“Above all, challenge yourself. You may well surprise yourself
at what strengths you have, what you can accomplish.”
~ Cecile M. Springer
I am thankful for the December Green Smoothie Challenge on many levels. It prevents me from falling into a green smoothie rut, it inspires my creativity and desire to generate new recipes, and it allows me to network with others to give/receive support and share ideas. If you are just joining us, you may want to read: Week #1 ~ December Green Smoothie Challenge (Recipes & Shopping List). The post contains tips and advice to those who are brand new to green smoothies and also recipes and a shopping list for the first seven days. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Also, please share your recipe reviews or your own favorite recipes in the comment section or on my Produce with Amy Facebook Page.
While creating recipes, my intention is to keep the green smoothies simple and to work from a shopping list that will not be too expensive. The recipes would be easy to tweak if you do not like a particular ingredient. Also, if you have any “leftovers” from last week you may decide to make amendments to the shopping list. If you like your smoothies sweet, you may want to buy extra fruit. Bananas work well as a sweetener. If you have a banana allergy pineapple, mango, and oranges are all high-sugar fruit. Sometimes I sweeten my smoothies with medjool dates and some people add a little raw honey or maple syrup.
Most of my recipes make approximately three cups. While I drink mine for breakfast, I often make extra so I can sip on it during my half hour commute home from work. One of the benefits of green smoothies are that they can help fight food cravings and sometimes my husband Mike and I will drink one before dinner or as a post-dinner snack.
In the second week’s shopping list I have included spinach and also kale. I do warn that kale tastes much stronger and more “grassy” than spinach, so I recommend that you a little at a time. Also, if you enjoy the taste of fresh ginger root (I personally could add it to every smoothie I make)
it does a great job of masking strong-tasting greens. In the past I also purchased tart cherry juice to flavor my green smoothies. Tart cherry juice is pricey (but it tastes terrific) and a little goes a long way. Plus, tart cherries have many health benefits.
When you drink green smoothies for weeks-on-end it is important to rotate your greens. While spinach is my favorite ~ I also enjoy kale, carrot tops, beet greens, radish tops, spring mix greens, dandelion greens, and turnip greens. If you look in the produce section of your local market you will be surprised how many varieties of greens there are. While in the summer I enjoy growing my own, during winter months I will often buy bunches of beets, radishes, and carrots and lop off the tops to use in my smoothies. (Tip: if they are wilted when you purchase them you can immerse in cold water and they will perk right up).
When I started drinking green smoothies five years ago I read all that I could about green smoothie guru, Victoria Boutenko. I highly recommend her books Green for Life and Green Smoothie Revolution. In her books, Victoria Boutenko stresses the importance of rotating our greens because of the alkaloids found in them. Read more about it here.
Week Two ~ December Green Smoothie Shopping List:
*Shopping list is based on one Green Smoothie a day. If you are making green smoothies for two, or more, you will want to increase the amount you purchase.
- 2 (9 ounce bags) of spinach
- 1 bunch of kale (or an alternate green. If you are adventurous, try a variety of greens in place of the spinach)
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 5-7 ripe bananas (peel and freeze)
- 1 pineapple (unless you have some left from last week. You will need 2 cups)
- 1 avocado
- 1 cucumber
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 1 pear
- Celery
- Frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries ~ or similar mix)
- Fresh ginger root
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Can of pumpkin
- Can of light coconut milk (often found in the Asian food section)
*Optional Ingredients
- Molasses (used as flavoring in one of the smoothies)
- Coconut flakes (used as a garnish for couple of the smoothies)
- Chia seeds (some people add hemp seeds or flax-seeds)
- Coconut water (regular water works fine but there are many health benefits to drinking coconut water. It can often be found in the Latin food or heath food section of the supermarket. I usually buy one large can per two green smoothies…or a couple liter containers).
Printable List:Week Two December Green Smoothie Challenge Shopping List
WEEK TWO RECIPES.
Each recipe should render approximately 3 CUPS of GREEN SMOOTHIE. They are so delicious you may want to make extra (or leave a little) for a mid-day snack.
Printable recipes posted below.
*If you plan on drinking your smoothies in the morning you may prep your smoothies the night before. You could even freeze ingredients in individual containers for the week. Sometimes when I know I am going to be in a time pinch in the morning I blend the night before and they stay fresh.
Sunday ~ Day #8: Jamaican Dream Green Smoothie
(My husband Mike and I got married on the beach in Jamaica and this smoothie transports me back to the tropics. We feasted on pumpkin soup and loved fresh fruit and frozen drinks)
- 3-4 cups of spinach
- 1/2 – 1 banana
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin
- 1/2 cup of pineapple
- 1/2 cup of light canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon Molasses (since molasses has a strong taste you may want to add a little at a time)
- Garnish with shredded coconut and nutmeg
- 1/2 – 1 cup of coconut water (or regular water)
Monday ~ Day #9: Berry Blast Green Smoothie
- 1/3 of a bunch of kale
- 1/2 – 1 banana
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro (to taste)
- 1/2 avocado
- 3/4 cup of mixed berries
- Fresh ginger root to taste (peeled)
- 1 cup of water (or coconut water)
Tuesday ~ Day #10: Lean & Green Smoothie
- 2-3 cups of spinach
- 1/2 cup of pineapple
- 1 Granny Smith Apple (if it is organic, leave on the peel)
- Celery (1 rib)
- 1/2 cucumber (if it is organic, leave on the peel)
- 1/2 avocado
- Juice and zest of one lemon (1/2 if you want it less tart)
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro (to taste)
- Optional ~ banana (if you want it more sweet. I leave it out. You could also add another 1/2 cup of pineapple for sweetness)
- 1 cup of water
Wednesday ~ Day #11: Berry Bliss Green Smoothie
- 1/3 of a bunch of kale
- 1/2-1 banana
- 1 cup of mixed berries
- 1/2 cup of light canned coconut milk
- *Optional ~ ginger root to taste
- 1/2 – 1 cup of water
Thursday ~ Day #12: Autumn Harvest Green Smoothie
- 3-4 cups of spinach
- 3/4 – 1 cup of pumpkin
- 1 pear
- Ginger root (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk
- 1/2 – 1 cup of water
- *Optional ~ banana (depending on how sweet you want it to be)
Friday ~ Day #13: Pina Colada Green Smoothie
- 3-4 cups of spinach
- 1 cup of pineapple
- 1/2 – 1 banana
- 1/2 cup of light canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup of coconut water or regular water
- Garnish with coconut
Saturday ~ Day #14: Citrus Fusion Green Smoothie
- 1/3 bunch of kale
- 1 orange (you could also zest the orange for extra flavor)
- 1/2 – 1 banana
- 1/2 cup of light canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1/2 – 1 cup of coconut water or regular water
Printable recipes:Week Two December Green Smoothie Challenge Recipes
Week Three Green Smoothie Challenge Recipes
Whether you are new to green smoothies, or a veteran blender, I hope that my posts are helpful to you. I would love your feedback on the daily thread I post on my Produce with Amy Facebook page. Please like my page so you can join the conversation. Cheers to health and thriving in 2014!
Produce with Amy 