I'm working on clearing up my skin from the inside out and loving my green smoothies again.
Watch me make the smoothie recipe below and let me know what your favorite green smoothie combination is. :-)
Apple Green Smoothie
by Brown Vegan
Prep Time: 5
Keywords: beverage vegan
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Instructions
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
The first time I gave the boys a kale smoothie they looked at me like I was crazy. It was 2008 and let's just say we were new passengers on the "eating better" train. Elijah outright screamed "no!" and ran from the kitchen. Even though Jason was curious, he also refused, and Brandon reached for the cow's milk beside the blender instead.
Things are a lot better these days. Even though kale isn't their favorite vegetable in the world, they no longer give me hassle about drinking/eating it.
*Choose your fruit wisely- Pineapple & bananas are my go-to kale smoothie fruits because they're super sweet and tend to be inexpensive. Also, they do an excellent job of reducing the bitter flavor that raw kale has. I like to make sure the fruit is frozen to make it more appealing.
*Less kale/more pineapple. Don't feel like you have to fill your blender to the rim with kale. Start off by adding a little kale to each smoothie, then gradually increase each time.
*Let them help-I never forced the boys to drink green smoothies but having them help me naturally led to *tasting* it.
*Don't give up! Keep offering green smoothies and they will eventually try it.I never in a million years thought my kids would drink them but persistence paid off! *patting myself on the back*
Bonus tip: One of my Youtube viewers suggested using a cup opposed to a glass when serving green smoothies to younger children. Since it's sweet, they may not care about the color once they start drinking it.
In conclusion: Green smoothies are an acquired taste for kids. Don't be afraid to add a little agave nectar or use spinach instead of kale. Spinach is an excellent choice because (unlike kale) it isn't bitter and you mostly just taste fruit.
Watch me make a kale salad & kale smoothie with Jason below.
How do you get your kids to drink green smoothies?
Throw them in a smoothie!
Alvin (my middle son) is my picky eater. He doesn't like change with his food and was the hardest of the 3 to embrace vegan eating.
It's interesting though because in the last 2 years, he has become the one who is more likely to try new recipes/ingredients.
Even so, he still isn't fond of green vegetables on his plate.
My solution? Toss it in his smoothie.
Smoothies containing spinach & swiss chard & fresh fruit are the easiest to get kids to drink because it doesn't taste like anything (despite the green color).
One of my Facebook friends suggested fresh pineapple when using raw kale and collard greens in a smoothie to help mask the bitterness.
What are you favorite smoothie vegetables?
The weather has been absolutely glorious here! The kids even start on their homework on the way home from school, so they can have more time to enjoy the sunshine.
Before we left to throw rocks in the lake and ride bikes, I made this delicious fruit smoothie as a snack.
Ingredients:
2 mangos
2 frozen bananas
1 young Thai coconut (meat & water)
Blend until smooth and enjoy!
4 Servings
I love when I come across a recipe and already have the ingredients on hand. This smoothie took care of the craving I had for So Delicious ice cream too. lol
Thanks for reading!
I'm so glad to finally have a blender, so I can create (and borrow) smoothie recipes again. I credit smoothies with helping me transition to a plant-based lifestyle and try to drink at least 2 per day.
This recipe is from Jenné at Sweet Potato Soul.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Brazil or Almond Milk (I used soy milk)
1 baked sweet potato, flesh only
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or mix of cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup (I used 1/2 tbsp instead)
optional:
2 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 cup pecans (I used walnuts)
Directions:
In a blender, mix all ingredients (save coconut milk and pecans) until smooth. Taste and make any necessary additions. Serve in a glass, and top with a dollop of coconut milk or cream, and pecans.
I froze my cooked sweet potato for about 30 minutes before adding to the blender for a chilled dessert.
Watch Jenné make this delicious smoothie here.