Last week, I shared the details of the 5 week weight loss challenge I participated in during February/March. The hardest week for me was definitely the final week where we focused on eliminating processed foods from our diet.
Breakfast was the most difficult because I am typically at work with little access to something to cook with. No processed foods meant I was going to need to do some breakfast makeovers stat.
Enter the green smoothie…
I was definitely a little worried at first. I mean it is a green smoothie…a very green smoothie! But, it honestly looks a lot scarier than it really is!
I started with a basic recipe and concept from Dusty and made few minor changes.
My version:
1 cup kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped and firmly packed
1/2 cup curly parsley, loosely packed
1 1/2 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
1 banana, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup Trop 50 orange juice
Throw it all in a blender and whirr away until it is completely blended.
I did pre-chop and bag all my ingredients into single servings and stored them in the freezer for the week.
It made it super easy to make sure I made a smoothie each morning. I just grabbed the bag and dumped it into the blender. I add my liquids and give it a quick run in the blender before I hit the road! I poured mine into a mason jar and took it to work with me each day.
What do you have for breakfast most mornings?
Great article Shannah! You made it sound refreshing. I am going to have to check out your weight loss challenge! Thanks for sharing.
How does it taste? I like smoothies and often have them for dinner, and I really like that your recipe uses orange juice instead of yogurt.
btw, is that a KitchenAid blender? Does it blend the frozen chunks easily? Mine doesn’t.
I agree that the color often freaks me out, too! I have had better success with spinach than kale. My blenders (regular and immersion) don’t seem to get the kale small enough for the smoothie to not be chunky. I’ve never tried apples before, so you’ve inspired me! Yesterday I had cherry, banana and spinach. I’m visiting from 36th Avenue.
I’m with you… It sounded pretty extreme to me at first too, but now I am a convert! Been drinking green smoothies daily for almost two years now! Go green smoothies!
hugs x
Crystelle
Crystelle Boutique
Well, honestly – I’m not sure, Shannah. I mean – it’s green.
I’m afraid.
I’m pinning and reluctantly looking and maybe trying (it is green afterall). I’m gonna trust you on this . Maybe I will go to the store this morning.
Hum?
Oh, I don’t know! I really want to try a green smoothie but I am such a chicken!
I just tried my first green drink at an all-vegetarian restaurant I went to this weekend….it was awesome!! Thanks for this recipe!
I like green smoothies, and I would like to try this one!
This one looks pretty good! I’ve recently started (again) eating more gluten-free/paleo kind of diet, and I love breakfast pastries, but now I’ve replaced that with smoothies! Lately I’ve started adding spinach to them for that green goodness, but because mine get their color from frozen berries, they’re still mostly purple, but I intend to slowly get greener! I never thought to add parsley! I’m going to have to start doing this right away! I find you always buy it in such big bunches when all you need is 1/4 cup max!
I just started to drink green smoothies in the last couple of weeks. They’re good. You just have to find the right greens and right combo of fruits so it doesn’t taste”green”. Thank you for sharing .
Consider yourself hugged,
http://thebestblogrecipes.blogspot.com/2013/04/chicken-marsala.html
Featuring tomorrow!! TFS 😀
xo
H
This looks so healthy and so pretty, too! Would love to have you link-up at my Healthy Tuesday hop, Shannah. 🙂
ahumblebumble.blogspot.com
Thanks! I will come visit Becca and check out your party.
Ok, this is not something I would have tried before, but since you;ve talked it up, I’m going to give it a shot!! Just in time for bikini season 😉
I have been drinking more green smoothies lately and have been looking for different recipes to try. Thanks