Apple Pie Smoothie

Would you laugh and think I was crazy if I told you my girls ask for a green smoothie every morning?  They do and with a smile!  Who would have ever thought spinach and kale in a smoothie would be so good!  Not only these drinks packed with nutrition they are fun to make and an easy way to get your children helping in the kitchen.

It occurred to me while reading Victoria Boutenko’s book “Green for Life” just how important greens are for our bodies.  Greens are full of fiber, calcium, folic acid, vitamins A, C, and K…and more!  In her book she says, “The life purpose of greens is to produce chlorophyll”, she later says, “Chlorophyll is a miraculous substance, in essence liquefied sunshine.”  This gives the phrase, “she’s glowing” a whole new meaning!

After looking at the new “My Plate” guidelines, which replaces the old food pyramid, I wish there was a specific space for greens instead of grouping them with vegetables.  Sure, I guess you can call them vegetables but greens are one of the most complete foods to meet all our nutritional needs.  Greens just are not as appealing or as easy to work into diets as other vegetables.  But blending them together with fruits, yogurt, and / or milk you can make delicious smoothies you and your children will want to have every morning.  Vitamix blenders, and other high-powered blenders, are a great way to sneak in greens.  They are also great for  making soups and sauces as well.  They are a little pricey but it is worth its weight in gold!  I use mine everyday and some days I will use it several times a day.  They are amazing machines.

Not only are green smoothies good because of the greens we can add to them, they also help break the food down so our bodies can easily digest and retain the nutrients packed into each drink.  They are also great since you can use produce in it’s raw form so you do not loose any nutrition in the cooking process.  They are easy and quick to make and clean up.  And there are an endless number of combinations you could try so you’ll never get sick of drinking them.  Not only can you sneak in greens, but also other vegetables and fruits, chia seeds and flax.  These delicious drinks are powerhouses of nutrition.

Green smoothies have become a way of life for us.  We make them at least once a day, which means every day my family is getting vital nutrients they may not normally be getting.  I think after you try them they will become a way of life for you too.  Every Saturday on the blog will be “Smoothie Saturday” where I feature a smoothie or homemade juice recipe.  Hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!