The Green Smoothie Challenge

I am a Green Goddess.

That's right, I eat my greens and I love 'em. Can't get enough. And the beautiful thing is, most of the time my greens don't taste like, well, greens. That's the beauty of green smoothies.

The concept of the green smoothie is simple: 40% greens, 60% fruit, water, blended. The idea was pioneered by Victoria Boutenko, a darling of the raw foods movement who possesses profound insight into health, nutrition, and well-being. She claims that human beings do not eat enough greens (we don't), and that green smoothies are a more palatable way to consume them (they are). Furthermore, she champions the green smoothie over the green juice because the smoothie allows us to consume all that lovely insoluble fiber that keeps our digestive system moving.

I've been drinking green smoothies for a while now, but today is a very special time in the life of green goddesses (and gods) everywhere because it heralds the start of the Green Smoothie Challenge. This is a project that encourages people to drink a green smoothie every day for 2 weeks and track their progress. Anyone can take part, no matter where you live, and be part of this virtual community of green smoothie drinkers (read: veggie freaks). Even if you're not raw, I highly recommend trying these drinks out, as they give you a real energy boost and make you feel amazingly alive. As my friend Brad said recently, it's like consuming a little bit of the garden. You feel more connected to the earth.

I don't have any photos to post, mostly because on work days I like to add a heaped teaspoon of raw cacao powder to my GS's so they end up coming out a rather unattractive shade of brown. But they taste yummy, and I drink them out of what used to be my special coffee mug but is now my special smoothie mug, so I can't really see the color anyhow.

My verdict is that, in contradiction to Kermit the Frog's sentiments, it IS easy being green. Here's a few recipes to try - they make great breakfasts or afternoon snacks.

Jayson's Favorite Fruity Brekkie Smoothie
1 ripe banana
1/2 fresh mango
1/4 cup fresh pineapple
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp raw almond butter
1 cup greens
1 cup filtered water

Blend and drink up!

Ultimate Get-Me-Through-Dinner-Shift Chocolaty Smoothie
2 bananas
1 cup greens
1 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp honey
1 cup water

Blend and drink up!

Vanilla Pear Smoothie
2-3 ripe pears
1 cup greens
dash of vanilla extract, or section of vanilla bean seeds
1-2 sweet Cali dates
1 cup water

Blend and drink up!

The best thing about green smoothies is that there are no rules. Just toss whatever fresh fruit and whatever sort of leavy greens you have on hand into a blender with water and go. I often add nutritional supplements into my GS, such as maca, spirulina, and Percy's powder (a mineral sulphate supplement), and if I'm having it for breakfast before work and I know I won't be able to eat for a long time, I add chia seeds (which slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream, giving you more even energy over more time). I promise to post more on Chia in the the future because it is a really amazing and versatile food.

Okay - get blending!