Repetition

Sorry I haven't posted much lately; I've been drinking pretty much the same smoothie over and over lately and here's why - I learned a few months ago that I'm mildly iron deficient. The doctor recommended a supplement, which I attempted to remember to take for a while, but I prefer to get my nutrients from whole foods whenever possible, and I recently read that combining spinach (a good source of iron) with vitamin C helps to increase your body's absorption of the iron. So I've been dedicating myself to drinking lots of shakes with spinach and oranges. Here's a current favorite -

Iron-Rich Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1 cup pineapple juice
2 oranges, peeled
half a bunch of spinach (or more)
2 medjool dates, optional
1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Popsicles

Last night I made fruit popsicles for my son. They didn't set up quickly enough for him to try one last night, but right now he's eating a popsicle for breakfast. And I don't even have to feel guilty because it's all fruit!

Fruity Popsicles

1 cup apple juice
1/2 can pineapple chunks and juice
2 handfulls frozen mango chunks
2 medjool dates

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

This recipe made more than I could fit into my new rocket popsicle molds, so I saved the leftovers and this morning, I added an orange, half a bunch of spinach, and a couple of ice cubes, and I had a delicious green smoothie for breakfast.

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.

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Granted, this smoothie looks a bit like a science project gone terribly awry, but trust me, it's tasty!

Sludgy Green Smoothie
makes two medium-large smoothies

1 cup orange juice
1 orange
handful or two of frozen strawberries
handful or two of frozen mango chunks
2 ice cubes
2 handfuls of greens (I used kale)

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

A Healthy Orange 'Julius'

I remember walking around the mall sipping an orange julius as a kid... ah, those were the days. The days before I realized the horrors of disposable cups and artificial sweeteners, that is! :-) Try this healthier version at home - your body will thank you for it.

makes one large or two small servings

2 navel oranges, peeled and quartered (use more if you're using smaller oranges like mandarins)
2-4 dates (depending on size), pitted
1/4 cup vanilla non-dairy milk (if you only have plain, add a splash of vanilla extract)
2 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Orangey-Schmorangey

The red chard in this smoothie imparts a pretty strong, earthy flavor; if you prefer a milder tasting beverage, feel free to use just the leaves of the chard (I included the stalks) or substitute a milder green leafy vegetable such as spinach.

makes 2 medium-sized servings

1 cup mango (I used frozen chunks)
2 mandarin oranges
1-2 handfuls red chard
1/4 cup water
2 ice cubes

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.

Morning Juice

I've been drinking this juice every day for weeks. Usually I make it with fresh oranges and ice cubes (which results in an 'Orange Julius'-ish effect, but healthier), but gladcow over at Vegan Represent gave me the great idea to use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes, so I tried that this morning.


(You can thank daylight savings time for the crappiness of this photo; no good daylight yet when I made this today.)

Rise & Shine Orange-Strawberry Juice
makes one large or two small servings

2 oranges, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon sweetener (I used agave nectar), optional
1/4 cup non-dairy milk or water
2-3 ice cubes or 10 frozen strawberries

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.