It was the day before grocery day and we were out of leftovers, lunch meat, and anything fresh to eat.
What we did have was lots of frozen fruit and some third-string veggies. That day I found the power of a green smoothie, packed with vegetables and nutrients that helped fill my whole day.
I was completely out of any type of lettuce – but I did have zucchini and 1 avocado. I Googled “can you eat zucchini raw” (because I honestly didn’t know if it would cause my stomach to hurt) and stumbled on some great information about smoothies. Zucchini actually makes your smoothies creamier, and it packs it full of vitamins and nourishment your body is looking for. So I popped it in, added half my avocado, and felt like a genius.
I have made smoothies before but mostly relied on protein powder, peanut butter, and either spinach or kale to get me my “health” smoothie.
I run from meeting to meeting all day long; any free time I have I spend getting in a quick workout or cleaning a room, throwing a load of laundry in, or checking something off my to-do list. So, my meals looked a lot like grab-and-go things.
I eat semi-healthy but knew I was struggling to get all my vegetables in for the day. When I used to drive to work I would pack a bag of carrots and cucumbers and eat them on my drive home – but now that I don’t do that, I’m relying on my dinner to get a serving of vegetables in for a day.
But drinking a green smoothie helps me nourish my body and get plenty of vegetables without eating them in endless salads or one at a time. It also keeps me so much fuller than a normal smoothie.
So I’m here to share a few recipes and hopefully, it helps you get in some more nutrition this summer!
The “OG” Smoothie
- 1 Cup Frozen Berries (use this as your ice)
- 1 Cup Zucchini
- 2 Cups Spinach or Kale
- 1 Whole Lime (cut off peel) – use some zest if you want!
- .5 Medium Avocado
- 8 Oz Water
Banana Split Smoothie
- 1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
- 1 Banana
- 1 Scoop Chocolate Protein
- 1 Cup Zucchini
- 1 Cup Spinach or Kale
- .5 cup Celery
- 8 oz Water
Lime Creamsicle (courtesy of @lizmoody)
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 Banana
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower
- ¼ cup hulled hemp hearts
- 2 limes (cut off peel) – use the zest here!
- 3 Dates
- Pinch of salt, Vanilla
- 1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein
Green Smoothie Tips:
- Chew your smoothies! This helps your body know to start digesting it
- It’s a lot of fiber, so if you start to notice discomfort, take some veggies out, and slowly add them back in
- You really can add anything! These are just a few I have tried: Figs, Oranges, Cauliflower, Romaine, Cinnamon, Cardamom, PB Fit, Nuts…Try it all!
- Make sure you get enough fat content into your smoothie to keep you full.
- Check out social media for more ideas! One of my favorite Instagram accounts shares lots of green smoothie recipes and ways to get more nourishing food into our diets.
What’s your favorite smoothie to make?
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