Drink your veggies with this simple and delicious smoothie [recipe]

Quick, easy and healthy green smoothie — Photo courtesy of Sherel Purcell

Prep time: – | Cook time: – | Serves: 1

Create this quick and easy smoothie using washed and frozen kale and/or spinach leaves combined with banana, yogurt, fresh or frozen fruits, juice and/or berries and water.

No yogurt? For an extra treat, substitute a scoop of vanilla ice cream – a great way to get kids (or adults) to drink their veggies. You can even use up extra cooked broccoli and other greens. Want more protein and nutty goodness? Throw in a scoop of almond butter and flavor with some cinnamon for an extra kick. The possibilities are almost endless.

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen kale leaves
• 1 small banana or half of a large one
• 3/4 cup of cold water
• 1/2 cup plain, low or no fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds (optional)
• 1 tbsp real maple syrup or honey

Preparation

Add ingredients starting with liquids — Photo courtesy of Sherel Purcell

1. Pre-prep: A minimum of 2-3 hours prior to use, rinse a bunch of kale, shake off excess water and tear leaves from the stems before tossing the leaves into a plastic bag and throwing them into the freezer, taking care not to pack nor seal the bag too tightly. Allow to freeze before using.
2. Add all the ingredients to a blender starting with the water, (for quicker blending) yogurt, maple syrup (or honey) ground flax seed and banana, finishing with the frozen kale and berries.
3. Set the blender to the smoothie or puree setting and, if necessary, pulse an extra 30 seconds on low or medium.
4. Check for desired consistency, adding a bit more water if necessary.

Helpful hints:

This ultra flexible recipe allows for substitutions and additions but works best following the basic recipe proportions of frozen greens to banana – the key ingredients. All berries – fresh or frozen – work well and can be mixed and matched along with other fruit. Best bets include apple, mango, kiwi and pineapple – fresh, frozen, juiced or canned.

Fruit-flavored yogurt can replace plain but will yield a sweeter concoction, so you may want to eliminate the maple syrup or honey. Also, start with less water when adding extra fruit or juice.