I dont know about you, but I have sorta eaten a lot in the last few weeks. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot.
Not only have I eaten like its going out of style, but I have let the kids diets slide as well… not saying no when grandma offers them a cookie. (or eight) Letting them eat all of their bread and none of their veggies at Christmas dinners… not taking away the sweet treats and candy gifts people are so generous with during the Holidays.
So I knew I needed to give them some super foods… something to get their little gastrointestinal system back on track.
Bring on the smoothies.
My kids love smoothies.
And for the record, I do to.
I am going to share with you my super powered, body healing, stomach soothing, palate pleasing turbo smoothie.
Here’s how you make it.
Grab your cup of frozen blueberries. I just buy a ton during the summer when they have them ‘buy one get one free’ at the grocery store and throw them in the freezer.
Put blueberries in your blender. Add one cup of water.
Add banana. Blend well.
Add kale. I pull all of the leaves off the stem first… the stem is extremely bitter.
Add spinach. Fresh baby spinach works good too.
Blend everything together really well. On my blender, which was manufacture in 1979 I kid you not, I have to blend it for about 3 minutes.
Now, taste it.
Is it perfect? Then you have done well my friend and have no need of my super secret ingredient.
Is it slightly bitter?
Then you might want to try this.
Is that a super fun ingredient or what??? If you can find organic even better. I would add no more then 1 teaspoon, but start with 1/2 teaspoon and see how it goes.
Now, sometimes I get really, really bitter kale. Usually the banana cuts most of the bitterness, but when it doesn’t, I just add a teaspoon of this.
But most of the time the sugar is not necessary.
Now, why a blueberry, kale, spinach, banana smoothie?
1. It tastes good.
2. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and rate highest among other fruits and vegetables in their capacity to destroy free radicals.
3. Bananas are awesome. If you would like some more technical terms go here.
4. Kale is in season in the winter, and appears to be able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers. New research is revealing that phytonutrients in crucifers, such as
kale, work at a much deeper level. These compounds actually signal our
genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, the
cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds.
Talk about body cleansing. (for more info on kale click here)
5. Spinach rocks. Just ask Popeye. Calorie for calorie spinach provides more nutrients than any
other food. Feeling sluggish from all those cookies? I promise some spinach will give you back some energy!
Let me know if you try it, or if you are already a super smoothie drinking momma.
If you are, why have we not discussed this sooner? I need details girl! 🙂
I’m definitely going to have to share this one! Looks awesome. We love frozen blueberries. Kale is so good, too. Awesome, Amanda!
I so so so want to try this BUT…every pregnancy I have one food that I normally LIKE that if I even look at I feel I might vomit.
Pregnancy #1=peas
Pregnancy #2=broccoli
Pregnancy #3 bananas
Isn’t that awful? It seems to have no bearing on them because they have no aversions to those foods. Hmmmm. I will have to try this recipe in the spring.
I am so going to try this!
We’re going to try this one, we love smoothies!!! Chad really loves smoothies, so this may be one we make often!
I’ve got to say, it looks interesting. 🙂 I’m not much of a smoothie person ’cause I’m always freezing cold. Even on the 90 degree days in the summer, I’m under a blanket with the air set at 73. So anywho….
I hope you all had a good Christmas and have fun celebrating the new year coming in. After all, there is a blue moon tonight. 🙂
Great idea! I think we ALL ate a “little” too much between Thanksgiving and Christmas! I got a blender for Christmas, so I just might have to make this today.
Amanda…I just made this today for the family and it’s really good! 🙂 I never would have tried KALE in a smoothie, but I knew I could trust you. 🙂 I feel so healthy now! Thanks for listing all of the benefits of each ingredient, too. I can use that reminder. I start telling myself that cookies are a health food b/c they are “all-natural.” 😉
PS…I used my immersion blender for Sur La Table….they have a GREAT deal on some pretty ones from Cuisinart…$29.99. Worked perfectly.
i did the 30 day smoothie challenge on FB and drank 4 cups of green smoothie for over 2 months…every day. i’ve lost my excitement for them but my husband hasn’t. i make a freezer full of 4cup mason jars full of green smoothies for him to have every morning. we have the $700 (vitamix)blender…but it was actually only $400. it’s powerful. i’ve put everything i can think of in smoothies. it’s fun. throw half a cucumber in it! or a couple slices of yellow bell pepper or carrots…it’s awesome and so healthy and sweet! hubby likes protein powder in his but i think that totally ruins the flavor. i’m so glad he love this stuff eventhough it’s quite a bit of work for me. i love him that much.
Parker is feed via a g-tube and Pediasure is what all the docs recommend. But finally after searching high and low, I discovered someone willing to follow us in creating a blenderized diet for him.
We add a veggie, fruit, protein (meat, nut butter, legume), healthy oils, grain and a milk.
I can’t imagine a life where all you get for nourishment is a can of stuff created in a lab. blech.
Tammy and Parker
http://www.prayingforparker.com
@ParkerMama on Twitter
My husband and I tried it tonight. I never know people really ate kale! I worked at a restaurant and only knew it as a garnish. I have been meaning to put veggies in our smoothies so thanks for the post!
The smoothies we make are yogurt and fruit based with some milk in it. Sometimes we add ice to it. If my daughter doesn’t like the smoothie I freeze it and turn it into a popsicle and she eats it right up!
Thanks again!