This morning I ran out of milk, so I decided to add a reduced-sugar cranberry juice cocktail to my smoothie instead. This is the recipe I created:

2 cups of spinach
1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
2-3 large strawberries
1/2 cup Old Orchard Healthy Balance cranberry juice cocktail

Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Earlier this year I discovered Green Monsters, delicious fruit smoothies turned bright green by blending in veggies. My veggie of choice: baby spinach. It sounds awful, but they’re absolutely delicious. You don’t taste the veggies at all. Just the yummy yummy fruit. I was running low on baby spinach this time, so it’s a bit lighter green than usual. I usually just throw in whatever I have in the fridge/freezer or whatever I feel like that day.

This particular green monster has:

1/2 frozen apple
1/2 frozen banana
handful of baby spinach
what was left of the Del Monte peach fruit cup in the fridge
lemonade (and a bit of iced tea)
a few ice cubes

Blended into smooth deliciousness and poured into a Guinness glass!

I first used lemonade one day because I was out of my almond milk, and I loved the way it turned out. Sometimes if I remember to make it and put it into the fridge the night before I’ll throw in a cup of iced tea for a little wake-up in my morning monster. I particularly like chai tea with the frozen bananas.

Plus it’s fun to freak people out with the bright green color!

I’ve never had a green monster before. I’ve made my own smoothies with fruit and yogurt, but I never thought to add spinach or veggies (which is odd because I love the Naked Machine drinks. Huh).
I’ve been feeling really run down lately and came across your blog by way of the WW message boards, and after reading everyone’s recipes, I thought I’d give it a whirl. Here’s what I came up with:

1/2 C Frozen Blueberries
1 C Frozen Green Grapes
1 Cup Frozen Spinach
1 Peeled pear
1 Banana

It was a little bland, which I think probably had to do with the banana being a little under ripe, and next time, I’ll probably add honey or Agave nectar, but otherwise, it was pretty good, and I hope I can work my way up to adding different things like ground flax seeds or chia seeds. 🙂

A friend on Facebook kept talking about her Green Monster. One day I decided I would try it too, and I’m glad I did. I didn’t add anything fancy, just some:

1cup almond milk
2 handfuls of baby spinach
5 medium/large strawberries
1 frozen banana

I threw it all in my blender and let her go! Mmm Mmm good! 🙂 Even my teenaged daughter is getting in on this!

  * Spinach
   * 1 banana
   * Almond Milk
   * Flaxseed
   * Raw Chocolate Covered Mulberries
   * Mint Leaves
   * Cinnamon

After reading good things about Green Monsters, I was inspired to try my own. I added Raw Chocolate and Mint to mine so it tasted a bit like a blended Aero – yummy! I am excitied to try more recipes from around the site, after just one of these I am already feeling the energy! Great idea Angela 🙂

Full post on my blog: http://thebettylife.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/blend-it-like-betty-green-monster/

GREEN food day (St. Patrick’s Day) was coming and I thought this recipe was perfect (plus I had some left-over spinach in the refrigerator)! This smoothie is so sweet and as long as you can get past the GREEN color, it is actually one of the best smoothies I have ever made.

Green Frog Smoothie
2-4 cups spinach or other greens (I use mixed spinach and arugula)
1 banana
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 tbsp Honey
1 Vanilla Yogurt

Fill food processer (works MUCH better then a blender) with greens and a few tbsp of water. Pulse to blend until the greens turn to liquid greens. Add in banana, pineapple, honey and yogurt and continue to blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve!

http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/03/this-weeks-cravings-linky-party-20-go.html

Smoothies are great, and one of my favorite things to make, but normally I would include a few varieties of fruit – not veg in a blender, so when I discovered the green monster recipes and movement I was very intrigued. My little brother and I would often concoct smoothie recipes together after a summer run, throwing whatever we could find in the kitchen into the blender jug – usually bananas, apples, OJ, honey, peanut butter and some ice – you get the picture – the refreshing, but still sweet and fruity type of drink.
This morning after a run I decided to branch out into the veggie world of smoothies and as a green monster virgin, attempted the so-named recipe, using fat-free vanilla soy milk. But…I did alter the ingredients slightly to include chia, not flax seeds, and I also added a teaspoon of local bee pollen picked up at the local farmers market. The hand blender did a pretty good job of whizzing up the spinach – a Kitchen Aid blender might have made it even smoother but overall I have to admit it was extremely tasty and I was pleasantly surprised!
cheers to the Green Monster 🙂

I’m quite a health nut and am always willing to try something ‘healthy’.  I finally bought a blender this week and decided to make my virgin Green Monster yesterday.  I was a bit skeptic but I figured ‘what’s the worst that can happen’.  One sip in and I was sold- the stuff is yum and what a great way to boost my veggie intake so early in the day!  Contrary to those who think they look ugly, I actually like the pretty shade of green! I loved it so much that I experimented with a different combo this morning: another winner!

Green Monster 1:
•       ½ frozen banana
•       5 strawberries
•       60g low-fat natural yogurt
•       100 ml soy milk
•       Squirt of honey
•       1 tablespoon flaxseeds
•       20g oats
•       2 handfuls spinach

Once blended, I topped it with a sprinkle of Bran Flakes.

Green Monster 2:
•       5 strawberries
•       ¼ apple
•       100 ml soy milk
•       60g yogurt
•       Squirt of honey
•       1 spoonful chocolate Amazing Grass powder
•       20g oats

Once blended, I topped it with coconut shavings.  This was like a Bountry drink! Yum