Green Smoothies ♥

How to make green smoothies, lots of tips and ideas and recipes.

So far, my response to the mere mention of green smoothies has ranged from 'polite' to "Ewww". But that's without tasting one!

A confession: While I wanted to 'try' a green smoothie, I really didn't expect to like it. But I do! I've been experimenting with 'how much green' tastes good – I like more than less but not a lot. And for the last couple of weeks, my morning routine has included a green smoothie – often, with milk to fulfill the Weight Watchers milk/calcium requirement, so 'breakfast in a glass'. They're fast, easy, very pretty! I've collected some combinations here, just to inspire.

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. Buttermilk adds a little 'tang'.
Try to avoid adding processed sugar, teach your tastebuds to appreciate things sweetened only with fruit.
It takes a LOT of fresh herbs (like mint, say) to be equivalent taste-wise and color-wise of a single leaf of chard, say. So I use fresh herbs just as a flavor accent, not as the "green".
If extra calories are important, add an egg. This may be raw food but feel free to skip the shell. :-)
UPDATE Don't be surprised when green smoothies don't always turn out a pretty green color. This from my clever cousin Barb, who makes smoothies in a Vitamix. She says, "When the smoothie looks like poop, you put it in a solid glass. When it's a pretty color, you put it in a clear glass."
UPDATE Here's a revelation, smoothies keep! So now I make a blenderful, drink a glass and put the rest into one-cup glass jars for the fridge. Later on, a quick stir and my smoothie is good to go.
If you create your own green smoothie - leave the magic recipe in a comment! UPDATE And do read the comments, they are full of great tips and ideas.
NUTRITION NOTE When Weight Watchers launched PointsPlus in 2010, fruit servings became "free". That means that technically, if you choose, the smoothies made with just fruit and vegetables could be considered "free". But I'm choosing to calculate calories and points the way I always do, because fruit calories can add up really fast for those of us who really love fruit.

GREEN SMOOTHIE I

ORANGE - BANANA - CHARD
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces (about 1 cup)

Zest of an orange
1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
1/2 banana
1 large Swiss chard leaf (ribs sliced away)
Water to thin
1 tablespoon Estonian kama (which I'm completely addicted to, but wheat germ would work too)

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Cup (using wheat germ): 187 Calories; 1 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 44 g Carb; 8 g Fiber; NetCarb36; 27 g Sugar; 62 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 3, PointsPlus 5

GREEN SMOOTHIE II

ORANGE - BANANA - PLUM - LEMON - MORE CHARD
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces (about 1 cup)

Zest of an orange
1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
1/2 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.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Cup: 159 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 40g Carb; 7g Fiber; 25g Sugar; 122mg Sodium; 0mg Cholesterol; 3g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 2.5, PointsPlus 5

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 (about 2 cups)

1/2 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 and adjust.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Cup: 110 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 24g Carb; 3g Fiber; 17g Sugar; 166mg Sodium; 2mg Cholesterol; 6g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 1.5, PointsPlus 3 (including milk)

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 (about 2 cups)

1/2 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 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint, leaves only

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Cup: 141 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 2mg Cholesterol; 70mg Sodium; 31g Carb; 5g Fiber; 23g Sugar; 6g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 2, PointsPlus 4

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~ Weight Watchers Smoothie Recipes ~
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from Kitchen Parade, my food column

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