The Vegetarian Tree: The Fruit is Good!: Green Smoothies All Around: Week 2

Mormon Moms for Vegetarian, Vegan and Raw Cooking!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Green Smoothies All Around: Week 2

Green Smoothies All Around: Mini Series, Week 2: Pineapple Green Smoothie

When I first took the plunge into the vegi life I was mostly excited to try all the wonderful things this diet offered, sea weed, kelp noodles, tofu and all the fruits and vegetables I'd always heard about but never had the courage to test. You did not find me running to the grocery store for ingredients to make green smoothies though...the thought of a green smoothie just really freaked me out. Vegetables should be eaten with vegetables and fruits with fruits...combining them, in my mind was just wrong.

After getting back in touch with Ronda and hearing her rave about how healthy and tasty green smoothies can be I decided to give them a try. I was so surprised that my first green smoothie (with Kale and Spinach) wasn't green and tasted like fruit! I soon started coming up with different varieties of green smothies. Green ones, purple ones - brown {chocolate} ones...the possibilities are endless!!!

During this green smoothie mini series we'll teach you the basics on how to do green smoothies at home and then give you some ideas to get you started. Feel free to play around - use what you have - and use what you LIKE :), but remember the geniusness behind the green smoothie is to eat things that you normally wouldn't eat or that you wouldn't eat enough of. Hence, the kale, collard green, chard, celery, ideas. When these green jewels are blended and hidden behind bananas, mangos, and strawberries it makes it easy to load up on them.

For Green Smoothies:

Use a blender. Even my {dumb} cheap blender does a good job on smoothies. I fill my blender with my *greens.

Add a little water, juice or milk (orange, carrot, apple, chocolate almond milk....whatever I feel like) and start blending.

Then I start adding fruit. Fresh or frozen it doesn't matter. Sometimes I have to help out my {dumb} blender by pushing everything down or adding a bit more liquid - you'll get the hang of it.

Once it's the way I like it I add in POWER BOOSTERS such as wheat germ, milled flax seed or chia seeds - all great for smoothies.

*I use, almost exclusively spinach or kale in my green smoothies. In my opinion they have the best nutrition content {both being serious super-foods} and I like these flavors the best. Other great options would consist of collard greens, chard or anything that is dark or rich in color. This works for me because we drink green smoothies 2-4 times a week. Ronda on the other hand has been making green smoothies for her and her entire family most days for the past year and half. In this case she keeps boxes of the organic spring mix from Costco on hand for smoothies. It contains 3 or four different kinds of greens. Then she mixes that with other greens like collard greens, chard, kale and spinach. If you are drinking green smoothies most days for an extended period of time it is important to try to shake it up. When you eat the same things over and over again your body can reach an overload point.

Pineapple Green Power Smoothie

Fill blender with fresh spinach or kale or a mixture of both (not packed - but filled)
1/3 fresh pineapple, cut up into large chunks
1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
2 Tbsp milled flax seed (optional)
2 Tbsp raw wheat germ (optional)
water, to taste

1. Fill blender with greens. Add orange juice and start blending.
2. Add all the fruit and puree into a green smoothie.
3. Add seeds and or wheat germ if you want and then add water to get your desired consistency.

This makes about 3 tall glass servings.

DRINK UP and live LONG!

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Doctrine and Covenants 89:10-16

"I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—Every herb (plant) in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine. All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth. And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger. All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground." (emphasis added)

John A. Widstoe

"It was shown in the history of plant science that plants contain all the necessary food substances: proteins, fats, starches and the carbohydrates, minerals...water {and} vitamins. The Great builder of the earth provided well for the physical needs of His children. Countless varieties of edible plants, vegetables, cereals, fruits and nuts are yielded by Mother Nature for man's daily food. If one uses meat it must be used sparingly and in winter or famine only...They who wish to be well and gain the promised reward stated in the Word of Wisdom must obey all of the law, not just part of it as suits their whim or their appetite, or their notion of its meaning." (The Word of Wisdom, a Modern Interpretation, 1950)

Doctrine and Covenants 59:16-21

"...the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for rainment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." (emphasis added)

Ezra Taft Benson

"There is no question that the health of the body affects the spirit, or the Lord would never have revealed the Word of Wisdom...Disease, fever and unexpected deaths are some of the consequences directly related to disobedience...To a great extent, we are physically what we eat. Most of us are acquainted with some of the prohibitions of the Word of Wisdom...but what need additional emphasis are the positive aspects - the need for vegetables, fruits, and grain, particularly wheat. We need a generation of people who eat in a healthier manner." (Ensign, September 1988, p. 5)

Ezra Taft Benson