We got a Vitamix blender earlier this year, and it's turned out to be one of those things that I don't know how I lived without before it entered our home. It's also rekindled my love for green smoothies.

I had started on a smoothie kick a couple of years ago (I went through a brief raw food phase), but I was making them for my breakfast and it became tedious to keep the ingredients for my favorite recipe stocked in the fridge. (So many bundles of fresh mint gone bad. SO MANY.) Eventually, I gave up and went back to cereal.

But now that we have the Vitamix, I'm back on the smoothie bandwagon! But I make them for dinner instead, and I've modified the recipe to use ingredients that keep longer in the fridge or can be frozen.

I don't have exact amounts for any of what I use because I just sort of throw it all in the blender and see what happens. If you're looking for something with more exact measurements, this recipe is a good place to start.

And if you have a favorite smoothie recipe, please share!

the Ugly Green Smoothie

Ingredients (my best guess at amounts):

2-3 medium sized leaves of kale
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
juice and zest from one lime
5-6oz coconut water

Directions:
Place everything in the blender in this order (kale on the bottom and everything else on top), and blend on high until smooth. If the blender gets a little hung up, add a little bit of water to smooth things out.

Notes:

• I frequently use Trader Joe's bagged kale for this, and in that case, use a couple large handfulls (be sure to remove thick stems).
  
• For a sweeter smoothie, try adding some frozen pineapple chunks and/or green grapes (I frequently add both!)
  
• I've also substituted bottled lime or lemon juice for the fresh. I probably end up putting in about 1/4 of a cup. I prefer the Santa Cruz brand.

Originally posted: September 27, 2012

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Everything's Gone Green

\n\n\nWe got a Vitamix blender earlier this year, and it's turned out to be one of those things that I don't know how I lived without before it entered our home. It's also rekindled my love for green smoothies.\n\nI had started on a smoothie kick a couple of years ago (I went through a brief raw food phase), but I was making them for my breakfast and it became tedious to keep the ingredients for my favorite recipe stocked in the fridge. (So many bundles of fresh mint gone bad. SO MANY.) Eventually, I gave up and went back to cereal.\n\nBut now that we have the Vitamix, I'm back on the smoothie bandwagon! But I make them for dinner instead, and I've modified the recipe to use ingredients that keep longer in the fridge or can be frozen. \n\nI don't have exact amounts for any of what I use because I just sort of throw it all in the blender and see what happens. If you're looking for something with more exact measurements, this recipe is a good place to start.\n\nAnd if you have a favorite smoothie recipe, please share!