Like so many of us, I'm trying to get more fruits and vegetables into the family's diet. The kids (and I) love fruit, so that is the easy part. I have heard/read about people putting vegetables in fruit smoothies. I tried a handful of raw spinach in my strawberry banana smoothie today and it was great. I couldn't even taste it! This is a great way to the whole family to eat more vegetables. What
vegetables do you put in your fruit smoothies?
Edit: I am using a blender and don't have a juicer.
I also add spinich but to add protien in the form of black beans! no taste difference but I don't need to add protien powder!!
Do you have a juicer? Kale with apples is pretty good!
Carrots!
Also, not in the vege family but still an important part of health is flax seed. You can get organic ground flax seed from any Health Food Store.
I suggest making sure it is fresh and once you open it, to keep it in the fridge. I use a full teaspoon or more in my smoothies everytime.
R.
You can use any greens (the greener the better), but just know that some greens are rather bitter. I'd say the safest ones to use are spinach, kale, collards and chard. But you don't even have to buy anything special; you can use the tops of strawberries, the tops of carrots, etc. Just add those and test the taste before you add too many (I added a few too many beet tops one time and it didn't taste the greatest!). Kudos for adding more greens to your diet, and I agree...this is a great way to do it! (My 20-month old sits by the blender when he sees me pull it out waiting for his smoothie each day. He's been doing this for the past 10 months. It's best to start them early!)
I put anything and everything I have in the frig. The kids can't taste it and they get the veggies. Tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, beans, yes spinach. I just have to make sure I put the right amount, so they don't notice or see me doing it. Something blend better then others and my little one doesn't like the chunks so I have to be care not get any.
The VItamix website has tons of juice and vegetable smoothies that you can look up if you are interested. I love my Vitamix. There is also Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook Deceptively Delicious in which she hides vegetables in foods that are kid friendly. The turkey meatloaf is awesome. My SIL made her chicken soup and my FIL loved it. Just another option.
I've seen and tasted the veggie smoothies they make with a juicer/smoothie maker at Costco - and they are amazing. They used spinach, cabbage, carrots, beets, zucchini. Think of veggies that are bland or even a little on the sweet side. You've never use brocoli or cauliflower I think...
I steam carrots and add them. I have also added peeled zuccini (don't like it with the skin) to smoothies and the kids have not noticed. I tend to add whatever veggies might be in the fridge. I usually cook extras with dinner and then the kids snack on them during the day or I take to work for lunch. It is great to have them for weekends to add incognito for smoothies. For some reason , even though my kids actually like veggies, they do not like the idea of them in smoothies.
Avocados are so healthy and they don't have much taste but are very creamy. Try using them as a yogurt/dairy substitute.
you can do anything actually. You can put spinch, get wheat grass and put in there, you can roast whole fresh beats and put in there carrots anything really
I add carrots, pees and spinach and raddish (just one per container). I've tried green peppers, but it overpowered the taste.
K.,
Smoothies are a great idea, but if you're looking for new ideas, check out the family-style veggie recipes on my web site at www.artfulveggie.com. The recipes are easy, delicious, inexpensive, healthy and lots of fun for kids.
I prefer the blender so you are not throwing food away. I have a Torpedo.
I won't add anything since you have great suggestions, except about the beets. Don't have those everyday--only once or twice a week.
I would say just to experiment. Carrots are naturally sweet, and an easy one to add... and start slow and build up to more to gradually get used to the taste.
I do not add raw spinach due to the fact that it prohibits you from absorbing other nutrients.
I have put raw spinach in smoothies, but I use my juicer more. There are so many fruit and veggie combinations that taste great!
I can't wait to try kale and apples! Thanks for the tip, Rachel H!
we make smoothies for my daughter, who's 2, a few times a week. In addition to frozen fruit, we add spinach, avocado, banana, carrots and dates...which are really sweet and have a TON of nutrition in them...
