid on again and blend until smooth. I usually let it spin for about a minute. The frozen strawberries will keep it from overheating so if you want to spin it longer, that’s probably ok too.

In the end, you get orange flavored green magic!

Each morning I make about 64 ounces. This recipe makes just that. If you want less, cut the fruit in half and don’t use more than 1 cup liquid.

Oranges are a bit cooling so make sure you’re going to stay active during the day. Don’t want to hear about anyone getting cold after drinking an Orange Strawberry Grape Spinach Smoothie!

Enjoy!