Green Smoothie Magic - 132+ Delicious Green Smoothie Recipes That Trim And Slim (12 page)

K.I.S.S.

Or you may decide to keep everything simple and just go for local organic with a good variety of nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables. You will thrive no matter what, following the principles of eating a varied diet, mixing your greens avoiding just taking just say spinach and chard, but routinely picking from about a one and a half dozen different greens.

Me? I like to add spirulina to a smoothie now and then and I use coconut oil and yes I have a certain few ‘trendy’ superfoods but I NEVER go overboard. If you can afford it then test it all out. If you cannot then stick with the basics.

Cacao – Or How To Make A REAL Chocolate Smoothie (Yup, A Healthy One!)

One trendy well-promoted superfood that I actually believe is worth the trouble is cacao. It’s the
unprocessed
form of cocoa (described above). I have done LOADS of testing and found that I can make great tasting smoothies that actually LOSE their delight for me when I add cacao powder.

Other people say “bring it on” and they add heaped tablespoons of the stuff. To me it imparts a strong and sometimes bitter taste to my smoothie. Don’t get me wrong. I love cacao. But there IS a solution!

I have found that adding ¼ cup of cacao nibs made ALL the difference. Hey presto, wonderful chocolate smoothies that I believe are super-healthy. (Do your own experimenting.) I have put tasting notes along with a few recipes that have cacao nibs in them. You can use the powder if you like.

Generally though, if you’re not used to the flavor then start with a smaller amount of cacao than the recommended quantity of nibs.

Spirulina And Other Sea Greens

Spirulina for example has a fantastic profile with all the essential amino acids, GLA (an essential omega-6 fatty acid and the only green in which it’s found) works well in the gut to sustain healthy intestinal flora, has chlorophyll and beta-carotene, vitamin B (including B12 and folic acid, riboflavin and thiamine and more), magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and enzymes. I could go on!

You can choose to add a small amount of spirulina to any smoothie you wish.

Spirulina is a marvelous food and it does have a particular taste that may take some time to get used to. It could make a smoothie taste a little ‘too green’. Blended in small amounts you will ‘
greenify
’ your smoothie. Start with say, ¼ teaspoon (or less) and work your way up.

I have a very palatable mix of several greens together. My container (which I store in the fridge) has sea greens spirulina and chlorella along with barley grass and wheatgrass and then sweetened with some stevia.

Chia

If you were to break down chia seeds you would find a wealth of nutritional elements hidden in this plant food. I am not here to give you medical advice! However I can share with you some things I know about chia.

The jury is still out on how much chia one should include in one’s diet. So, remember as with anything, vary your intake of different foods. Don’t put chia into every single smoothie.

Remember for ANY nutritional profile to bear fruit (so to speak) those elements have to be bioavailable. It’s no good saying that something is packed with protein to find out that none of it was digested in the body. Take a read and decide how you’ll use chia. I use it from time to time (as part of my approach to a balanced food intake).

Chia seeds are very nutritious containing LOADS of omega 3 fatty acids. In fact they have been found to have the highest amount of these essential threes than any other plant. Amazingly it is also a “complete protein”.

Now while you don’t need complete proteins or their components every single meal (and as mentioned before, that theory is no longer accepted as correct) isn’t it great to know that you can use a simple humble seed in your food that can provide you with a great nutritional profile?

The truly great thing about chia is that it has NO FLAVOR. With no taste that means you can add it to any smoothie recipe and reap the benefits! Yippeeeeeee

OK, back to where chia is at on the nutritional scale! As I said, it scores very highly when it comes to omega 3s. It also has large amounts of iron, magnesium and calcium. It has phosphorus, zinc and both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. It has very high amounts of antioxidants too!

If you’re vegetarian or vegan then it’s very useful to know that you can get vitamin B12, Iron and Omega 3, folate and other essential dietary requirements in a neat little package. Hey, if you’re an omnivore it’s also useful to know! Ha! But those who are vegetarian or vegan do need to source their iron, B12 and Omega 3 particularly.

Here’s the skinny on using chia. As I said, because it has no taste you can choose to put it in any smoothie. (Note, I didn’t say that you should put it in
every
smoothie!)

Should You Add Chia Dry Or Soaked?

So, should you just add the seeds in from the packet? You can. And do so at a pinch. If you are able to soak your seeds beforehand then do that. They absorb somewhere between 7 and 12 times their own mass in water (some say more). They’re very hydrating if you add them in to your smoothie presoaked.

They’re also ‘hydrophilic’ (water-attracting) so they swell up and form a gel. This is why you’ll see reference to ‘chia gel’. Chia seeds have to draw moisture from somewhere. So let them do it before they’re added to your smoothie if you can help it. That way you can use them to keep up your hydration levels.

Chia seeds add bulk and texture. Adding chia can create that smoothie texture. To make a thinner smoothie a little more ‘smoothie-like’ you could add a banana or mango or avocado if you are happy to change the flavor profile. Heap in a couple of tablespoons of soaked chia and one of 2 things will happen:

1. If you add them
   after
   you’ve finished blending, you’ll end up with a nutritious ‘bubble-tea’. In other words you’ll have a smoothie with an interesting and enjoyable texture. It’s important to have mouth feel in your smoothies and that they are not all just identically amorphous and smooth. Add some chia to vary your taste sensations. On that note you’ll find that some smoothies have the added feel of seeds (think raspberry) cacao nibs or flax or shredded coconut.
   
2. Or you can add them in to the blend and pulverize them. You’ll still benefit from improved consistency.
   

Should You Blend The Seeds?

Why blend them? You may have heard that chia is very high in protein. This is true. However
what you do to the seeds will determine the bioavailability of its entire nutritional profile
.

There has been at least 1 clinical study that has shown that if you consume chia seeds whole that the bioavailability of protein is around 25% of its content. Pulverize them, blend them in a smoothie and the ability to have the protein on hand (!) shoots way up to around 95%.

If you’re choosing chia for its high nutritional profile then you do need to know there are effective and not-so-effective ways to get that ‘stuff’ into your system. Just throwing them in without blending may not do what you’re after. Having the texture is very pleasing for some! Kids love that bubble-like sensation in the mouth.

Chia gel magic: Have some in your fridge. Add it for the myriad nutrients. Blend it and benefit from the extra protein (and no doubt all the other things) and change the bioavailability of the from 25 -95%.

OR if you are not concerned about that, but for a particular smoothie would prefer the texture of the floating chia seeds, similar to an Asian bubble tea, then leave them whole and add it to the final smoothie by just stirring in a couple of table spoons.

Other Things You Can Add At Your Own Wish And Whim To Any Smoothie

• Flaxseed or flax oil: Can impart a strong flavor. High in lignans and omega-3s. The seeds have plenty of fiber.
  
• Chia. See the section on chia seeds. Add 2-3 tablespoons of chia gel. Store some in the fridge for a ready supply.
  
• Maca. Not too much for the uninitiated because of its strong taste. I often balance that flavor with tahini. This powder from South America is purported to have benefits for the hormonal and endocrine systems by creating balance. It’s also (among other things) a great source of B12, calcium and magnesium. It is reported to help PMS, menopause symptoms and hot flashes.
  
• Lucuma is a Peruvian fruit. You probably won’t find this delicately flavored tropical fruit in your market. You would use it as a light colored powder which can be described by many as caramel-like, or pumpkin or even slightly malty.
  
• Spirulina has a strong overpowering taste. Use a
  tiny
  bit to start. You can mask any excess taste with apple or celery.
  
• Wheatgrass. You can add it fresh or even freeze a tray-load by blending it with water and then portioning it out in an ice cube tray. Strongly tasting, I mask it with many things including parsley, mint, celery or apple.
  
• Apricot kernels. These have vitamin B17 and are purported to have certain anti-cancer qualities. Soaking them will help reduce the toxic cyanogenic glycosides (that bitter almond taste).
  
• Lemon or lime
  
• Sweeteners such as dried fruits, agave syrup, rapadura (evaporated and crystallized pure cane sugar juice). Others include honey and maple syrup. I tend to avoid sweetening smoothies unnecessarily.
  
• Substitute carob for cacao
  
• Add sprouted chick peas (will create a good consistency). Chick peas (especially raw and sprouted are high in iron and vitamin B but not B12, calcium, zinc, manganese and the list goes on and on)
  
• Goji or acai berries (you decide if they have more benefits than other berries)
  
• Mushroom powders (mycelium)
  
• Apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
  
• Coconut oil or coconut butter, shredded coconut. I often add the oil or butter to a smoothie
  
• Nuts, vary your choices to provide different nutrients
  
• Sesame seeds or tahini, high in calcium
  
• Bee pollen, has essential amino acids and more
  
• Probiotics, to boost healthy organisms in the gut
  
• Antioxidant powders and potions and more ...
  

The Pragmatic Approach To Sprouts

Sprouts are another contentious issue. I have often heard that there is nothing more nutritious than sprouts, based on their ability to change from a tiny inert seed and potentially transform into a tree. The theory goes, that if a seed can turn into a tree then eating that seed’s sprout is definitely going to add a gazillion nutrients to your body.

There are arguments on both sides. It certainly is empowering to believe that eating sprouts is to eat a powerhouse of growth and vitality. It doesn’t hurt to believe that sprouts are packed with enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins and fiber.

Don’t worry, you won’t grow a tree inside of you, you’re just making sound eating decisions by incorporating some sprouts in your diet.

I have certainly found references that show that the amount of nutrients in sprouts may even be
less
than in the plant. (Another reason to do your own research when you come across various health-claims for particular foods being made!)