Making Healthy Smoothies With Your Fresh Summer Greens

It’s a rare day that goes by in our home when we don’t make a fruit smoothie. Call us addicted. It’s a wonderful addiction to have!

Since I have 3 little ones and a husband that rely on me to help them get in maximum nutrition with each and every bite they take, I frequently use our family’s beloved smoothies as a way of getting that nutrition in without fight and without fuss.

One of our favorite ways to do this is by adding fresh greens to our delicious fruit smoothies. Summer is the perfect time to learn how to make your own green smoothies with the abundance of greens that are out at your local farmer’s market, in your CSA box, or even in your own garden!

We love to make a mix of frozen berries, (which we pick and freeze in season each summer), bananas, cultured dairy or coconut products, a sweetener of choice, and of course, lots of greens. We make one most mornings and my children will slurp this down in 2 seconds flat and be asking for more.

The beauty of the green smoothie is that I can easily serve up the equivalent of a salad portion of these very dark and beneficial greens, in a form that is extremely digestible, makes it easy for the body to absorb all of the fantastic nutrients, and that everyone will happily devour!

Rather than write about how I make them, I thought I would just do a show-and-tell:

(If only I could finish the video by reaching out and handing the smoothie to you– I guess you’ll just have to try making one yourself!)

To recap (or for those who didn’t watch the video)…

Benefits of Fresh, Dark Leafy Greens

Contain vitamins C, E, and K
High in Beta-Carotene
Minerals- high in iron, calcium and many important trace minerals as well
Greens have phytonutrients and antioxidants, which protect cells from damage (may help to prevent cancer, among other things)
Amino acids (the building blocks of protein- greens contain more than you might think!)
Improve quality and quantity of red blood cells, as well as circulation
Help to eliminate bad breath!
Detoxifying for the body because of their chlorophyll content (this is what makes them green), which supports the liver and helps to pull toxins, including heavy metals, out of the body
Contain crucial Omega-3 fatty acids (not mentioned in the video- but very important!)
Lastly, greens are also high in enzymes (which aid digestion), they boost energy levels, they help to strengthen the immune system and more!

Stephanie’s Basic Green Smoothie Recipe:

Serves 2

1 cup kefir/yogurt (or other dairy substitute, like coconut milk)
A good handful of green leaves, with the stems removed– Your choice of any dark, leafy like spinach, kale, swiss chard, collards, mustard greens, turnip or beet greens, or even a dark green lettuce. You can cram as much or as little in as you like, depending on your tastes and preferences.
1 cup frozen or fresh berries (blueberry, strawberries, raspberry, or any other kind you like!)
1 frozen or fresh banana
1 Tbsp. raw honey or other sweetener to taste
Purified water (enough to get a smooth blend and pourable consistency- add more as needed while blending)

Combine all in your blender, starting with liquids on the bottom (the order I have the ingredients in is a good way to do it).
Add water almost to just under the top of your fruit level.
Put the lid on and start blending. Add more water as necessary.
Blend for about 20-60 seconds, depending on your blender and how powerful it is. In my VitaMix, I rarely blend for more than 30 seconds, usually less. In my previous Oster blender, it was often more like a minute in total.

More Green Smoothie Resource:

Spinach… I don’t see any spinach! @ Heavenly Homemakers

The Wonders of Green Smoothies @ Passionate Homemaking

Green Smoothies with Kale @ Kitchen Stewardship

Are you smoothie fans in your home? How do you ensure that you get enough of your leafy greens?