Home Tags Posts tagged with "green smoothie"
Tag

green smoothie

Nectarine, Banana & Spinach Green Smoothie
SmoothiesSneaking in the VeggiesVeganVegetarian

Nectarine & Spinach Green Smoothie

written by Daniela Klein

Did you know that nectarines made the BEST addition to green smoothies? The sweet tart balance that they have is somehow a perfect compliment to greens. Throw a banana in there and you have a super delicious smoothie!

In this smoothie I decided to inject a probiotic boost – and incorporated milk and water kefir. You can substitute the milk kefir for yoghurt, or leave it out completely for a vegan option.

The only other thing in this smoothie is coconut oil. I find that coconut oil is the perfect fat to go into daily smoothies, because it is plant based, and one of the best fats to consume on a daily basis. It can be used to assist one to lose weight, act as a brain food, blood sugar stabilizer, and even stave off dementia.

Coconut oil is also transformational when it comes to the taste and flavor of your smoothie. If you do not believe me, then while you make it, taste it before adding the coconut, and after. You will see that the coconut gives a lovely creaminess and body to the smoothie.

Nectarine, Banana & Spinach Green Smoothie

 

Besides the flavor, I also really love the fact that the coconut oil makes a smoothie more filling. I like to be able to drink my smoothie, and then last on it for while. Nothing more frustrating than going to the effort of making a smoothie, only to be wracked by hunger half an hour later!

I really recommend this smoothie if you are someone who wants to make more green smoothies, but does not enjoy the very ‘potent’ ones which are dominated by greens. I have a few like this, such as this gazpacho style smoothie and kale and orange juice smoothie. These smoothies are chock a block with greens and nutrients, however they are quite strong in taste. Not creamy and sweet.

This smoothie on the hand brings the best of all worlds together. It is creamy, sweet, satisfying and filling, while containing a good amount of greens.

So much in fact in fact that I worked out if you make this smoothie everyday, you will be consuming 21 leaves of swiss chard per in a 7 days…. : D

Nectarine, Banana & Spinach Green Smoothie

If you made and liked this smoothie, and are want to try it out with using kale instead of spinach, here is my recipe for the same smoothie but made with kale. 

Hope you make and enjoy this smoothie – and if you feel like sharing, tag me on Instagram @rebels.kitchenpics

 

Nectarine, Banana & Spinach Green Smoothie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




Nectarine & Spinach Green Smoothie

Print This
Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 nectarine
  • 1 banana
  • 3 small to medium swiss chard leaves
  • 1/2 cup milk kefir or yoghurt
  • 1 cup water kefir (you can also use plain water if you do not have water kefir on hand)
  • 50 grams melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. If you have not done so already, melt the coconut oil. I have tried to skip this step before and it always leaves tiny little lumps of oil in my smoothie – not nice. To melt the coconut oil, simply place it in a small saucepan and put that on a very low flame. The oil will melt in moments. Do not overheat it, as you don’t want to be adding piping hot oil to your smoothie!
  2. Next, de-pip the nectarine and de-rib the spinach leaves.
  3. Blend everything together until smooth and creamy.
  4. Pour into containers and enjoy!

December 15, 2017 0 comment
1 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Nectarine , Banana and Kale Smoothie Recipe
Breakfast ideasDrinksFast Healthy MealsGluten FreeSmoothiesSnacksSneaking in the VeggiesVeganVegetarian

Nectarine, Banana and Kale Green Smoothie

written by Daniela Klein

I am so pleased to be bringing you this smoothie recipe, it hits all the nigh notes for me.

I find that the trio of tangy nectarine, creamy banana and iron rich kale really satisfying, with a great balance in flavor. Which is funny because the smoothie is basically a balance of four things, 1 of each…..

1 ripe nectarine
1 banana
1 large kale leaf
1 cup water

=

Yummy

Sometimes when making a smoothie that has greens in it and fruit, it can feel like you are too much on one side. Either it is dominated by the greens, or by the fruit. Too much greens will give the smoothie a bitter taste. Too much fruit will make it quite sweet. This 1,1,1,1 ratio seems to be the golden one when it comes to a nectarine and kale smoothie. : )

 

 

Nectarine , Banana and Kale Smoothie Recipe

There is actually another ingredient in this smoothie. Shhh it’s a secret.  It is 4 teaspoons of melted coconut oil, and gives the smoothie a lovely creaminess. It also keeps you full for longer and can help you to shed weight!

A few big tablespoons of coconut oil is my absolute favorite smoothie ingredient. Not only does it make almost any smoothie taste yummy, but I really like that it can make a smoothie keep you full for longer. Nothing worse than going to the effort of making a smoothie, and then one hour later ending up with a bag of chips in your hands because you have used up all the energy in it.

Why Coconut Oil Can Help You to Lose Weight

Ok, ok, I know.  Can coconut oil really help you to lose weight?

I have done some research on this ,delving into the published studies, and yes, it would seem that coconut oil can help one to ‘effortlessly’ lose a little weight, while keeping you feeling full, and topped up with energy.

The reason for this is that coconut oil is made up of healthy saturated fats, and these can be difficult for the body to store as fat cells. These fats only require a 3 step process by the body to be broken down and converted to energy, as opposed to the 27 steps required by many other plant based oils.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society – 

“The primary fatty acid of coconut oil is lauric acid, which is present at approximately 45–53 %. Detailed studies have shown that the majority of ingested lauric acid is transported directly to the liver where it is directly converted to energy and other metabolites rather than being stored as fat.”

Interestingly, 30 grams of coconut oil per day (a perfect amount to put in one’s smoothies!) in one human trial, were consumed by obese subjects for 4 weeks, and reduced waist circumference by 2.86 cm, or 1.1 inches was recorded.

 

Nectarine , Banana and Kale Smoothie Recipe

 

Coconut Oil Can also Immediately Improve Mental Clarity

Not only does coconut oil help you to stay fuller for longer, assist in potential weight loss or decreased weight maintenance, but it also fuels your brain! After being metabolized in the liver, the lauric acid can make it way straight to the brain and be used as an energy source for it. Here is a study on how and why this is.

Considering that dieting and running on nutrient rich but low calorie dense smoothies often can come with hunger pangs, energy slumps and brain fog – coconut oil is really the perfect smoothie add in. Not to mention that it makes almost all smoothies taste really good!

So, let’s get to the recipe…..

Nectarine , Banana and Kale Smoothie Recipe




Nectarine, Banana and Kale Green Smoothie

Print This
Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe nectarine
  • 1 banana
  • 1 large kale leaf
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. De-rib the kale leaf. If your kale leaves are on the small side, you can use two. Peel the banana and de-pip the nectarine.
  2. If you have not done so already, melt the coconut oil. This is very important to do, because if you put it in while it is still in a solid state, you will get very fine ‘bits’ of coconut oil in your smoothie! Not so nice. Of course if it is hot where you are and the coconut oil is already in liquid form, then melting is not neccesary.
  3. Combine all ingredients and blend until the smoothie is smooth. Kale is quite fibrous, so if you do not blend it well there will still be shreds of fibre in the smoothie. You want to process those away to nothing so that the smoothie is creamy and, well smooth! : )
  4. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Notes

If you like your smoothies really cold, then you can freeze the banana and nectarine beforehand, and chill the jug of made smoothie for 30 minutes or more before drinking.

November 30, 2017 1 comment
1 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Protein & Iron Rich Green Smoothie
Cooking HacksDrinksFast Healthy MealsHow To'sSmoothies

#1 Trick to Making the Best Smoothies

written by Daniela Klein

I have a trick that I use whenever I make smoothies. It really turns them around in terms of flavor and taste. And today I want to share it with you.

And I won’t keep you hanging on a cliff, because it is a really, really simple trick. It does not involve any expensive ingredients, or freezing the smoothie, or a snazzy blender. It is one ingredient.

If you have a look at a few different smoothie recipes, you will probably notice that this ingredient pops up in most recipes. However if you are making your own smoothies from scratch, it is easy to overlook this ingredient. And the vital smoothie ingredient for great flavor and health benefits is……

 

 

Adding Healthy Fats to Your Smoothies!

This might seem too simple to be a game changer when it comes to making smoothies – but it really is. Trust me : D. If you want to take a smoothie from flat and a little bland, to yummy, creamy and delicious, then include a healthy fat into it. Even if it is a green smoothie. Actually particulary if it is a green smoothie. It really does transform the smoothie, and not only that, you also get the added health benefits from the healthy fats. These  include enhanced absorption of certain fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, K and E. These vitamins dissolve in fat, so without the presence of fats in your smoothie, you will miss out on the full uptake of these.

Additionally, including a healthy fat into your smoothie ensures that it keeps you fuller for longer. This is a great attribute when it comes to smoothie ingredients. Most of us are making smoothies to help us get through busy days, while still getting in decent amount of fruit and greens to keep us healthy and energised. If we are fainting from lack of fuel during the day – then all this smoothie making sort of defeats the goal of reaping more energy and vibrance.

So what kind of healthy fats can I incorporate into my smoothie?

Here are some examples of healthy fats work well in smoothies:

  • Coconut milk / cream
  • Melted coconut oil
  • Avocados
  • Nut oils or butters eg. almond butter or cashew butter
  • Olive oil

Of all of these healthy fats, coconut oil is my favorite one to add to smoothies. Firstly it is very neutral in flavor – which means that you can use it all the time without your smoothies tasting always of coconut.

And the second reason is that coconut oil has some pretty exciting health aspects to it!

 

Coconut Oil as a Healthy Fat Source for Your Smoothies

Coconut oil is an incredibly special oil in that it is a healthy saturated fat which is plant based. Today we are lucky enough to be able to buy it the world over, usually at a reasonable price. Coconut oil keeps well, and as mentioned above is neutral in taste. Meaning you can use it in any smoothie you want, and not have them all tasting of coconut.

Coconut Oil is Not Readily Stored by the Body as Fat –
It is converted to energy straight away

It appears that one of the top reasons why coconut oil is so good for our bodies lies in the type of fat that it is made up of. coconut oil is made up of over 90 percent short chain healthy saturated fat. This fat can be broken down by the body in 3 steps. Unlike other plant derived fats which are broken down in 26 stages!

What this means ultimately is that the fat in coconut oil can be taken up by the body and converted to energy immediately. Short chain fats are processed in the liver, which means pretty much a one way street to energy production.  There is much less chance of coconut oil being stored in fat cells within the body, because it can so easily be converted to energy. Whereas other plant based fats can take so long to convert that they can end up being stored along the way.

Adding Coconut Oil Into Smoothies Can Assist With Weight Loss

If you are interested in shedding a few pounds, or simply maintaining a certain weight, then coconut oil is a great choice in healthy fats. This is because of the fact that it is not easily stored in the body as fat, and tends to get burnt up right away. This means that:

Adding coconut oil to smoothies is a weight loss friendly thing to do, because it is not easily retained by the body in fat cells. It also makes your smoothie more filling, which means that you can go for longer on it before feeling hungry again.

Adding Coconut Oil to Your Smoothie Can Act as An Excellent Source of Energy

This special ability of coconut oil to be broken down into energy in only 3 steps makes it a great source of energy. If you add coconut oil to your smoothies, it will help to keep your energy levels high for longer, with minimal fat storage.

If you are using your smoothie to act as an on-the-go light meal, then it is important that it has ingredients in it that will keep you energized.

 

Kale & Orange Smoothie Recipe

 

How to Add Coconut Oil to Your Smoothies

There are three things to know when it comes to adding coconut oil to smoothies.

How Much Coconut Oil Should I Add?

Usually I find that one can add a little more coconut oil than one thinks to smoothies. I used to only add a couple tablespoons, but I have now upped that to roughly 1/4 cup for a smoothie which makes roughly 1.5 – 2 glasses. This might seem like a lot, but if you are skipping any other kind of ingredients which contain fat – then this will distribute through your smoothie and make it deliciously creamy.

A good rule of thumb when making a smoothie and wanting to add coconut oil is to stick to this rough ratio:

7 parts volume of smoothie:1 part coconut oil
                                    or
For every 250 ml of smoothie that you make, add in 30 ml (just over 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil.

 

You Might Have to Melt Your Coconut Oil

Coconut oil tends to harden in temperatures below 76 degrees F. Above this temperature it is in a liquid form. If your coconut oil is in liquid form, then great, you can simply add it into your smoothie.

If however your coconut oil is in its solidified state, then you will need to melt it before incorporating it into your smoothie. If you do not do this, what can happen is that one can get lots and lots of little solid bits of coconut oil in your smoothie – no matter how much you blend!

How to Melt Coconut Oil for Using in Your Smoothies

To melt the coconut oil, simply put the required amount into a saucepan and put this over a very low heat for about 1/2  a minute. The coconut oil will melt almost instantly.

The important thing is to not allow your coconut oil to overheat. It must just get warm enough to melt into its liquid state. If it is sizzling hot, then it will make your smoothie warm when you add it in, and probably denature some of the raw ingredients in the smoothie.

 

Blend Everything Else, Then Add the Melted Coconut Oil While the Blender is Still Running

Once the coconut oil is melted, all you need to do is add it to your smoothie. Take note however that if your smoothie and its ingredients are very cold, then the oil could solidify into clumps again when you pour it in. To avoid this, do the following.

  • Blend and process all of the other ingredients in your smoothie until it is smooth and creamy looking.
  • Now slowly pour in your melted coconut oil, while the blender is still running. This will evenly incorporate the coconut oil into your smoothie, so that even if it is cold, or goes into the fridge, no oil clumps will appear in the smoothie.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 

When Not to Use Coconut Oil

As you can see, coconut oil is a really awesome healthy fat option for adding to your smoothies on a daily basis. It is neutral in flavor, and is weight loss friendly, but also provides lasting energy thanks to the ease with with coconut oil is turned into energy by the body.

There are however some instances when you might not want to use coconut oil in your smoothies, and rather use one of the other healthy fats available.

You Are Making a Savory / Gespatchio Style Green Smoothie

If you are making a gazpacho style smoothie, then you may wish to use an oil such as olive oil as your healthy fat. Olive oil has a beautiful savory flavor, and can really make a green smoothie taste delicious and extra savory. Olive oil has its own set of health benefits, so you won’t be missing out. : )

You Are After a Certain Flavor in Your Smoothie

Sometimes you may want to use a fat source in your smoothie which has a stronger flavor than coconut oil. For example, if you want to make a smoothie which tastes like coconut, do not use coconut oil. Rather use coconut milk or cream, as that will bring the signature coconut flavor.

Another example might be that you want to make a peanut and chocolate flavored smoothie. Then again, ditch the coconut oil and use peanut butter instead, just in a slightly larger quantity.

Try This Trick!

If you have been making your smoothies without healthy fats as an ingredient – try this trick! I am sure that you will be happy with the results you see and taste in your smoothie.

If you try this and what to share, post a pic of your smoothie creation on instagram and tag me! The tag is @rebels.kitchenpics.

For now, all the best with your smoothies, and hope everybody is enjoying the long weekend. : )

 

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 26, 2017 0 comment
0 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe
SmoothiesSneaking in the VeggiesVegetarian

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie

written by Daniela Klein

Say hello to the newest savory gazpacho style smoothie on the blog. : ) The other one is this Detox Chickweed Smoothie.

This smoothie is a simple and very green smoothie. It contains kale, kefir (you can also use yoghurt), tomato, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt and black pepper. You can also add cucumber in if you would like to dilute the kale a little.

Speaking of which – this is a pretty strong kale smoothie. It contains two whole leaves of kale, so can definitely be diluted if you are not ready to be drinking so much kale all at once, or do not enjoy the strong taste. Because savory gazpacho style smoothies are not fruit based, the taste of the kale can be a lot stronger than in a smoothie which has fruit in it. This is why green smoothies with fruit bases are popular – they can really help you to ‘sneak’ greens into your diet.

However as Blender Girl mentioned, if you are aiming to use smoothies in your diet to consume more and more greens, then at some point you might want to start veering towards smoothies which contain mainly vegetables and savory ingredients. It can take a while to retrain one’s taste buds to a full bodied vegetable smoothie, but they can be pretty tasty if paired with the right flavorings. Salt and pepper are a must, as well as something tart like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. I also find that a dash of cayenne pepper gives any green smoothie a delicious kick! Garlic is also a tasty addition, however you can leave this out if your are afraid of garlic breath.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 

Besides these flavoring techniques, I also found a out a trick to ‘manually’ de-bitter a green smoothie which does not involve heat! It goes like this…

How to Debitter a Kale Smoothie

This is a small de-bittering trick for a green smoothie, but one which I have found to be quite effective.

  1. Make your green smoothie as per instructions.
  2. You will probably see a sort of of foam develop after blending.
  3. Take a table or teaspoon and skim off this foam thoroughly.
  4. Drink and enjoy!

I do not know quite why this removal of the foam takes away some of the bitterness in green smoothies. I think it might be along the lines that certain bitter compounds collect in, or as, the foam and removing them then renders the smoothie less bitter. Try it and see. Let me know what you think!

For now, have a lovely weekend everyone. x

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 




Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie

Print This
Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 2 large kale leaves
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 cup milk kefir (you can also use yoghurt, but then add a little extra water)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. De-rib the two kale leaves and peel the half garlic clove.
  2. Combine all ingredients together and blend. You want to process the smoothie well, so that a minimum amount of fibre from the kale remains. Kale is pretty fibrous, so if you do not blend well, you will end up with a lot of bits in your smoothie.
  3. Once you have blended the smoothie, take a tablespoon and skim off any foam from the top. Discard this foam, sprinkle your smoothie with a little black pepper and enjoy!

Take note: you should aim to consume your smoothie within a window period of a few hours if not sooner. This is when the enzymes and live compounds are the most active.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

November 10, 2017 0 comment
0 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest