A decade or so ago, I got into green smoothies in a big way. I felt great. And then, I slowly stopped. I'd still would have a smoothie now and then but I didn't get back to having them daily. When I became a serious vegan, I still did not go back to smoothies. I preferred whole foods. But lately, I have been craving smoothies again. Maybe I'll start having them a few times a week or maybe I'll incorporate them into my daily routine. I'm not sure really, but I dug out my tips and tricks and am putting them here for easy reference.
A green smoothie is basically a delicious and healthy fruit smoothie with a handful of greens thrown in. You don't taste the greens (unless you use a strong one, like arugula). The fruit is the dominant flavor.
THE BLENDER
Green smoothies are simple to make. You whip them up in a blender. Most any blender will work. I used a cheaper blender for several months. That will do, so don't let the appliance stop you from trying this out. The pricey blenders (Vitamix and Blendtec) are the very best. When you get truly serious about smoothies, you may want to splurge on one of these. I have the Blendtec. My sister has the Vitamix. Both are equally good.
LIQUID
I start with around 20 to 24 oz of water or an ice and water combo. If I'm adding juiced citrus, I use less. If I want it really cold and milk-shakey, I use less water. Using a nut milk in place of some or all of the water, gives the smoothie a bit of extra creaminess.
GREENS
Next I add a handful of greens. My most popular greens for smoothies are spinach, kale, and swiss chard. Those have a really subtle flavor, but other greens and herbs are worth experimenting with. Sometimes I add bits of parsley or mint. Those flavors are stronger, but pleasant. I made an arugula smoothie once that had to be dumped out. Arugula is very strong. After doing the smoothies for a while you'll find you start wanting a great quantity of greens and more diversity. If you are just starting out or wanting to get your family on board, use less.
FRUIT
Fruit flavors should dominate. Finding great combinations is an art. Organic and fresh is great. Frozen is fine. You can even use canned fruits in a pinch. Having at least some of the fruit frozen will both chill and thicken your smoothie. If you have no frozen fruit, you can throw in a few cubes of ice.
- berries - strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, cherries...
- citrus - grapefruit, oranges, tangerines...
- more - mango, pineapple, peaches, nectarines, melons, avocado, pears
- extra sweetness - bananas, apples, medjool dates
Tip: Freeze your bananas!!! Peel them, break them into chunks, and then freeze them flat on a cookie sheet. When solid, transfer them to a ziptop freezer bag.
The color of the smoothie will vary according to what you add. If you use yellow or light colored fruits, your smoothie will be a beautiful shade of green. At first the green might seem unappealing but soon you will find that the green is very appealing. I don't know why this happens but it does. If you use red or blue fruits (like berries), the color will be sort of a purple color. I've heard a few smoothie experts swear that kids are more apt to go for the purple colors. I have had some combinations that turned a muddy boyish purple and even though they tasted great, the color wasn't pleasant. I prefer the color of the greens. Once you are hooked on smoothies, you won't care that much.
FILLING ADDITIONS
There are other healthful things that can be added that will help your smoothie more filling.
Seeds - chia, hemp, and ground flax
Nuts or Nut butters - peanut, almond, cashew, tahini
Non-Dairy Milks - almond, flax, coconut water, soy
Lentils - precooked and cooled
Slken Tofu
Avocado
MISC
Ginger, and turmeric are also popular additions.
Next I blend. Start at a slow speed and gradually ramp it up. Halfway through the blending process. There are still bits of green and chunks of fruit. By the end, you should see no bits and pieces. This is where you notice the difference between a good blender and a great one. With a good blender, it takes longer to get this consistency. For the money difference, you may not care!
I end up with two quarts. I drink about half at a time and put the rest in the fridge for later. Drinking immediately is best, but you can make these ahead. Sometimes I make a batch in the evening for the next morning if I have someplace to go. One smoothie guru says to drink them within 24 hours and I agree. After it sits awhile, it can separate - watery at the bottom and foamy at the top. Just shake it up and it's fine.
Finally, clean up your mess. The blender should be cleaned immediately. Just put a bunch of water in and 1 tiny drop of detergent. Blend. Rinse well. I can make a batch within 10 minutes and that includes the time getting everything out and cleaning up.
Don't use the same ingredients every time. You want to get a wide variety of nutrients!
Fruits are easy to change. I keep lots of different fruits in the freezer and change with my mood. Opened fruits can be double bagged - sealable fruit bag inside of a freezer baggie - to avoid that freezer taste. If you have a vacuum sealer, that's even better.
Citrus is at it's best here in the winter. They are great in smoothies.
Also, even if you have stomach issues and don't do well with greens, you WILL more than likely be able to tolerate them in smoothies.
And finally, you can also make your smoothie a little thicker (less liquid) and turn it into a smoothie bowl. These are even better with added toppings like nuts, granola, fruit.
