Introduction
Green smoothies are well ... green! Maybe not green in color, although many of them are, but they are green in contents. They may be fruit blended with some of nature’s other magical ingredients. Some are light and fresh and tangy. Others are smooth, luxuriant, sweet and creamy. Others have a citrus note, others taste more herb-laden.
Whatever your goals, whether it’s your quest for vibrant health, weight loss or shape management, incorporating green smoothies will be the revelation you have been looking for! Welcome to Green Smoothie Magic.
There is no greater gift than the gift of great health.
Taking this positive step is the way to give back to yourself and in a way where you can feel the results in your body and the clarity in your mind. Bold claims eh? To the Green Smoothie Magic uninitiated these may seem like lofty assertions! So rather than taking my word for it, you’ve taken the plunge.
With the modern age of processed foods there’s a move away from home prepared foods in favor of pre-packaged food and less of an emphasis on fresh produce. With so many enticements to move away from the kinds of foods we should be eating one really has to be careful not to stray too far from the (garden?) path.
When you take control and start pumping in the good nutrients that processed stuff becomes far less attractive. You’re even likely to find your cravings will morph, your shopping habits right along with them.
While I don’t believe in making generalized health claims, I do know for a fact that most people don’t eat enough of ‘the good stuff’. Everyone has their tastes! Most of these tastes have been shaped by years of habits. What you eat was largely what your family ate and what their families ate before them.
I am positive that there are not many people who would dare to dispute that, on the whole, our diets are sadly lacking. We all KNOW that when it comes to the essentials, you really cannot go past fresh, raw fruit and vegetables.
While fruits are seen as the easy way to get some of your important foods in, it does seem the green leafy stuff and many vegetables in general continue to get a bad rap. This is where Green Smoothie Magic comes in.
There are many theories and explanations for so many benefits of particular ‘diets’. This article is not intended to explore these in depth.
Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or an omnivore who loves their meat, this article is about taking control of your health. It’s about taking a practical approach to finding balance. The magic of green smoothies is that you can reclaim that true satisfaction of really eating well.
This may even be satisfaction that you will discover for the very first time. With that you’re very likely to find that your habits transform into ways that will support you to find strength and health.
f You Are New To Green Smoothies Start Here
If you’re new to making or drinking green smoothies then it’s important to take the plunge and make and drink these amazing concoctions. It’s far less important to read all the information. That could sound odd coming from the author, but to be clear, it’s acting on the impulse that got you here that is the key to making a difference in your life.
If you just want to jump right in without reading the entire introduction (which is quite detailed) then I highly recommend you start your journey by reading the section entitled Green Smoothie Magic 101: Instructions At A Glance For Blending Any Smoothie.
The instructions that you will find come as a list of 7 reminders. They were all extracted from expanded information in the previous sections so you can go and research more depth in any subject.
Whatever you need clarification on will become evident to you and you can select different sections appropriate to your needs directly from the contents.
As I mentioned previously, this article is designed for you to ‘dip in’ and get what you need. That means you will find that each section can be read on its own without too much cross-referencing. In order to do that, there is a small amount of repetition in the article to facilitate the ‘at-a-glance’ nature of the article.
Other chapters that are worth looking at before you start (as a beginner)
Take a look at the topics covered in the table of contents. I recommend getting some information about using greens. In the ‘Greens’ section you will find a heading that will take you to a very long list of the different mild green leafy vegetables and a shorter list of strong greens. Using the table of contents you will be able to instantly navigate to both these lists. If nothing else it will give you confidence and give you a road map to be able to create delicious smoothies with literally dozens of greens you may not have ever considered using before.
You may find that understanding why to vary the greens you use will empower you to greater health. Find such a chapter by navigating from the contents to Don’t Get Stuck With The Same Green.
If You Don’t Need The Information And Just Want The Recipes Start Here
I know there will be many people who purchase this article (thank you too!) who have been making green smoothies for ages. Maybe you do not want to wade through more information but just want to go to the recipes.
So, it’s handy to know that just before the 132 recipes there is a short section called Green Smoothie Magic 101: Instructions At A Glance For Blending Any Smoothie. These few pages will help you understand the way I have presented all the recipes in this article. These come as a list of 7 reminders. All those reminders are expanded upon in previous sections so you can go and research more depth in any subject.
I've also included a short note after the reminders explaining the "Recipe Index Cross-Referenced For Major Ingredient" - which is a section at the BACK of the article allowing you to see lists of recipes sorted by their major ingredient. Just click on any recipe title and you'll be taken straight to it. I've put this at the back of the article because I believe you will get more enjoyment from the article initially by browsing the information and the recipes - but as you progress, you may have some ingredients on hand and be wondering "now which recipe do I fancy today?". In which case, this is the section for you!
My approach to using nuts and superfoods may be different to what you have been used to. So please decide after reading your 7 reminders whether you want to selectively read other portions of this article! Have fun in your smoothie-licious adventures.
Is It All Just Too Simple?
It does seem that way. Here we are in the modern age of astonishing medical breakthroughs, pharmaceutical concoctions that are claimed to cure just about every ill known to mankind. And then come the food fundamentalists (haha) who say, ‘hold on a second, take a look at how you eat in the first place’.
Far be it for me to make medical claims about drinking green smoothies. In fact, I won’t. I could write a article hundreds of pages long citing anecdotal evidence where thousands upon thousands of people just like you and me have created, regained or sustained vibrant health simply by changing the food that they eat.
Thousands more will tell you that they have lost weight, regained their former trim figures and toned any excess fat by eating well.
But is it too good to be true? Maybe.
It’s not just about finding the perfect potion. It’s about embracing an approach that is well-aligned with the essence of our human being-ness.
We weren’t created to eat the latest greatest pre-packed highly-processed enticingly marketed pasta sauce, yoghurt, soda or potato chip. So it’s really no surprise to me that ANYONE can have health and wellbeing at their fingertips when they eat more fruit and vegetables and cook way less than they did before.
I don’t call that detoxing. That’s a concept that has become a billion dollar industry. Although – and for this we can be grateful – it is getting people to think about what they should and shouldn’t eat. However, in my not so humble opinion, it is gearing people towards believing that they need expensive products. Not so!
Do people lose weight or feel better on a detox? Well yes, they do! And it probably has little to do with those special proprietary products.
Ever noticed that for detox regimes those taking part usually drink juice, have smoothies, or water with lemon juice, cayenne and maple syrup. For many programs that’s ALL you have for days or weeks at a time. I mean, who wouldn’t lose some pounds or feel cleansed after that?
So it’s really about taking control. How you got here to read this article is frankly not as important as where you go from here. Whether you call taking control of your health a ‘detox’, a ‘diet’ or a ‘sensible plan’ it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the evidence IS there:
If you eat MORE raw vegetables and fruit, if you eat PLENTY of green leafy vegetables then your health is likely to improve. It could be better than it ever has been before.
Super Smoothies Without The ‘Superfoods’
You are hearing more and more about them, but what IS a ‘superfood’? To me there are ‘superfoods’ and superfoods. In a nutshell there are certain foods that are marketed with claims that they are ‘the’ answer to creating glowing health that you may not get with other foods.
So in this section I’m going to take a pragmatic approach to superfoods.
It is my belief that science has only really scratched the surface when it comes to uncovering and understanding the nutrition that wholefoods bring to you and me. Scientists can tell us that there are certain elements to a piece of broccoli but they don’t understand the magic of the synergy of it as a wholefood.
Just because you know that something (imagine here a box of breakfast cereal) has certain antioxidants, has specific amounts of certain fats, amino acids and so on and so forth, doesn’t mean you can quantify good health or the effect of that food on the body.
If you happen to be unwell then sometimes science – through tools such as blood analyses – may be able to tell you where you may need a boost in your nutrition. If you need iron then (beyond getting your initial and perhaps acute needs met by a supplement) it is far better for you to find out what wholefoods have iron in them than taking a supplement.
Far better to know that overall you’re eating foods that have the building blocks you need and then let nature provide the invisible keys to get on with the job of creating or sustaining some level of health.
By the way, while I do take some vitamins and other nutrients (which are themselves made of wholefoods and not chemical derivatives) I don’t believe that one should substitute a pill for eating well. Getting a good balance of nutrients is your primary goal.
What you’ll gain from using the principles and recipes in this article is that when you make and consume a variety of greens and a variety of green smoothies, you will create a great balance. There are certain so-called ‘superfoods’ that will help you boost certain aspects of nutrition.
Within these pages you’ll find recipes that use wholefoods and superfoods. Hmmm. What IS a superfood? That definitely depends on your definition. To me a superfood is generally wholefood that is thoughtfully cultivated without pesticides and ideally organic. These foods have good solid nutritional profiles. You can refer to superfoods as ‘nutritionally dense’.
To the public at large however, and because of the wonders of internet marketing, a ‘superfood’ is generally an expensive product (usually more expensive when it’s described by the word ‘superfood’) that often comes from an exotic sounding destination. The jury is out on whether these ‘superfoods’ contain EXTRA benefit to the ones we find in the fresh food section of the (super)market.
It’s absolutely fine to put these foods into your smoothies (I’ll give you guidelines for doing this and a list, should this be something you want to pursue.) I don’t want to marginalize anyone because of their beliefs or even their ability to afford some of these expensive products.
So, I will make some recommendations as to where and how to use certain ‘superfoods’ but you will rarely find them essential to any of the recipes. I live by the credo that good health and a great green smoothie recipe is within the reach of everyone.
Who Am I?
Hahaha. Isn’t that a question we all have to ask ourselves. Some people think it’s important to know who’s writing this tome. So here goes ...
After high school (I went to the Conservatorium of Music) I graduated as a dentist (naturally). It all seems so long ago. I practiced dentistry for many years and decided that despite loving what I did, it was time to branch out and explore life on different terms and in different ways.
Since high school (which I finished over 30 years ago – you do the math) I have been involved in the health industry. From dentist to being a manager in a pharmaceutical company to opening Australia’s very first healthy fast food store. We were nationally endorsed by the Heart Foundation and served healthy food (nothing deep fried, natural flavors, fresh innovative fast food) that also happened to be vegetarian. Yup, so delicious that even the local butcher chose to eat there.
Fast forward a little more and my fascination for holistic health and great food keeps evolving.
I have moved more and more into incorporating raw foods into my diet. I also got married and became a Bikram yoga teacher . I completed Bikram’s course in LA and have become a world renowned ‘hot-yoga-technical-and-all-things-yoga expert’, answering questions, solving people’s yoga problems the world over and spending a lot of time writing. I have written a successful article on the subject of yoga too! (If you’re curious to find out more, there’s a link in the front of the article.)
Sometime after becoming a yoga teacher I gave birth to our adorable daughter. At the time of writing this article she’s 9 and a half.
I have now come full circle with this article. I have combined my love of how the body works, nutrition and health (and writing about them!) into one. I have a very pragmatic approach to food, to the body, to hot yoga and yoga. I love cooking (regular style but admittedly my focus has evolved increasingly to include more raw food). I love un-cooking (raw food preparation) and can do both well.
I really enjoy putting food together into satisfying meals. I enjoy cooking fusion meals with raw and a smaller cooked component. For me, the healthier the meal, the more satisfying. Above all I want TASTE to reign supreme.
I must admit that I do occasionally indulge in things that others might consider (but I don’t like to call) ‘treats’ and even sometimes – dare I say – eat some that verge on the unhealthy.
I live a healthy and balanced life and encourage you to find ways to do the same with balance and never, ever feeling any food-guilt. I am personally a vegetarian but I am not a veg-evangelist. I want you to follow your intuition and find your own way nutritionally.
You will find that making the move towards a rich plant-based way of life (no matter what food styles you prefer, meat or no meat) and using green smoothies as a staple will create a great and even unsurpassed feeling of wellbeing.
Creating this article has been a joy because I have been able to combine flavors together in ways I have never done before.
It’s inevitable that some combinations are sooo good you’ll see them recreated in other places. The difference in Green Smoothie Magic is that I’ll show you how to adapt and evolve your OWN yummy versions or variations. Just wait until you start combining some of these more ‘unexpected’ combinations.
My wish is that you find tremendous satisfaction with each and every Green Smoothie Magic recipe in this article. It would be crazy for me to promise you that you will love every single smoothie. Maybe you are not partial to bananas or maybe you don’t like pineapple. Never fear, I will have a list of substitutions for you. Funnily enough, both Robert and I never liked bananas! But for some reason we can both enjoy green smoothies with them in. Go figure!
So, I have tested all these recipes and I really like them (to different degrees too!). I have sought feedback and scores from many other people too! I like them all but I cannot like them all equally. It just depends. I prefer different smoothies at different times. What I like today may be something I have no desire for, for the next 2 weeks.
Allow yourself to experience the changes of your own food and taste preferences. Some smoothies will be lighter and more refreshing. Others will be more like an indulgent dessert or pudding that you spoon out and enjoy one small mouthful at a time. Some are sweet, some have just a hint of sweetness, some savory, some spicy, some hot and spicy. Some are more sour. Some with lots of herbs.
How delighted you are with the feeling of health and wellbeing that YOU create in yourself and perhaps in your family, will determine the choices you make around how many smoothies you do have per day.
Perhaps like me you’ll start snacking on smoothies as a mini-meal. After all you know that eating a lesser amount more often is another key to vibrant health and longevity.
Are You Getting Enough?
So let me ask you: Are you missing out on the most incredible power-packed nutrition?
It can be so hard to eat enough of the very thing that nutritional science (and yes YOUR BODY) says you need in large amounts. That’s right, green leafy vegetables! You see, most people find it very hard to fit in an amount that will actually create vibrant health.
Most people eat what they eat (and that is either going to be centered around animal flesh and or cooked grains and legumes) with a small green salad on the side. When what you should be doing is having raw salad (or the prepared ingredients of that raw salad) as the main part of how you sustain and nourish yourself.
So THAT’S what green smoothies are ALL about. You know, even though my family has been vegetarian for 18 years there have been times – I can assure you – where the salads and the raw life-giving stuff have, well ... um, taken a back seat and sometimes have been missing.
My daughter, who at the time of writing is less than 10, loves being vegetarian but trying to cram the right amount of green leafies into her is frankly a daunting task. That is UNTIL GREEN SMOOTHIES. I have been making these for a couple of years. Mind you, I had to start with smoothies that didn’t have that green color. That’s easy, make them berry based!
The great news is, that now she wants to make her own. She willingly throws in handfuls of greens and then enjoys her creations. So, sometimes in the recipes you’ll see what score my 9 year old has given a particular smoothie. Perhaps you’ll find this will be a wonderfully useful barometer for your own family’s and friends’ experiences.
The Lowest Common Denominator
Green smoothies are your key to health no matter what your diet choices are. You can use this incredible way to supplement no matter what way you eat. You need vegetables, you need fruit and you DEFINITELY need greens. It’s really a no-brainer that green leafy vegetables are the most basic source of health on this planet.
Put it this way, if you want to search for something healthy in the supermarket you’re often going to find the color green generously applied to the packaging (whether the product is healthy or not). Let’s move on to how to actually incorporate these little wonders into your life.
How To Start Simply
So you’ve made the decision. Here’s how to start the ball rolling. Have one green smoothie per day. There are different ways to do this.
Start Your Day The Way You Want To Continue
The best way to start your day is with your best foot forward, if you know what I mean. ;) So, if you’re a breakfast person, substitute your cereal, toast, coffee, oatmeal or whatever with a nutritious power-packed green smoothie. If your main goal is to lose weight then green smoothies in the morning will give you the energy for the first part of the day and will get you started on the right foot.
From there you’ll find it much easier to make better food choice decisions as you move forward. It could be that when you start the day with a green smoothie that you feel just so darn good that you (in most cases) just NATURALLY gravitate towards more good food. It’s so much easier to continue eating well when you’ve started your day well.
When you eat well, it is suggested that your body is finally getting enough nutrients of the RIGHT kind. This means that you don’t need to overeat, or unconsciously search for the things your body needs by taking in the wrong types of food (and by over-eating).
My friend Kay used to need to get her ‘energy up’ with a strong coffee as the very first thing she would have. Imagine when I asked her to switch over to a green smoothie. Well, she now swears that this is THE power kick that she needs and practically never drinks coffee anymore, ever.
Meal Or Meal Replacement?
Use it as a meal or as your first course (before) a meal. Green smoothies can be quite filling and you’ll feel empowered while feeling satisfied yet somehow very light. Work your way up from there. Maybe you’ll start taking green smoothies as snacks too (which would in all intents and purposes make your meals smaller). It’s onward and upward.
Green Smoothie Weight Loss And Cleansing
It’s not my intention to tell you to replace all your meals with green smoothies. You CAN of course for a set and pre-determined time. There are times where, if you’re on a regime of cleansing foods, perhaps for weight loss, where you could consider some or all your meals for a limited period of time to be replaced by smoothies.
In any case, you will notice, that you’ll be more interested in fresher, cleaner foods. So don’t be surprised that, if instead of your ‘same-old same-old’ Monday night dinner (or habitual food choices you make anytime), you decide you want a huge salad with a little something else on the side. Yes, the scales will be tipped in your good health’s favor – naturally.