Green smoothies?

Rob Babcock

New member
Hello, all! I've been scarce around here for awhile due to my hectic schedule. I've been working on my Bachelor's degree while working about 45 hours a week, but school just got done a few days ago!:D Not forever; I'm done with all my core/required stuff but need 10 credits more to graduate. That will happen in Jan. For now I have more time.

Just wanted to bounce a Q of you low-carb folks- do any of you do the "green smoothie" thing? I ordered a Blendtec blender (of "will it blend" fame) and it should be here on Monday. It's a sweet machine- 3 hp motor and speeds up to 29,000 rmp!:bb: One of the things I want to explore is making green smoothies. The idea is to blend up the really healthy green leafies that you would rarely eat otherwise. Think of kale- it's got a ton of nutrients but I defy anyone to eat it raw in any significant amount. Most of the green smoothie pundits mix a ton of fruit in but I would stick to the ones with less sugar and more fiber like raspberries and blueberries. Mostly berries, and mostly blue colored ones.

My Atkins is kind of slowly morphing into more of a Paleo thing. I agree that Dr. A was onto something but I'm starting to see the light about the auto-immune issues created by gluten and the problems associated with milk. No, I don't think I'll ever manage give up cheese though! Still, I'm trying to get away from processed (even further than I already have) and ditch wheat and grains as much as possible.

But I still think the total level of carbs is important to monitor. That's why I ask if you folks have tried the green smoothie thing. I'll probably start with coconut milk as a base. I firmly believe coconut is a "miracle" food. If nothing else, my Blendtec will be a way to get a few TBSP of coconut oil down every morning! That alone will be fantastic. If I can add anti-oxidants and micro-nutrients into the mix, more's the better.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
can't much advise on a smoothie-maker; i usually cook greens, make salads. they were via blender here, or sold in a bottle, & guy sellin' 'em somewhere here & there, or shoppes. anyhow-
googled green spinach smoothies & similar. there were too many recipes to link.
have u speciifics; as in, u lookin' fer lo-carb, vitamins/minerals, ease of making, weight loss, energy- i could look thru books/sites.
may i suggest spinach/blueberry/peaches (the peaches may be peeled). banana if u like a smoother, thicker shake. mori-nu tofu, (the aeseptically-pkged type) & soy & other 'milks' tend to have health benefits, or yogurts of certain sorts. soy, milk-based- i know i luv soy yogurt.
u got a new kithchen toy. i'd say find ur faves.
can add flax, wheat germ- healty & they provide texture.
waitin' on reading how u made the shakes!~
btw- ice & juice combined make for a great beginning, imo, for many.
 
Last edited:

Rob Babcock

New member
Okay, after living with the Mighty Blendtec for awhile I have some comments. First off, I've had to start slowly with the green smoothies! At first I was crammin' 3-4 cups of greens in there, but that's too much, at least for a nOOb!:yuk: Especially with stronger greens like collard. If I stick to 1-2 cups of milder greens like spinach I can whip up a pretty tasty smoothie. And that's still a reasonable amount of raw greens. As I get used to them I will try to up the greens a little bit.:WitchBrewsSmiley:

I have to say that one of the biggest surprises for me has been cilantro. It's extremely tasty when mixed with fruit! Well, since it goes so well with tomatoes I probably shouldn't be surprised at all. Cilantro and parsley are both good in smoothies and pack a surprising amount of nutrition.

I've been having good luck using protein shakes as a base, and also a mixture of coconut milk and almond milk. A few drops of liquid stevia (the slightly spendier kind with no alcohol added is best) really improves the taste, too.

This can of course be made in a regular blender but it's amazing how much better smoothies come out with an uber blender like the Blendtec! Granted, it was expensive but the results are at least as good as you get from a premium smoothie joint. Better, really, considering I can control what goes into them. The best local place, a spot called "Juice Stop" posts their nutritional info online and most of the smoothies start at around 100 grams of carbs!:confused::yuk: They may not be adding any more sugar but just the natural amount creates a real "sugar bomb."
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Good to see you back around here from time to time, Rob!

I can't offer any help regarding the specifics of your smoothie questions, but I can send you moral support in your dietary, school, and work adventures!

Best of luck to you! :respect:

Lee
 

Rob Babcock

New member
I usually check this site daily; but as a rule I only post when there's something low carb on my mind. Although I do check out the other areas, too!:wub:
 

phreak

New member
My wife has been making green smoothies for the family for about 1/2 a year off and on now. She has some recipes nailed down. I know banana is a good cover up for some of the harsher greens. We have a Kitchen Aid blender. My wife's friends have the Vita Mix blenders so she wanted one. Luckily I found a side by side comparison online that found that the Kitchen Aid trumped the more expensive and less expensive makes. http://www.rawfamily.com/ is a good resource. My wife had me sit down and watch a DVD by the lady from that website. It was kind of hard to watch because she's not a good presenter, and in the end she highly recommends the Vita Mix blenders (which she sells) so that was a turn off, but there is some good advice...Like make sure you switch up the types of greens you use. They all have small amounts of toxins (as do most foods), so if you stick with one it may build up and cause some nasty side effects. All in all, when we stick with it for a few days in a row you can definitely feel the difference.
 

Rob Babcock

New member
I agree! It's a great way to get extra greens down. True, you do have to mix them up to prevent getting too much of a given toxin.
 

Rob Babcock

New member
I decided to bump this instead of creating a new topic. I've found that chia seeds are an awesome addition to the smoothies! Chia seeds are sweet and nutty, somewhat like a sesame seed. They're very nutrient dense and are pure fiber; they add flavor, thicken the smoothie and add fiber which can be helpful.

Be sure to blend them well, though. At least I like to blitz them in my Blendtech to break 'em up a bit.:thumb:
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I take it that you are feeling great and healthy, as you are following this life- and diet-style?

I will look up chia seeds! Thanks!

Lee
 

Rob Babcock

New member
Well, aside from feeling old!:D Turned 44 this summer. I've been a low carb guy for a long time, although occasionally like many of us I get lazy. But I've been pretty diligent in trying to get bleached flour and sugar out of my diet completely. Funny- I had attributed some minor joint aches/stiffness with getting older but ditching all flour products completely fixed it.
 
Top