Thursday, April 5, 2012

SUPER Pregnancy Green Smoothie


Okay... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't obsessed with these. Literalllllyy... obsessed. I don't know what I'd do this whole pregnancy without these! They give me needed vitamins... annnndd... all that good stuff! But really, they taste great and make me feel like I am giving my baby lots of good "stuff"... as well as myself, of course! I drink one DAILY, and almost feel deprived if I am somewhere and cannot have one. 

So... now that I've talked this smoothie up enough... here is a little "recipe" for my "Super Pregnancy Green Smoothie"!!! Try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
*Blender
*Crushed ice
*Water/{Orange} juice
*Spinach
*{Mixed} frozen fruit
*Banana

Optional:
*Prunes {SERIOUSLY!!!!!- they make it SO good!} I promise I'm not 95 years old... and we all know that they can "help" a pregnant lady :)
*Any other fruit you like {blueberries are great and turn it purple!}
*Avocado
*Flax and/or chia
*Yogurt- I don't put it in mine, because I don't like the {creamy} flavor/texture it adds, but it is up to you. I MUCH prefer my {GREEK!!!} yogurt on the side... makes for a perfect breakfast! 


To start- get all of your ingredients ready to go! You can see in this I'm using a little oj, banana, frozen mixed fruit, prunes, and- of course- spinach.












Next.... throw it all in your blender {make sure you have one that will blend the ice}. I start with a little ice first {cup?}, enough water/oj to cover it, two handfuls of {fresh} spinach, a banana, and about two handfuls of frozen fruit. Here is where you can also add any other things to it... like I am adding my prunes in this one!
Got everything in? Mix it up! If it doesn't seem to be mixing enough/properly, I usually add a little more water and it starts turning! You will most likely need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides about mid-way through {the darn little spinach gets stuck on the sides}.
















Get ready to enjoy........
















Pour into a tall glass, get a {thick} straw, and ENJOY all of this fabulous pregnancy SUPER smoothie!
How was it??!

58 comments:

  1. Very nice blog. You might like this Wordsworth quote about little acts of love and kindness. Acts of Kindness Wordsworth

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  2. This is one of the best smoothies I've had.Doesn't look so good but tastes Yummy:)

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  3. I make mine with only spinach, banana, a little flax seed powder and a spoonful of pb with Almond Milk instead of water and it my absolute favorite drink in the world!

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    1. I read you can't have flax seeds while pregnant. You may want to look into that...

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    2. Flax seed acts as estrogen in the body so it's not the best thing to have during pregnancy.

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    3. flax seeds are fine in pregnancy, it is flax seed oil that is not to be used during pregnancy. A 2008 study showed that it increased preterm birth by 10 percent. However, this effect was only found in women taking flax seed OIL in the second and third trimester.

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  4. can you give more specifics? --like how many cups of each ingredient to make the right flavor come out. I like detailed recipes ;-) Thanks!

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    1. There is no perfect way to measure , just add as you like it's do delish :-)

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  5. just a fyi: if you blend the spinich first with the water, the spinich usually chops up nice and you may not have to scrape the sides.

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  6. I'm nervous about tasting the spinach in it... does the fruit mute the flavour of it?? Otherwise, I'm very tempted to try it!!!

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    1. The fruit overpowers the spinach. You won't even taste it!

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    2. It's true! My husband HATES spinach and I made a blueberry one (so it wasn't green) and he LOVED it...SHHH even to this day he has no idea there is spinach in our snacks :)

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    3. I started making a similar smoothie but also add kale. I blend up some juice, kale, and spinach and freeze into ice cube trays. If I don't it goes bad before we can use it up. Then I take out 3 cubes and blend in with all the other ingredients. Pineapple is a good addition also.

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  7. I don't like yogurt in mine either! Thought I was the only one who enjoyed it like this. My sister loves hers with yogurt and honey as well.

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  8. Or instead of spinach, you can use comfery leaves, SO much more vitamins and nutrients!:)

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    1. In the past, comfrey was also used to treat stomach problems. However, the herb contains dangerous substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are very toxic to the liver and can cause death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration no longer allows any oral comfrey products to be sold in the U.S. The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Germany also have banned the sale of oral products containing comfrey. - See more at: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/comfrey-000234.htm#sthash.WEW3Kmd4.dpuf ***Wikipedia***

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  9. Yummy!! I add yogurt instead of orange juice!

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  10. Wait!!! Please do NOT use Comfrey leaves!!! They have been known to cause liver damage if ingested internally. They contain a dangerous amount of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).......sorry!

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  11. I already do this recipe a lot except I add some peanut butter and/or protein powder to get the needed protein!

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  12. Use frozen fruit instead of ice (I hate the tiny bits of ice that get missed by the blender), and add a little xanthum gum (like half a teaspoon) if you like smoothies to be thicker. You can also add cocoa powder and truvia if you need a chocolate fix.

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  13. You could also use half an avocado instead of yogurt, it adds a great creaminess without the dairy ;)

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  14. I have a green smoothie every single morning ever since I went vegan. I love love love it. I use collard greens and spinach (except like wayyyyy more than you have there), a banana, frozen blueberries, chia seed, a carrot, and vegi protein powder. No juice, just a little water will do wonders and cut calories. I am obsessed. Love the idea of prunes, though....will have to try!

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  15. A little comfrey leaf would be good, but don't over do it due to concerns that excessive amounts of PA's contributing to liver toxicity. Check with your herbalist or midwife before using unfamiliar herbs in pregnancy. My 2 cents : )

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  16. I made this with spinach and romaine lettuce. You don't taste the spinach because of the banana. I will make it again. Great way to get the veggies in.

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  17. Made it this morning! Awesome :) I added in some raspberries!

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  18. You will not taste the spinach I've had energy drinks with spinach in it and you don't taste them at all

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  19. Ah, that seems perfect, too bad there's no spinach anymore here .

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  20. This sounds amazing! I've been having smoothies for the past 2 weeks and although they are delicious, I'm in search of new recipes. Thank you for sharing!

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  21. Can I use frozen chopped spinach for this? I'm not sure I would make smoothies often enough before a bag of spinach goes bad...

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    1. Blend the spinach with some water or juice, pour into an ice cube tray, and freeze. Then they're all set to go next time you want a smoothie and they wont go bad as quick!

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  22. I use frozen sliced bananas (two) instead of ice. Wait till bananas get black spots then peel, slice, and freeze. I buy the ones that are marked to sell because they are too ripe. Still perfectly edible, especially for cooking/freezing!

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  23. You can use spinach or kale. I hate both but you can't taste it in the smoothie. I actually use frozen spinach because smoothies is the only thing I use it for & that way it lasts longer. With frozen fruit & spinach no need for ice. To cut down even more on calories I don't use any juice, just water to make it the thickness I want.

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  24. I made this smoothie today and I am amazed that you can't taste the spinach...very good

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  25. This was fantastic! Tried today and will be making again! Thanks!

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  26. I am a little concerned for the person using comfrey. Here is the Wikipedia link on comfrey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey
    It also states that,"Comfrey should be restricted to topical use, and should never be ingested, as it contains dangerous amounts of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)." Please reconsider using this in smoothies and eating in any way.

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  27. How can you make it creamy and thick like the picture instead of watery? Also how many calories are in this? I've tried it and it's great!

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  28. Its better to not put any dairy in this anyway. If you ingest dairy and iron together your body will absorb it as calcium instead of the much needed iron.
    I make a green smoothie a few times a week

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  29. Great Smoothie! I used coconut water ice cubes to add more hydration!

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  30. We add rice milk or almond milk...and a frozen banana and frozen fruit instead of the ice. Yummy!

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  31. I make a green smoothie every morning...it's delicious ! In mine I use 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple and carrots. Add a banana and 6 ice cubes. 1tsp protein powder and 1 Tbs of chia seeds. 1 cup of spinach, 3/4 cup soy milk and 1/2 cup greek yogurt.

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  32. I grow my own spinach (it's actually silverbeet) and i put it in everything. It's great in fresh juices with any other fruit and veg you can get your hands on.
    Try growing it at home, it so easy, not to mention cheap and convenient.

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  33. You should not skip the OJ, citrus juice aids in the iron absorption of the spinach. Sure it may be a few more calories but the added iron is worth it.

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    1. Just use actual orange slices and cut the sugar out from the juice. ThereLs the calories y'all are worried about. Something like this needs a little citrus in it. Going to try this and really love all the in put of choices like the PB and almond water. The coconut water is one I am going to try. Always find myself dehydrated in these winter months. Stay healthy and happy! :)

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  34. Have you people tasted fresh spinach? It's ALMOST tasteless! The more spinach the healthier! Try it! You'll like it!!! :)

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  35. A few cautionary notes: you should always rotate the greens in green smoothies. I rotate among spinach, collards, kale, wheat grass, and chards...!! For me, they're the mildest and their flavors are easiest to mask with fruit.
    Also, it's recommended to only use 1 green with as many fruits as you like. Stay away from adding any dairy or starchy veggies (carrots) because they can cause gas and/or stomach discomfort.
    "The Green Smoothie Revolution" is a great quick read with tons if recipes. I'm in no way affiliated with the book, that's just where I learned this information.
    ~Cheers!!

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  36. This was basically my breakfast this morning but I added flaxseed meal instead of the prunes!

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  37. This sounds yummy! But..I hope that if you are pregnant (and even if you are not) that you use organic fruit and veggies! The bananas don't have to be, but everything else is coated with pesticides that will pass right through the placenta to your baby!

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  38. this is completely off the subject (though I have been drinking this smoothie for a few months and LOVE it) but what is the font called on this page?

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  39. I've been making a green protein smoothie very similar to this for months as my typical breakfast! I use: almond milk, banana, frozen fruits (usual combos are pineapple/mango, mango/peach, strawberry, mixed berries, raspberry/blueberry), chocolate or vanilla protein powder (depending on my fruits for that day), and spinach. Delicious and nutritious!

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  40. I just tried this smoothie!! I did add prune juice instead of water and I blended that n spinach first then added my frozen strawberries and frozen banana's. I also added half an avocado. Oh my is it yummy!!!!

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  41. Made one this morning... Mine didn't turn out as thick as yours but it's still pretty good :D My 2 year old loves it as well :D Thanks for sharing!

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  42. Just a little warning (learned this recently in my nutrition class in college)eating or drinking prunes on a daily basis can cause you to be unable to, erm... pass, without their help. I'm sure the small amount you use in this isn't a problem, but just keep it in mind =)

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  43. Looks yummy! I';m sure it doesn't taste like grass.

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  44. does the fruit have to be frozen? Can it be fresh fruit and still mask the taste of the spinach?

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  45. I just made this smoothie this morning (im currently sipping on it as i type this) and Im in heaven! I did add a little something more to mine though, I added Almond Milk (its just ridiculously chock full of nutrients, and I need to make sure i consume enough calcium in my day). I feel really good drinking this cause its only good stuff and I know im giving my baby a great start to our day. Its so delicious. Thanks for sharing!

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  46. You might like to throw a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter in there if you are not allergic to it! I know it may sound gross but it doesn't really affect the taste at all; just adds a hint and some good ole protein for those growing baby organs! Your smoothie is yummy in my tummy!

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  47. Instead of orange juice, I would use some chilled Raspberry Leaf Tea, believed by some to strengthen the uterus. I use it to cure my period cramps every month! It hardly tastes like anything and would do wonders for your girly organs during pregnancy and birth.

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