No … we don’t mean green beer.
In addition to the delicious fresh pressed Huli Pau juice available in the studio, there are countless other ways to incorporate greens (like spinach or kale) into your shakes and smoothies. What is the advantage to using real, whole greens instead of a “superfood” powder supplement? You get all of the nutrients straight from the source, and don’t loose any water, fiber, mineral, or vitamin content.
If you’re new to green drinks, try a mild flavored leaf like spinach (rather than kale or chard). Mix in frozen fruit, and any other add-ins of your choice – nuts, protein powders, yogurt, etc. Start with one or two handfuls of spinach, add in your others ingredients, and top with skim milk, soy or almond milk, or water. The more powerful the blender, the better job it will do of making the shake smooth, without big chunks of greens.
Here are some flavor combination ideas:
- Spinach, frozen banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder, milk (Elvis would love it)
- Spinach, blueberries, almond butter, oats, vanilla yogurt, milk (perfect for breakfast on the go)
- Spinach, cherries, chocolate milk, protein powder (great post-cycling treat)
Here’s my favorite alternative to the sickeningly sweet fast food shamrock shake. It’s the perfect shade of green, with a much better nutrition profile!
Shamrockin’ Smoothie
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 2 handfuls of spinach (about 1 cup, packed)
- 1 Tbsp almond or cashew butter
- 1/4 of a single avocado (or 2 heaping Tbsp) *key to a creamy shake
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 tsp honey (or artificial sweetener if you prefer)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops mint extract (take it easy – a little goes a LONG way)
- 3-4 ice cubes
Do you like green juices or green smoothies?