Health & Family Anyone else drink green smoothies?

Have just picked up a Nutri Ninja Slim, and am having heaps of fun combining different vegies and fruits in it. The mango/spinach/vanilla yoghurt was sublime, but I don't know that I'll be trying the broccoli/strawberry combo again.

I'm going to give this a try as a meal replacement (breakfasts primarily) and also perhaps as an afternoon snack before flute teaching or zumba. I'm mostly going to be going the veggie versions, to try to minimise the amount of sugar I get in my diet (which is horrendously high... I am a sugar junkie).

Anybody else make their own smoothies, and what machine do you use?

 

Thermomix, we have had one for about 5 years and love it.
I use it for a breakfast replacement when I have the time.

 

I don't have one of these machines but yesterday I had a fresh Watermelon, pineapple and lime juice. Absolutely divine.
It looked a pale watermelony colour but you could definitely taste the lime and pineapple. Perfect.

 

I love my smoothies! The idea of a meal replacement with veggies sounds really good..

My staple has always been blueberries, banana, chocolate protein powder and milk.. Another favourite is pear, apple and strawberries.

I've been happy with the blitz n go, but girlfriend has replaced it with the Nutri bullet that seems strong enough to blend concrete.

Do you have some good veggie recipes?

 

Definitely trying this!! Maybe with gin or vodka

 

Date, avocado, cocoa nib, banana and kale is good

Also acai strawberry watermelon almond milk granola

 

Love the suggestions folks! Keep em coming. The other one I would have is carrot with ginger and whatever.. can be orange, apple, watermelon... anything. Oh, and throw some celery in too.
Satisfying.

 

Beetroot juice. Natural EPO.

pinkboy

 

Ice, banana, pineapple and blueberry is an awesome slushy like drink!

 

I'm going to try cucumber, celery and spinach tomorrow afternoon. Will try to remember to take a photo of it (before and after!).
I know that there's something to be said for not having any dairy in them, but I have to admit I like a few spoons of yoghurt - either sweet (for fruit smoothies) or just plain for the veggie ones. It makes them, well, smoother Plus it tends to fill me up more because of the protein.
Anybody put a raw egg or protein powder in theirs? What did you think?

 

I have been drinking these for the last 3 years and can't recommend them highly enough. Actually give an energy boost and great for the skin. Didn't realise the latter until I started getting lots of comments - how good is that?
http://kimberlysnyder.com/blog/ggs/

 

George Foreman thing.

Kale. Few blueberries or raspberries. Chia seeds. Oats. Water.

Avocado works great as a thickener.

 

I like the various smoothies, but am sceptical on claims that blenders rupture and access nutrients encased inside plant cells that your body couldn't get to otherwise

Are there any scientific studies that prove that blending foods releases nutrients that wouldn't be released when you chew and digest them normally?

 

I have to admit, avocado is pretty much the only fruit I'm not a fan of, hence the yoghurt. That said, I might still give it a go and see how it goes. If the taste blends in with the other green stuff I should be fine with it

 

Agree Redwing. For me it's more about just increasing the amount of raw veg and fruit in my diet - I'm not necessarily a believer in all the claims around 'nutrient extraction' etc.

 

Completely agree.

But it's more palatable in smoothie form than a bowl of kale leaves.

 

I had an all avocado smoothie in Taiwan... urrgghhh... one sip was enough.

 

Was it a hangover cure?

 

Nope. Just a health drink... but... urrgghhh. Never again.
Unrelatedly, I did have absinthe (which is another green drink lol) while there after a heavy shot drinking night.. the absinthe came after all those other shots. I had troubles getting down the stairs of that place after that session... it had major affects on my vision that evening.

 

I have one most mornings. Agree on the energy and good skin comments.

To get the smoothness without yoghurt, add frozen banana to it. What I do is put a combination of 2 veg and 1-2 fruit in ziplock bags in the freezer at the start of every week. So it would usually be banana + other fruit, and carrot + green veggie like kale or baby spinach. I find other veggies like lettuce have a stronger flavour which I don't really like.

Then I have little containers which