how to make a green smoothie

Recently, I've been getting asked [a lot] what it is that I have for breakfast. My answer is: on most days, a green smoothie. Then, the question that usually follows is: aren't you hungry shortly after? To which I answer: Nope. Not with the amount of veggies and greens I'm consuming. 

Because of this, I decided to post the recipe [well, actually it's more of a guideline] for how I make my green smoothie. I have to warn you though, there is no exact science to this, and some days it tastes amazing and some days it's ... well .... to be frank, not so amazing. It all depends on the freshness and/or the ripeness of certain ingredients. But the one thing remains the same is that I love the way I feel when I drink a green smoothie in the morning. 

Smoothies are different than juices. There are definitely stronger arguments that smoothies are better simply because the vegetables are being consumed whole, the way they were meant to be. I also find that for a meal in the morning, the green smoothie is much more filling and will hold you over better than a green juice. 

So what are the benefits when you drink green smoothies most mornings? Lots. Besides getting a boat load of vitamins and minerals from the gorgeous variety of greens, you are also getting a hefty dose of our best friend, fiber. Fiber helps us detoxify, and helps keep our insides happy. When our insides are happy our outsides look happy ... simple as that. 

With that, I bring you some directions for crafting your smoothie. Play around with different ingredents, see what you like and what you don't like, and always switch things up depending on what you find is fresh, local, seasonal, and organic. 

Happy Smoothie-ing!

• Start by placing a cup of water in a high powered blender. A Vitamix works the best, but if you do not own one, then a regular blender will work fine. 
• Add the lemon juice (if using) as well as the protein powder (if using). 
• Then, add the leafy greens. You will want to add about 5-6 large pieces of kale (I remove the stalks, I find they have a strong taste), and add a handful of spinach and a handful of romaine, and the parsley and cilantro.
• Blend on high until smooth. 
• Then add the celery, cucumber (un-peeled), and your choice of fruit (seeds and stem removed if necessary). 
• Blend again on high until smooth. 
• Add 1-2 cubes of ice, and blend again until smooth. 
• Drink up right away. I recommend making this fresh every time, as opposed to storing overnight. 

enjoy.