Hello beauties! I'm so excited to talk GREEN SMOOTHIES! It is one of my favorite (near) daily health routines. So what's your feeling? Are you fully in love and swear by your morning smoothie? Or still not sure why anyone would want to drink greens? I'm hoping after today's post you'll be feeling extra brave + willing to try green smoothies for the first time or mix up your current smoothie routine with some new recipes!
The WHY:
Dark leafy greens are the #1 missing food in most modern diets. That's absolutely true for our Standard American Diet. Green smoothies are a REALLY easy + delicious way to get tons of nutrition-packed greens into your belly. Leafy greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids that are essential in keeping all of our bodily processes functioning smoothly. I call greens the ultimate reset button!
I'm a HUGE believer in adding healthy foods and practices into your life, in living gently and going with what feels really nourishing + supportive. I don't believe in deprivation, in dieting, in restricting calories-- it's not loving and the results are not usually lasting. There can be a lot of shame + guilt wrapped up in our relationship with food. Adding in is a way to break those old habits and beliefs that we have to suffer to see results. I tried that route for a LONG time and it just made me feel guilty + super grumpy.
We all have toxic accumulations in our systems. They come from our food, skincare products and the environment (pesticides, chemicals, etc.). Accumulated toxins block our bodily channels and decrease the functioning of all of our systems, leading to varying symptoms and dis-ease. Greens help to clean the system and keep your insides in tip, top shape!
You’ll need:
A dose of can do.
A blender. While a Vitamix is AMAZING, most blenders will get the job done. You may feel a bit like you’re chewing your smoothie if you don’t have a high power blender. A good way to troubleshoot is to blend the liquid (almond milk or coconut water) with your greens first and then add the rest of the ingredients. Some of the smaller bullets are really efficient!
Tips:
Q: I’ve never used a Vitamix before is there anything special I need to know? A: It’s pretty straight forward. The most important things to know are (these apply to all blenders): - Never remove the blender from the base while it’s on (you’ll break this teensy tiny part that will require fixing and it takes forever, speaking from experience here). - Never put a spoon, spatula or anything else down in there while it’s on. DISASTER! Blended wood. Not cool. - Follow a basic formula when making smoothies: liquid + greens first. Blend til liquid and then add everything else (frozen fruit, dates, super foods, etc).
Q: Do I have to buy all organic produce? A: Organics have been shown to have more vitamins and minerals than conventional produce. Go organic when you can! If you have a hard time finding organic cucumber just peel the skins off before blending them. That will help to reduce your exposure to toxins, same for apples + pears. All that said -eating conventional fruits + veggies is better than not eating them at all!
Q: Peel or no peel on citrus? A: For lemon you can blend it skins and all! Always peel oranges and grapefruits.
Q: What's up with maca + chia? A: Maca + chia are considered Superfoods! I use them A LOT in my smoothies and they're always optional in my recipes.
Maca powder comes from a root-like veggie, is shaped like and distant relative of the radish. With 5x more protein than a potato + 4x more fiber it naturally balances hormones, is high in potassium, calcium, boosts energy + libido, helps fight depression. Maca is excellent for combating the symptoms of menopause! You will want to ease into it. Taking too much too quickly will give you a wired feeling. Start small with a tsp per day in a smoothie and build up to 1-2 tablespoons per day. Taste is sort of malty sweet. You won't notice it mixed into smoothies. You will notice it if you're making desserts, baking with it or adding it to tea/ coffee.
Chia seeds have the highest amount of omega-3 oil content (the good fat) just above flax. Chia has 8x more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon! They have 7x more vitamin C than oranges, 5x more calcium than milk, 3x more iron than spinach + 2x more potassium than bananas. You can see why they call them a SUPERfood! They are unprocessed and easily absorbed into the body (meaning you don't have to grind them up like flaxseeds). They taste really mild, sort of nutty. Favorite Combos:
Super simple cantaloup smoothie! 2 large handfuls spinach blended with 10 oz almond milk. Then add half cantaloupe (remove rind), 2 tbsp chia seeds and 2 tsp Maca powder with a cup of ice. So refreshing!
Almond milk, Spinach, Frozen Berries, Coconut Butter, Almond Butter, Green Powder, Maca Powder, Cacao Nibs + Dates! I call it The Ron Burgundy? (ha!) Full recipe over here.
So what do you think? Feeling inspired to go green? I hope so! Here if you have any questions + would love to hear your favorite green smoothie combos!
Celebrating you + the power of green smoothies! Lacy
P.s. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
- Sweet Surrender 10-day Sugar Detox Dec 1 – 10th! Get loads of support + balance in place in perfect timing before the Christmas/ New Year holidays! The last session was completely life changing for so many, myself included. Info + registration + inspiring testimonials here.
