04 January 2012

Green Juice Journey

This morning I started green juicing.  Well, not juicing actually.  Green smoothie-ing. 

In an effort to eat healthier and get more fruits and veggies into my diet, I started researching the whole juicing trend.  As it turns out, although homemade juices are very healthy, smoothies are the way to go.  Juices aren't "complete" foods, meaning that since all of the fiber has been stripped from the fruits and veggies, you're missing out on a vital component of what you're ingesting.  Also, I think smoothies are easier.  You just put all of your ingredients into a blender or food processor and whir away. 

There is a wealth of information to be found online about green smoothies;  I used this website and bought this book.

Some of the benefits of green smoothies are:
  • Increased energy
  • Brightened, "glowing" skin, hair, and eyes
  • Fewer mood swings
  • Increased metabolism
  • Weight loss
Sign me up!

So today I started my own green smoothie revolution.  I'm not giving myself deadlines or goals.   I know this isn't going to be an every day thing {although it will probably be an every week day thing} because, um, I live for Sunday brunch.  But I really want this to become a lifestyle thing so that when I'm hungry and need something fast and on-the-go, my automatic response is to make a green smoothie, not to run through a drive-through or heat up a frozen pizza.

looks like something from the swamp, right?  tasted pretty yummy!

I used about 1 cup of spinach {maybe a little more or less.  I eyeballed it.}, one Fuji apple, one banana, the juice of half a lemon, and 2 cups of water.  I used a food processor because we don't have a blender.  But the texture was similar to lawn clippings, so I think I'm going to have to invest in a blender.  Any recommendations?

Do any of you do green juices or smoothies?  I'd love to hear about your own experiences and recipes!

2 comments:

AEOT said...

I'm obsessed with the green monster smoothis from Annie's Eats (my favorite food blog- she's fantastic!!). My little guy who is 19 months also loves them. I don't usually add the honey (I think it's sweet enough), but I do add the flaxseed for the omega 3s. Definitely worth a try.

I always do my smoothies in the blender- I think it does make a difference. Also, I make enough for 2-3 smoothies and just quickly reblend with ice on the next day. That way I have it on hand and don't have to get out all the ingrediants day after day. Enjoy your smoothie fixes!!

Barefoot in the Park said...

oh i haven't tried these before but think i'll have to!

i've never tried the "at home" version before, only the store bought from bolthouse or odwalla