A green drink this morning to make everybody feel good!
Apple-Pear-Banana
1 apple
1 banana
1 pear
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1 stalk of celery
1/2 – 1 cup water
Fruit and green smoothies are quick and easy to make and only require a blender, a sharp knife and cutting board. Making a delicious smoothie with a thick, creamy texture is an art. Fortunately, it’s an art anybody can learn. Once you know the basics, you can make your own creations and never get tired of the same recipes day after day.
Filtered Water: I like to use filtered water when I make a green smoothie. It doesn’t affect the flavor and doesn’t detract from the flavor of the fruits from coming out.
Fruit Juices: I don’t recommend using commercial fruit juice in your green smoothie because commercial juices are not fresh. They have also been pasteurized which has exposed them to heat and therefore reduced the vitamin content and enzymes that are normally found in the whole fruit or freshly squeezed juice that you make at home.
You can use your own, fresh squeezed fruit juice. Oranges, grapefruit and other juicing fruits are perfect. Use the same principle of flavor combining as you would with flavor fruits. Juice fruits that will complement the other fruit you put into your smoothie.
Milks: My personal philosophy about green smoothies steers me away from using animal milk as a liquid. The reasoning is that green smoothies are the perfect detox food, and dairy products interfere with that. If you are tempted to add milk in order to boost the calcium content, remember that many fruits and vegetables, especially greens, are rich in calcium. It’s actually quite easy to make a smoothie with more calcium than a glass of milk!
If you do want to use milk as a liquid, I recommend trying plant-based milks made from hemp, almond, oat or rice. You can find certain brands that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. I personally do not use soy milk due to the health controversy surrounding soy products, but that’s another option if you choose.
Base fruits give your smoothie that creamy smoothie texture. Otherwise, it will be too runny or you’ll end up with pulpy fruit juice (like if you blended oranges and grapes together).
Fruit: For a perfect, smooth texture, use “creamy” fruits like banana, mango, peach, pear, apple, papaya.
Use your taste buds as a guide! My favorite flavor combos are: Banana (base fruit) with strawberry. Apple (base fruit) with blueberry. Pear (base fruit) with orange.
Greens: While you can make a smoothie with just fruit, I consider greens an essential part of a healthy smoothie regimen. Greens are essential because they play a vital role in overall nutrition and should make up a significant portion of your diet in order to achieve optimum health. The recommended percentage of greens to use in a green smoothie is 40% greens to 60% fruit. You can start at a lower percentage and work your way up as you get used to it and even boost your greens beyond to 50, 60 or 70%.
Now blend it!
Troubleshooting
What if your smoothie is too sweet? Sometimes you add too much fruit or you simply feel overloaded with too much berry sweetness. If that is the case, adding a pinch of sea salt, an extra handful of greens or a stalk or two of celery will cut the sweetness.
Make It Colder If you are using fruit that has been ripening at room temperature, you might find that your smoothie is not cold enough for your liking. If this is the case, simply add a couple ice cubes or frozen berries to give your smoothie a more satisfying chill.
Too Bitter? You can sweeten and hide bitter flavors with additional sweet fruits, especially bananas, pineapple, oranges and ripe berries. Dates are also a great way of sweetening up a smoothie without adding extra bulk that you have to drink.
Storing Your Smoothie I strongly recommend that you make your green smoothie fresh each day and that you drink it immediately after making it. The longer your smoothie sits, the less nutritious it becomes.
You can keep leftover smoothie in a sealed container in the refrigerator and have the rest with lunch or dinner, or make it the night before and have it ready for you in the morning. Be sure to shake it well when you are ready to drink it as separation of the juices and fiber in the fruit will occur.
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Принцип приготовления коктейля простой: любые фрукты + любая съедобная зелень (в соотношении примерно 60:40) взбиваются в блендере до однородной консистенции.
1 яблоко
1 груша
1 банан
1 стебель сельдерея
2 чашки свежего шпината
1/2 - 1 чашки воды
