Green Smoothies
New year.
It’s such a funny thing we do, this holiday business. Christmas. The lead up is epic, the decorating, the buying, the parties, the traditions, the hot chocolate, the shopping, the cookies, the presents, the cards, the wrapping, the mailing, the eating, the drinking, the expectations. So much of it is fun - the festive atmosphere, the lights, the lax energy at work. So much of it we love, we crave this time of break, of celebration, love the time spent with family, the coming together. It gives us this space for what is really important - the relationships in our lives - and yet is dressed in so much that is unimportant.
And then, by the time New Year’s rolls around, most of us are sick to death of all the chocolate, all the food, all the wine, all the spending. We crave vegetables and running. Make lists and resolutions of all the ways we are going to be better this year, all the ways we are going to improve. It’s like we impose this gluttony in order to springboard ourselves, willingly, into asceticism. We strip away the excess of decorations, desperate for white space and clean lines. We make green smoothies and get down to the business of work (although still perhaps nibble on a christmas chocolate after our dinner of steamed chicken and broccoli).
So here we are, in 2018, and yes, I am, like many of you, thrilled to be getting back to the good habits. One of the first things I did when we came home from our lovely Christmas in Ontario (the beautiful snow! the bright blue, sunny skies!), was make a batch of green smoothies. I make a big bunch, and it is usually enough to last us for a few days. We seal it up in mason jars in the fridge, and then, in the morning, blend a glass up with some hemp hearts (me) or some protein powder (Shane), and maybe an extra half a banana as well. I find that this can usually keep me going until lunch time, or certainly mid-morning, depending upon how early in the morning I drink it. It just feels healthy, makes me feel like I am starting the day off right. Surely it must be a good thing to be investing leafy greens first thing? I must admit that there are times of the year I just don’t want a cold smoothie in the morning. Winter is that time. But for some reason, after the gluttony of Christmas, I’m enjoying beginning my day this way. So I’m going to take advantage of it for as long as I can!
I found this recipe years ago, from Kimberly Snyder, and use it as the base, adding different ingredients as I see fit. Sometimes it’s ginger, sometimes it’s frozen mango. During the winter months, I find I really appreciate the warming qualities of ginger. Here is the version I have been using lately:
2-3 cups of water
1 large package of greens (I go with the double box, or if I’m on top of things, and wiling to wash my greens well, at least one bunch of spinach, possibly two, depending on the size).
1 bunch of mint
2-3 sticks of celery
1 apple
1 pear
1 banana
a good chunk of ginger, grated
juice of 2 lemons
I blend all the greens up with the water, first, then add the remaining items, blending well after each addition. This fills up our blender, and makes enough to fill two large mason jars. It keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days (it usually lasts us 2 to 3 days).
