Ever since Victoria Boutenko sent me a review copy of Green for Life, back in early 2006, I have begun most days with some sort of green smoothie. It got so that I didn’t even think about it: breakfast was simply green, very green, everyday green.
Until this summer. Suddenly, this summer I could no longer tolerate green smoothies. It didn’t matter which green or which fruit I used, after a couple sips, my stomach would lock up and not allow even a bit more down. If I managed to swallow some of these concoctions in the name of “health,” I would end up needing to juice fast for two days just to get my stomach settled.
This experience caused some interesting realizations, not the least of which was just how much of a raw foodist I’d become. The idea of anything else for breakfast literally had not occurred to me for several years! What exactly did “normal” people eat for breakfast? Cocoa Puffs? I attempted a few more green smoothie combos and did a few more unintended juice feasts before I called it quits.
I stopped drinking green smoothies for about two months. I started eating fruit for breakfast, or VEGA protein powder, or HempNGreens rawnola with sesame seed mylk (exceptionally yummy, by the way). I survived, but I did miss my smoothies. Then one day, I mixed some Vitamineral Green in coconut water and felt the same gut wrenching stomach pains. Ah-ha! Mystery solved: I had grown so accustomed to adding Vitamineral Green to all my smoothies that I hadn’t even noticed it as the one common denominator amidst all varieties of greens and fruit. This also explained why I could eat a kale salad but not a kale smoothie. It was never about the kale!
Anyway, long story short, I’ve been back on green smoothies again for about 2 months, and the time away increased my fondness for them. I have nothing against Vitamineral Green; I think it’s a fabulous product. My stomach just doesn’t appear to like it anymore. But it does love green smoothies! I decided to share two more favorites here:
SPIRULINA BELLY BLISS
This is a recent variation on an old standby, utilizing coconut kefir instead of almond mylk.
5-15 leaves dinosaur kale (depending how green you like your smoothies)
1 cup coconut kefir (coco meat + coco water, so it’s nice and thick)
1 cup water or coconut water
1 avocado
1-2 bananas
1-2 TBSP spirulina
1 tsp lucuma
1 TBSP liquid lecithin (soy or sunflower)
Blend and enjoy!
CACAO IS IN THE HOUSE
3-4 cups baby spinach
1 cup coconut kefir (meat + water)
1-2 TBSP cacao nibs
2 bananas
3 dried schizandra berries
1 TBSP liquid lecithin
splash of Jerusalem artichoke syrup
water to thin to desired consistency
Blend and chug for a supercharged day.
Want more lazy recipes that deliver maximum energy for minimum mess? Check out The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide for tips from Sarma, Shazzie, Anthony Anderson and many more people looking to make your health journey as easy as (raw) pie. Cheers to you!
