Green Smoothies Are Having a Moment
Now that spring is really and truly finally here (oh, please, let that be so), greenery is everywhere: on the trees, on our lawns and even in our blenders. Interest in green smoothies — healthy, hydrating blended drinks made with fresh leafy green vegetables, like spinach, kale, chard or collard greens, or green herbs, like mint, parsley, cilantro or basil — seems to be peaking, piqued, perhaps, by New York Times Recipes for Health columnist Martha Rose Shulman's recent paean to verdant beverages.
Martha overcame her longtime reluctance to green drinks not long ago and dedicated herself to concocting some she could really relish, experimenting with fruits like bananas, pears, blueberries and pineapples, and ingredients like fresh ginger, which she said "made these drinks sing."
"The drinks are loaded with phytonutrients and they’re filling," she concluded. "They are definitely meals in a glass. When I was testing the recipes I enjoyed every sip and felt very energetic for hours afterward. So no more rolling my eyes: I’m a green smoothie convert."
Martha's zeal for green smoothies may be new, but plenty of bloggers have been singing their praises — and sharing tips and recipes — for some time.
Jadah Sellner and Jen Hansard, who founded the blog Simple Green Smoothies, are on a "mission to spread the love of green smoothies." Their site offers advice on how to make a perfect green smoothie — as well as loads of recipes. Newbies may want to start with their Beginner's Luck Green Smoothie. Jadah and Jen recommend following a simple formula of 60 percent fruits to 40 perfect leafy greens. "When you're making your first few green smoothies, don't just throw things in the blender," they warn. "Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate."
The blog Incredible Smoothies, which takes a weight-loss and detox approach to green smoothies, also offers in-depth health and nutrition information and recipes. You can browse for ideas by ingredients, from acai to zucchini.
And, of course, you can find plenty of great recipes for green smoothies right here on the Food Network and Cooking Channel sites. Here are a few to try:
Green Morning Smoothie: Vanilla almond, coconut or soy milk; whole oats; spinach; peaches or mangoes …
All Green Smoothie: Pineapple juice, pears, grapes, avocado, broccoli, spinach …
Glowing Green Smoothie: Lettuce, spinach, celery, apple, pear, banana, cilantro, parsley …
Mean Green Smoothie: Spinach, grapes, green tea, kiwi, mint, Granny Smith apple …
So what are you waiting for? Fire up that blender and go green.