Nutritious Green Smoothies

GREEN SMOOTHIE TIPS ♥

• The trick seems to be to start with fruit, then add green to taste. The first smoothie, I started with a single leaf of Swiss chard – and the taste was all fruit. For the second, I used two leaves of chard, brightened with lemon juice — and this tasted decidedly bright and green and VERY alive. I loved it. The third, I used three leaves of chard, that was a bit much.
• If you can, keep to ‘whole’ fruit (versus juice) so that you get the full benefit of fiber: calories. If need be, thin with water or milk.
• Citrus juice is an important brightener.
• Banana tastes ‘familiar’ and adds creaminess.
• Milk, of course, adds creaminess too, even skim milk.
• It takes a LOT of fresh herbs (like mint, say) to be equivalent taste- and color-wise of a single leaf of chard, say.
• If extra calories are important, add an egg. This may be raw food but feel free to skip the shell. 🙂

GREEN SMOOTHIE I
ORANGE – BANANA – CHARD
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces

• Zest of an orange
• 1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
• ½ banana
• 1 Italian plum
• Juice of a lemon – an important brightener
• 3 large Swiss chard leaves (ribs sliced away)
• Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.

GREEN SMOOTHIE II
ORANGE – BANANA – PLUM – LEMON – MORE CHARD
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces

• Zest of an orange
• 1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
• ½ banana
• 1 Italian plum
• Juice of a lemon – an important brightener
• 3 large Swiss chard leaves (ribs sliced away)
• Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.

GREEN SMOOTHIE III
BANANA – LIME – APPLE – MILK – CHARD (pretty pale green color!)
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 16 ounces

• ½ banana
• Zest & juice of a lime
• 2 large Swiss chard leaves (center ribs sliced away)
• 1 small apple (4 ounces), cored but skin on
• 1 cup skim milk
• Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste.

GREEN SMOOTHIE IV
BANANA – LEMON – APPLE – MILK – PLUM – MINT (a soggy green)
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 16 ounces

• ½ banana
• Zest & juice of a lemon
• 1 small apple (4 ounces), cored but skin on
• 2 Italian plums, pitted, skins on
• 1 cup skim milk
• About ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint, leaves only
• Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste.