Monday, July 20, 2009

recipe review: green monster smoothies



For the past several years, whenever I get my bloodwork done at the doc's office, the resulting advice is the same - I'm slightly anemic, and need to up my iron intake. I also know that I don't eat nearly enough fruits or veggies. Even Husband, at his last appointment, was told to eat more leafy greens. In our attempts to improve our health and diets and drop some lbs, I stumbled upon the Green Monster movement. The Green Monster is essentially a leafy green vegetable-based smoothie. Its basic recipe (and the first one I tried) is spinach, frozen bananas, and almond milk. Blended, it's a sweet and satisfying drink, and only the true spinach loathers would ever know it's there (the bright green hue gives it away). Some brave souls add kale to the mix...my only experience with sauteed kale left me with a bitter, slimy feeling that lasted for hours on the roof of my mouth. Which means we'll be sticking with spinach.

My descriptions of the GM (as it's affectionately dubbed by converts) wouldn't even begin to do the movement justice. You must check out Angela's blog Oh She Glows for her experience and The official Green Monster Movement, complete with followers' recipes. Jenna's Eat Live Run also gives some attention to the GM. Regular GMs will improve your energy and make your skin and hair glowy and full of life. Sign me up!

As for us, our favorite version is still the 'virgin' GM. We seem to like using the original Almond Breeze milk, which is slightly sweetened with cane juice. The only version that we liked using an unsweetened almond milk was one with the addition of 2 T natural peanut butter - giving the GM a nutty, rich flavor. I have also tried adding various fruits to the mix - peaches, berries, and leftover melon and pineapples. The melon and pineapple proved to be the best additions, most likely due to the higher sugar content. We are researching protein powders to add to the mix as well, and have zeroed in on Designer Whey, Pure Protein, and Sun Warrior Protein.


Drinking your greens - who would have thought?! This is a smoothie even the lazy can make...with a quick rinse in hot water post-usage, you can avoid really cleaning the blender (an old and possibly gross piece of advice from my bachelorette days when I avoided doing dishes at all costs). I moved the toaster under the counter and made a permanent spot for our blender. Cutting up the fruits and freezing them in an airtight container the night before makes morning prep a breeze. As for time of day, many people have them post-workout, but we make them in the morning. On days I plan to do cardio at the gym, I'll have my GM and a small bowl of cereal. On days I just do Pilates or yoga in the morning, the GM is more than enough to get me through the hour. Husband tends to have bigger breakfasts, so he'll pair his GM with eggs (usually a piece of frittata) and/or 1/3 cup oatmeal. We are seriously considering eliminating the ACV concoction (which I still can barely choke down), and having a daily GM instead...that's how much we love them!

*ETA - I have seen options without the banana, but frankly, I think the banana really makes the GM. It adds a richness and sweetness that is tough to match. You could try a more substantial fruit such as cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, or mango...but for us, the banana is a must.
*Update (July 21) - Make sure your bananas are ripe! We made the mistake of using greenish bananas (the only ones we could find) and BLEGH! I still have a lingering and unpleasant taste in my mouth!
*Update (July 23) - We tried regular cow's milk today with spinach, banana, and pb and it was great! A tad thinner than those with almond milk, but still satisfying. Once the protein powder arrives that I ordered, I'll try that with regular milk...to hopefully achieve the same creaminess and texture.

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