My recipe only deviated a bit from the virgin recipe:
– 1 tablespoon flax seed meal
– 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
– 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
– 2 cups spinach
– 1 banana
– 1 1/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
– ice
It tasted like any chocolate banana smoothie I would normally get, only much healthier and fresher! I’ll definitely keep making this.
I get bored easily – in the kitchen, in the gym, with my hair. So, I like a recipe that has versatility built into it. Nothing in my repertoire is as versatile as a smoothie. And one such smoothie has caught my tastebuds and my heart. That would be the Lean Mean Green Monster.
I have a few basics that I always use in my little monsters: chocolate, fruit and a leafy green. Spinach is my favorite green, and it’s conveniently purchasable frozen and fresh. My top fruit choices are banana and mango, since they add to the creaminess. And chocolate, my oh my, do I love chocolate. Usually I toss in a scoop of vegan protein powder with some extra cocoa to really kick it up. Here’s my classic post-workout green monster:
Ingredients:
1/2 banana
1/2 c. non-dairy milk
1/2 c. water
1 c. frozen spinach
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (currently loving Sunwarrior)
1 Tbs. cocoa powder
4-6 ice cubes
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in blender.
2. Blend.
3. Drink up. Try to avoid a brain freeze. Ahhh, Yum!
I came up with this one using just three things: a mocha-cappuccino-flavored protein beverage that was nearing its best-by date, spinach that was nearing its expiration date and frozen mixed berries.
1 cup Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein in mocha cappuccino
1 1/2 cups spinach
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
The protein drink and the berries gave the smoothie a nice, delicate sweetness; the coffee-flavored protein drink made it taste like it was a fancy cafe smoothie; and the spinach gave it a nutritional punch. Woo hoo! It tasted like a fruity mocha from some big chain coffee joint!
So my boyfriend has a 24 hour bug and my job does NOT give sick days. In an effort to get paid this week I have disinfected the bathroom and kitchen, washed all the sheets and clothes he was wearing and quarantined him to the couch overnight. The only thing left to do was to try my best to drink something as healthy as possible for his sake and mine… it was my first attempt and it does not look green but it does look like spinach dip?? Fortunately, it tastes fruity and fresh….. Yum!
2 handfuls of spinach
1 large, sliced and frozen banana
1 c frozen blueberries
4-5 raspberries, frozen
2 tbs flaxseed
1 tbs honey
1 c milk
(I froze the fruit for about an hour before hand)
I have created “The Double Down Green Monster”. As a new mom to a 11 month old precious baby girl I need to pack in all the nutrients I can to increase energy compensating for sleepless nights.
So here is what I have done:
2 cups fat free vanilla soy milk
3 cups of spinach (uncooked)
3 kiwi
2 bananas
1 cup frozen pineapple core (whenever we cut fresh pineapple we freeze the core as it enhances flavor, nutrients and texture of any smoothie)
I have named this “double down” for two reasons: firstly it’s a double batch as a new mom I don’t have time to make a fresh smoothie every morning so I simply freeze half take it out the next am put in some warm water and voila thawed and fresh as the day before in no time; secondly double punch of green kiwi are often a forgotten about fruit loaded with vitamin C and many other nutrients.
Off to make a fresh batch of the double down GM enjoy!!
Jessica
I stumbled upon this blog and was inspired! What a great way to get a littel spinach into a 2 year old! (and a 36 year old) 😉
Sami’s Green MOnster, getting spinach into the Girl.
2 handfuls of spinach.
frozen mango
1.5 cup almond milk
…3 scoops yogurt
1 banana
1 spoonful of Marg’s freezer raspberry jam
I “stumbled upon” your Green Monster movement and HAD to try one of these incredible Hulks out myself. I decided to use the usual ingredient that I put in my normal smoothies and then just add the additional green to the monster. It was delicious!
I have been making them everyday since….
1. 2 cups spinach
2. 1/2 cup almond breeze milk
3. 3 frozen strawberries
4. 1/2 of a banana
5. tbs peanut butter
6. cinnamon
blend and…WOW!
I decided to try one! I created a recipe that includes raw milk, raw kefir, local blackberries, local honey, and local spinach.
Using my immersion blender set (eee!), I started with 1 cup of spinach (from Colchester!), 1 tsp. of honey, 8 frozen local blackberries (from Lockbriar!), 1/2 c. of raw milk, and 3/4 c. of raw kefir (which has a very yogurt-like texture).
Ready to go in 10 minutes! A perfect breakfast treat!