Green Smoothies and More ...: red kale

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Straw-Pine Smoothie

I love summer because of all of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that I am able to get. The strawberries have been sweet and juicy lately so I knew that they would be perfect for this smoothie.

Straw-Pine Smoothie

1 1/2 cup strawberries

8 oz fresh pineapple

1 handful of red kale

Blend to desired consistency.

This smoothie was so yummy. The strawberries and pineapple were very sweet and this was a very kid friendly smoothie. Both kids loved it and wanted more.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Purple Mega Berry Green Smoothie

This one has a ton of berries. And, I am lucky to have a high powered blender which really works well on berry seeds.

Purple Mega Berry Green Smoothie

1 cup strawberries

1 handful red kale (or other greens)

1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries and marionberries)

I know that this doesn't look like a green smoothie but the kale is proof positive that it is. Little Mama loved this purple smoothie as did Mr. Mister. Warning - it makes a big mess if it gets splatter around the house.

Smoothie Tips

Here are some tips that I've learned while making smoothies for my 2 kiddos, Little Mama (4 years old) and Mr. Mister (2 years old):
- Put the softest, ripest fruit on the bottom of the blender.
- If you want to use water to thin out the smoothie, put it on the bottom of the blender.
- Frozen fruits work just as well as fresh. You might try defrosting it for a few seconds in the microwave to soften it up.
- If you're just starting with green smoothies, use less greens and build up to more, it might help transition for your kids who might easy reject it at first.

- Peel bananas before freezing them.

- If your kiddos refuse to drink something green, try an insulated straw cup. They won't be able to see the color of the smoothie.