George town: Say Hello to Green.

So... Going green? No? How about Green Smoothies? What's a Green Smoothie you ask, well first off, it's yummy and secondly It's good for you, that's right, you heard me correctly.My good friend Anna first introduced me to them and a friend of hers introduced them to her before that, and NOW I'm introducing them to you. if you have not heard of them yet, they are a wonderful little creation and if you start to love them as much as I have, you will want to spread the word as well.First off what is a "Green Smoothie"? well, I will give a brief over view of what a green smoothie is, but if you are interested in them I highly recommend reading "The Green Smoothies Diet" by Robyn Openshaw , It is a quick and easy read and packed with lots of great information.

A Green smoothie is just like any other smoothie you might consume except it isn't full of refined sugars and you add in greens IE: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce, arugula, collards etc etc the possibilities are endless! Then you also add fruit to this little mixture, any fruit your little heart desires will work. Then to sweeten 'er up a bit maybe add some stevia, agave, raw honey or maple syrup, then any superfoods you might have been wanting to add to your other recipes can easily be added to the smoothies. Blend it all together and BAM you have a nutrient packed power snack (well more like a meal!).

whats so special about that? Well most Americans do not eat as many fruits and veggies as are needed, many of us are constantly on the go and don't really stop to look at what we are consuming, we eat fast food weekly, we eat crackers, breads, and meats as our main food groups and those of us that do try to eat vegetables usually don't eat them raw, we cook the vegetables and in doing so we cook out many of the nutrients these foods offer us! By drinking a quart of green smoothie daily we are consuming 15 full servings of raw greens and fruit and 12 or more grams fiber (depending on the ingredients). As I have read in The Green Smoothies Diet book, that is 150 percent of the USRDA's suggested fruit and veggie intake for an entire day!

I have been drinking green smoothies for a short time now,but I have already felt the difference these things can make. They give you more energy, they offer proteins , vitamins, minerals and other nutrients meat and carbs can't, they clean out your body and make you "regular" and they are a great aid in weight loss! I even have Darin drinking them and he likes them a lot. Darin works night shifts at his hard labor job, working the late hours and having to do manual labor can be very exhausting and in the short time we have been drinking these, he has told me that if he doesn't get a smoothie that day (sometimes i only make them for my self.. my bad) he can feel a difference in his energy level!

I strongly suggest reading the book or visiting her website for more information (her web

site link is on my blog page under "Foods") or looking up her videos on you tube!

here is a template recipe if this post has peaked your interest at all, and some pictures too!

Robyn Openshaw's Green Smoothie Template Recipe:

(straight from her book)

makes 8 cups of 100% raw smoothie

Tips: for beginners and those trying to convert small children consider using less greens and more fruit (especially berries and bananas) in the beginning gradually work up to 50/50 ratio. In this transition phase, try using the mild flavors like spinach, kale, collards, and chard. With kids consider using only spinach the first few days, then sneak in chard, collard and kale gradually.Add other savory or bitter greens only when your family is "expert" in green smoothies!

Add a bit more water if you feel the smoothie is too thick.

put 2 1/2 cups filtered water in a high power blender

Optionally add:

1/2 tsp stevia (herbal sweetener) or 1/4 cup Agave nectar

1/4 whole lemon, including the peel! (anti skin cancer, high in flavonoids)

2-3 TBSP fresh refrigerated flax oil (omega-3 rich)

Gradually add until, briefly pureed, the mixture comes to the 5 cup line (or less if you are converting):

3/4 to 1 lb raw, washed greens added up to the 5 1/2 cup line:

spinach, chard, kale,collards are your main stays

turnips,mustard, dandelion greens, arugula - use more sparingly, as they're spicy or bitter

lettuces and beat greens are also good.

also try avocado or cabbage or 1-2 celery stalks

puree the greens mixture for 90 seconds, until very smooth.

gradually add fruit to taste: favorites are pears and peaches, but also apples, oranges, apricots, cantaloupes (with seeds - very high in antioxidants!) mangos, pineapples, anything!

The more frozen fruit you add the tastier your smoothie will be, and a high-power blender can handle it! you can save your smoothie in the fridge for up to two days- just shake it well before drinking!

Here are some photos of a smoothie I made:

I added Broccoli,chard and spinach for my greens

The Superfoods I add to all my Green Smoothies are:

Brewer's "nutritional" yeast, coconut oil, flax seed oil, chia seeds, and raw wheat germ.

(Robyn Openshaw's book as well as google can inform you about the various superfoods and the many extra nutrient additives they provide)

for example:

Brewer's is high in protein and and extremely rich in B vitamins. It has also been linked to reduce symptoms of diabetes,eczema, constipation and hypoglycemia. and for all you nursing mothers out there, it helps increase milk supply!

Chia seeds give you a sense of fullness, a great aid in weight loss. they also slow the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars helping maintain a stable blood sugar level, especially great for diabetics.

Flax Oil is great in your green smoothies because the minerals from the greens are absorbed better with some fats. Flax oil protects healthy cell membranes we need to keep toxins out and allow in the nutrients.

Wheat Germ is high in vitamins E and B, great for PMS or menopausal symptoms, it also helps you to achieve glossy hair, strong nails and nice skin. Also eating it prevents some birth defects!

Before blending the greens and superfoods