Here are some helpful guidelines for making delicious and healthy summer smoothes. You will need:
1. A decent to high end blender with a blade powerful enough to grind up veggies and nuts, such as a NutriBullet, Blendtec, Vitamix, etc.
2. 50% leafy greens and 50% fruit
3. 1/4 cup raw whole nuts (you can use a protein powder or spirulina for protein if you are allergic to nuts)
First put your leafy greens of choice in the blender. It is better to use the bitter ones like kale or swiss chard, but if you are not used to the stronger taste, it is fine to use a milder green like lettuce or spinach. Next, I recommend adding a banana or avocado to help make your smoothie nice and creamy. Avocado helps add extra protein as well. Plus, just one avocado has about 16 grams of protein, and it’s loaded with the healthy fat needed to assist with weight loss and overall health. After the banana or avocado, put in your fruit of choice, then the nuts. I also like to add a splash of full fat coconut milk. It is also crammed with healthy fat to help you feel full when you’re trying to reach or maintain a healthy weight. When you are done adding your ingredients, pour in water to the fill line and blend. These smoothies are so nutritious, filling and satisfying that you can drink them as a meal.
If you like a very frosty cold smoothie that tastes like a milkshake, like I do, I recommend pre-washing and freezing your produce. This is also a time-saver on busy days when you need to make something fast with minimal preparation. It also helps all that abundant CSA produce last much longer. For fruits like peaches and bananas, just make sure to dice them up before putting them in the freezer. It is important not to grind the pits of certain fruits, including peaches and apples, as the pits contain arsenic which is poisonous.
One great thing about drinking your food is that you get double the nutritional benefit, since the blender partially pre-digests the food making it easier for your body to absorb the maximum nutrients. A good reason to use whole nuts is that you’ll get more nutrition out of freshly ground nuts than the pre-ground variety, and raw nuts have way more healthy fats and nutrients in them. Be aware if you are new to drinking this kind of smoothie you might be a little gassy the first few weeks. Your digestive tract just may not be used to that much fiber, but it will pass (no pun intended).
Peachy Berry Blast
2 handfuls of swiss chard leaves.
1 banana chopped
1/2 avocado chopped
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup chopped peaches with pit removed
1/4 cup raw whole cashews
1/4 cup coconut milk
Place all ingredients in the blender in the order above and fill to the fill line with water. Blend and enjoy.My 5 year-old son Matthew (pictured above) loves this smoothie!
Much of the information here was borrowed out of the NutriBullet User’s Guide.
Forest Hills CSA 