Wishing I was somewhere tropical...

... this smoothie almost takes you there. :-)

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup coconut water
1 heaping cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
1 heaping cup frozen mango chunks
1 banana, fresh or frozen
flax seeds, flax oil, or chia seeds, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. I'm sure this would also be good with some greens added.

What I'm drinking right now.

No photo again (sorry!), but this is delicious if you're in the mood for something dessert-ish but still healthy...

1 cup frozen strawberries
1 banana, frozen into chunks
4 medjool dates
1-1/4 cup vanilla soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon Chia seeds

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth, adding more milk if needed to make it blend.

Today's Smoothie

I forgot to take a photo, but this was a yummy one!

1 cup apple juice
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blackberries
1/2 cup frozen cherries
1 banana, fresh or frozen
as much kale as you like
2 medjool dates

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

More Parsley Goodness

I had some parsley in the fridge that needed to be eaten, so I wanted to make some good old parsley juice tonight. Sadly, I was missing a few ingredients, so I had to improvise, and this version turned out quite tasty as well - surprisingly mild and smooth.

New Parsley Juice

~1 cup pineapple chunks and juice (I used canned)
1 large banana
~1/2 cup orange juice
one half to a full bunch of parsley leaves
4 ice cubes
a squirt of agave nectar (or dates if you have them; I didn't)

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Still Craving Blackberries

Ever since I drank a couple of Jamba Juice blackberry smoothies on vacation a few weeks ago, I've been fiending for more blackberries. This was quite good, if I do say so myself.

Purple Berry Smoothie

1 cup frozen blackberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 banana, chopped into chunks and frozen
1-1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup raspberry sorbet
1 tablespoon flax oil or flax meal, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Note: For a healthier version, omit the sorbet and add a generous handful or two of kale. Also very tasty!

Tropical Paradise

This is another one from my other blog, again without absolute measurements... sorry.

Tropical Smoothie

frozen strawberries
frozen banana chunks
pineapple chunks (from a can)
frozen mango chunks
orange juice
a splash of flax oil

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Pomegranate Smoothie

(originally posted on my McFarland Designs blog)

I don't have exact measurements for this one - more of just a general guideline. :-)

Pomegranate Smoothie

frozen banana chunks
frozen strawberries
frozen mango
pomegranate juice, frozen in ice cube trays
ground flax seed (1 tablespoon per person)
apple juice

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Day of Smoothies

I overate yesterday big-time (homemade vegan cinnamon rolls in the morning, plus vegan cheese tasting and dinner out in the evening - lots of fun, but ugh!) I decided I needed to detox a bit today, so I had a green smoothie for each meal with a smaller-than-usual portion of solid food. I know, I probably should have stuck with just the smoothies, but what can I say - I have a healthy appetite. :-)

Breakfast -

Minty Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

This smoothie had a fairly thin consistency; if you prefer a thicker smoothie, reduce the amount of non-dairy milk and/or use frozen bananas instead of fresh.

1 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla rice milk)
1 large ripe banana
1/2 can pineapple chunks, drained
4 dates
5 small mint leaves (use fewer if your leaves are large)
3 ice cubes
as much kale as you can handle

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Lunch -

Blueberry Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla rice milk)
1 large ripe banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
4 dates
4 ice cubes
as much kale as you can handle
handful of alfalfa sprouts, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Dinner -

Mild & Fruity Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 ripe pear
1/4 cantaloupe
4 ice cubes
as much kale as you like

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Parsley Juice

Well, in case any of the ten or so people who read this blog were intrigued by my use of parsley in yesterday's smoothie, here's another parsley concoction. This makes a very thin smoothie - more like a juice really. If you prefer a thicker drink, omit some or all of the juice and/or milk.

Parsley Juice
makes two large servings

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vanilla rice milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 large or 2 small bananas
2 oranges, peeled and quartered
4 dates
1 bunch parsley (I used flat-leaf)
4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Surprisingly Tasty

Ever since I learned that people put parsley in smoothies, I've been intrigued and a little afraid. I knew I'd have to try it one day, but it was hard for me to imagine that it would taste good. Well, today I finally brought myself to look that bunch of parsley in the fridge squarely in the eye and take up the challenge. And I'm glad to report that the resulting smoothie is really quite good!

Parsley's-Not-So-Gross-After-All Smoothie

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
2 handfulls frozen strawberries
1 large or 2 small bananas
3 dates, pitted
1/2 - 1 bunch parsley (I used flat-leaf)
1/4 cup walnuts, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Apple, Banana and Sweet Potato Smoothie

This one is straight from the Vita-Mix website. It's one of my favorites.

In addition to the USDA recommendation of three cups of dark green leafy vegetables per week that I mentioned earlier, they also recommend a minimum of two servings of orange vegetables per week. This smoothie is a delicious way to get some of those tasty orange veggies. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 cups (960 mL)

1 (114 g) medium sweet potato, cooked, unpeeled and cooled

1/2 cup (120 mL) non-dairy milk

1 (120 g) small banana

1/2 (70 g) golden delicious apple, cut in half

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon honey or other sweetener, to taste

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (480 mL) ice cubes

Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Run for 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately.

A break from the green...

A girl cannot survive on green smoothies alone - sometimes a fruity pink concoction is in order! I neglected to actually measure ingredients, so feel free to consider these amounts as rough guidelines.

Fruity Pink Smoothie
makes two large servings

1/2 can of pineapple chunks and juice
2 bananas (I used frozen chunks)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup vanilla non-dairy milk (or more as needed to achieve desired consistency)

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Another Green Smoothie

If you're ready to take your green smoothie adventure to the next level, here's one that's actually green in color. This was a 'cleaning out my refrigerator' kind of breakfast. :-)

(pictured with one of Hannah's Superfood muffins)

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Smoothie
makes 2 medium-large servings

1 orange, peeled and quartered
1 apple, quartered
1 banana (fresh or frozen chunks)
1/4 pineapple
1/2 cup mango (I used frozen chunks)
3 dates
2 handfuls kale
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Green Smoothies 101

Regardless of a smoothie's final color, I refer to any smoothie containing a leafy green vegetable as a 'green smoothie'. These tasty treats are an amazing way to enjoy the many benefits that leafy green veggies provide.


Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats. [Source: About.com]

The USDA recommends a minimum of 3 cups of dark leafy vegetables a week, an amount I'd venture to guess the vast majority of us aren't getting. Green smoothies provide the perfect solution for upping your intake - I drink one a day, each containing around a cup of greens, which means that on the basis of my smoothies alone, I'm consuming more than twice the USDA recommendation.

If you're new to green smoothies, here's a recipe I think you'll enjoy. The flavor of the greens is totally overshadowed by the sweet cherries and strawberries, and the finished product is a nice burgundy color.

'You'll Never Guess There's Greens In Here' Smoothie
makes one large or two small servings

1/2 cup frozen cherries (about 15 cherries)
1/2 cup frozen strawberries (about 10 berries)
1 ripe banana
1 apple, quartered
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (apple juice or water would be okay as well)
1-2 handfuls of greens* (spinach and kale are good)
3 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

* If you're new to green smoothies, start with a small amount of greens and gradually work your way up. Many green smoothie aficionados recommend a balance of about 50% fruits to 50% leafy greens for an optimally healthful smoothie, but some greens are better than none, so don't give up if your palate isn't quite ready for that ratio yet.