Green Machine Smoothie

Drinking a green smoothie *almost* every single morning is probably the most consistent thing I’ve done for my health for the last couple of years. It’s straight up drinkable salad. The best thing about a smoothie is that it’s big return for little effort: chuck everything in a blender and press a button. Lazy and healthy? Yes, please! It also means you can consume a lot of healthy food quickly. Eating all the food in this smoothie would take time and - bummer - cutlery. You can chug the Green Machine before heading out or take it with you to drink on the go. Added bonus: unlike juice, smoothies retain all the fibre and keep you feeling full longer.I love experimenting with different combinations of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and powders. It’s a great way to use up fruit and veg hovering on the sad side of bad. Over time, I’ve noticed that this recipe is what I make most consistently in the morning. I call it the Green Machine because it keeps your body running like a…well, you get it. Also, it rhymes.The one tool you’ll need for smoothie magic is a blender. The king and queen of high-speed blenders are Vitamix and Blendtec (I have the latter) and they’re not cheap. Like, not even close. Based on cost per use, however, I think it’s a worthwhile investment because they have a long life span and it’s something you’ll likely find yourself using at least once a day. I tend to use mine even more for soups, sauces, banana ice cream, and later-in-the-day sweet tooth smoothies! That said, you absolutely don’t need a fancy pants blender to make this or any other smoothie. My first blender was a tiny single-serve from the Avon catalogue that I kept in my dorm room. After graduating from university I also graduated to the Magic Bullet (best infomercial of all time, amiright??). Use whatever suits you and your current budget!

GREEN MACHINE SMOOTHIE

serves 2

2 cups cold water

½ cucumber, peeled (unless it’s organic)

1 green apple, peeled (unless it’s organic)

4 handfuls kale

1 banana

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 heaping tbsp ground flax (or flax seed)

Optional:

¼ tsp spirulina (a 'superfood' high in protein and full of B12 and a bunch of other good stuff [start small and work up to 2 teaspoons])

I also add/substitute spinach, celery, and cilantro quite often

Taste tips:

+ It’s much better cold. Seriously. Use cold water, try adding ice, or leave it in the fridge overnight.

+ If you’d like more sweetness, add grapes, dates, or other fruit.

+ For a creamier taste, use almond milk (or your favourite milk) instead of water.

+ This is a bit of a bougie move, but I prefer smoothies with a big straw. I get this colourful bag of 100 for $1.50 at Ikea. Necessary? No. Worth it? For me, yes.

I'd love to know - are you into green smoothies? If not, would you give it a go? Let me know how it turns out! If you try a different combination you like please share so I can try it too! xx