Drink your greens!

 

Howdy!  I have been a busy bee today but I definitely have a dandy of a post for you this afternoon, or at least I think so.

After working all morning getting my classroom ready at school (the kids start 1 week from today – eek!) I took lunch over to my friend Kamrin’s house for a much needed catch up session.  After getting a tour of the garden from Keltin, Kamrin’s daughter and my Goddaughter, we ate lunch and then mixed up a batch of “green ice cream” in the blender, trying not to wake Kelty’s napping brother, Palmer.  Luckily he was zonked! 

I must admit, I was a little skeptical of the “green ice cream” at first while reading the ingredient list, but have heard that putting spinach into smoothies is now quite the rage, and very nutritious, so I thought I would give it a try.  The verdict?  I loved it!

 

 

Kam’s fancy new blender (which came with the cookbook we used for the recipe below) whipped the ingredients into an ice cream-like consistency and if I didn’t see the spinach go in the blender, I wouldn’t have known at all – you couldn’t taste it a bit!!! (yay!)

So, although I am a bit late to the “spinach smoothie” fad, I am now a believer.  Kamrin even gave me a bag of spinach to take home and try in some of my own smoothie concoctions (I think just adding a handful of spinach to any regular smoothie recipe will do the trick).  I am not a huge fan of spinach raw or sautéed, so to know that I can get the nutrients without the gag reflex is awesome!  I can’t wait to experiment!

Here is a picture of the “Popeye Ice Cream” recipe that we tried today (I love that they offer variations at the bottom as well):

 

*we used honey instead of agave nectar and it tasted great.

 

Still not into spinach?  Well here are 11 reasons that you should be!

--Information below found here.

 

11 Health Benefits of Spinach

• Diet
  One cup of spinach has nearly 20% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating.
• Cancer
  Flavonoids -- a phytonutrient with anti-cancer properties abundant in spinach -- have been shown to slow down cell division in human stomach and skin cancer cells. Furthermore, spinach has shown significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer.
• Anti-Inflammatory
  Neoxanthin and violaxanthin are two anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls that play an important role in regulation of inflammation and are present in unusual amounts in spinach.
• Antioxidants
  The vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium present in spinach all serve as powerful antioxidants that combat the onset of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
• Blood Pressure
  By inhibiting the angiotensin I-converting enzyme, peptides within spinach have been shown to effectively lower blood pressure.
• Vision
  Both antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are especially plentiful in spinach and protect the eye from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
• Immunity
  One cup of spinach contains over 337% of the RDA of vitamin A that not only protects and strengthens "entry points" into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts, but is also a key component of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) that fight infection.
• Skin
  The high amount of vitamin A in spinach also promotes healthy skin by allowing for proper moisture retention in the epidermis, thus fighting psoriasis, keratinization, acne and even wrinkles.
• Bones
  One cup of boiled spinach provides over 1000% of the RDA of vitamin K that can prevent excess activation of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bones), as well as promote the synthesis of osteocalcin, the protein that is essential for maintaining the strength and density of our bones.
• Calcification
  Vitamin K is a crucial component of the process called carboxylation, which produces the matrix Gla protein that directly prevents calcium from forming in tissue. Eating one cup of spinach contributes to this process that fights atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
• Brain and Nervous Function
  The abundance of vitamin K in spinach contributes greatly to a healthy nervous system and brain function by providing an essential part for the synthesis of sphingolipids, the crucial fat that makes up the Myelin sheath around our nerves.

 

 

 

Have a happy and healthy day!

 

Here are some additional links to some delicious sounding spinach smoothie recipes.

• www.fitsugar.com
• www.pbs.org
• www.greensmoothiespower.com (10 recipes!)

Short Cut

 

When time is of the essence, simple snacking short cuts are a great way to save a few precious minutes and keep your growling belly at ease. 

 

 

One of my new short cut finds is a premade smoothie powder mix.  I love smoothies as a quick and nutritious snack, but don’t like to pull out 8 different ingredients to make one when I’m in a rush. 

 

 

This chocolate banana smoothie packet calls for only 3 items*:  milk, banana and ice and makes quite a bit – 3 servings (which Mike and I usually split).  The smoothie is pretty good by itself, but even better with a spoonful of peanut butter thrown in at the end and blended.  I love that version! 

I highly recommend this short cut packet mix and can’t wait to try other variations! Look for it today in the produce section of your local grocery store.  Happy blending!

 

 

*There is also a variation included on the back of the packet that includes yogurt as well.  This addition will most likely make a thicker smoothie which would be delish, too.

Smmmoooooth

 
Too busy to make smoothies?  Listen up!
Mike and I love smoothies. We seem to make more of them when we are training for a race as an after run snack, but they can be satisfying any time of day.

When I first started making smoothies it seemed like quite a process having to pull out every single ingredient. I would cut up a banana, get the frozen fruit out of each separate bag and put it all in the blender. The end result, however yummy, was not worth the effort to assemble. 

I thought about how to make the process quicker and came up with a pretty great time saving tip...SMOOTHIE BAGS!

Talk about a shortcut!  This little idea has saved me mucho time and I am so happy to share it with you!
Here’s how you do it:


I usually make about 6 smoothie bags at a time to keep in the freezer.  Be sure to have 3 bananas and one large bag of frozen strawberries or fruit of your choice.



Set out 6 zip lock bags and fold the top over so they stand upright.  Cut the bananas in chunks and add half of each banana to an individual bag. 

Then add 6-8 frozen strawberries (or fruit of choice assuming they are in smaller chunks - if not, you can chunk them yourself).


Close the bags and place in the freezer. 



Easy peasy!

Now, when you are ready for a smoothie, just grab a smoothie bag, 1 container of vanilla yogurt and OJ.  This healthy, nutritious snack will take about 3 minutes start to finish with this Smoothie Bag shortcut.  Kids love them, too!

These bags are a staple in my freezer and make smoothie making quick and easy.

Fruit Smoothies:
Yields 1 large smoothie or 2 smaller smoothies
Print this recipe!

• 3/4 C berries or fruit of choice (I use strawberries, but you could use any frozen fruit)
• 1/2 of a banana cut into chunks
• 1 container of fat-free vanilla yogurt
• OJ - about 1 C, or enough to just cover ingredients in blender

Put all ingredients into the blender.  Blend, blend, blend. 



I like mine very smooth so I blend the mess out of it.  I guess that's why they are called smoothies, ha!  If you prefer more of a liquid-y smoothie just add more OJ until you reach the desired consistency, or decrease the amount if you prefer a thicker smoothie.

Want a little kick?  Add crunchies on top. 
My recommendations:  granola or walnuts