I decided to start my green smoothie experiment today instead of Friday. We were all up and ready early enough today to head to the store by 9:00am, so I decided to jump in and start my challenge before I chickened out. Of course, I had no support from the peanut gallery once we got in the car.
Mikey: “Mama, where are we going?”
Jules: “We’re going to Ralphs.”
Mikey: “I don’t want to go to Walphs! I want to go to Bons [Vons]!”
Jules: “What’s wrong with Ralphs? We’re going to Ralphs because they have the double seat shopping carts and this way you can sit with Nicholas.”
Mikey: “But mama I don’t want to go to Walphs! I don’t want to sit in the baby seat because I am not a baby!”
Jules: “Well, we have to go to Ralphs because they have a better selection of fruits and vegetables for our smoothies. Don’t you want to make smoothies?” Note: Mikey loves smoothies.
Mikey: “Mama, we need to go to Bons. Walphs is just not a good idea. It’s just not because it’s not.”
So we pulled into Ralphs with a chip on our shoulder. Like I knew he would, Mikey forgot all about his disdain for the baby seat once he realized it meant he could inappropriately squeeze, poke, and prod Nicholas when he thought I wasn’t looking. Every now and then he’ll actually do something nice, like give him a hug.
This is why I love my Ralphs. Their produce selection is amazing. Expensive as all get out, but amazing. I even bought Kumquats. Can you believe I’ve never tried one before? I know! I’m from California! People around here grow them as house plants. Anyway, I bought some and they were pretty tasty if you like things sweet and sour like I do. Mikey tried one, too, and almost threw up all over the kitchen floor. He thinks they are quite vulgar, or in his words, “No. No, mama. No.”
And here we go.
Jules: “Mikey! I told you no wrestling in the cart.”
Mikey: “But I’m not, mama! I’m not doing anything!”
Jules: “Then why are you all leaned up against Nicholas? You’re totally squishing him. I know what you’re doing, Mikey, and you can’t wrestle in shopping carts, or anywhere else for that matter.”
Mikey: “Huh?”
We left with a cart full of fruits, vegetables, and tears. Oh, and a super-bouncy-ball. I don’t really know how the super-bouncy-ball got in there.
OK, so I basically took a recipe from Victoria Boutenko’s book and modified it to please my novice green smoothie taste buds. My usual smoothies are one rum shot away from a Pi�a Colada, so I wasn’t kidding myself with this whole “Green Smoothies taste like candy!” nonsense. Into the blender went:
- 2 cups water
- 1 frozen banana
- frozen peaches (about 1.5 cups) –the recipe called for 6 fresh peaches, but since they aren’t in season, I bought frozen.
- 1 TB coconut butter
- 1 TB Agave syrup (it’s like thin honey)
- 2 handfuls of spinach (!!)
You know, it was actually tasty! It wasn’t thick like a regular smoothie, which was intentional because I thought I was going to have to power it down. It went down like a glass of milk. It was mildly sweet, and the taste of spinach disappeared after the addition of agave and coconut butter. Really, I didn’t need to worry about swallowing it all as soon as possible because it tasted just fine.
What did Mikey think? He loved it! He actually drank it all in one sitting and was disappointed when it was all gone.
I’ve looked at several recipes on line and they all have bananas in them. Bananas hurt my stomach so I’m wondering what I can use in it’s place. Also do you think that substituting honey for agave syrup will make much of a difference? You are now the green smoothie guru!
PS….your boys are too cute
Thanks! :)
Actually, that recipe didn’t call for bananas. I just put one in there because I like them. I won’t be doing it too often because bananas hurt my stomach, too! What is up with that?
Funny, I just went to Happy Foody’s blog to see what recipes she gave out at the beginning of the challenge and they are most of the ones I picked out from the book. Most of them don’t have bananas, either. I’m not going to add the more expensive or random greens (like dandelions) for now. I’m taking baby steps: spinach, lettuce, kale…thing I would normally eat in a salad. Here is the link–scroll down for the recipes! :)
http://happyfoody.com/2008/02/13/the-happy-foody-green-smoothie-challenge/
Hmmm. Not all of the link is showing up. Well, go back to my post on green smoothies and I have her Green Smoothie Challenge linked. Or, go to http://www.happyfoody.com. Her 4/16 post links back to the Green Smoothie challenge, too. :)
Thats great Jules!
I’m guessing Ralph’s is an organic grocery store? I’m not sure where you’d find coconut butter or Agave syrup?
Nope! Ralphs is just a regular old supermarket. This one just has a huge produce section. :)
Agave syrup and coconut butter you can find in any health food store, but if you don’t love coconut I would skip it (it’s expensive). I only did coconut b/c (1) I love coconut (2) it’s in all my smoothies so I thought that would make it more familiar tasting, and (3) I’ve read that coconut fat is good for your metabolism and wrinkles. ;)
Agave is just like honey, only thinner. The only reason I use that is because (1) you can’t give babies honey before age 1 so I have it on hand for Nico, (2) it doesn’t get all crystallized and hard like real honey, and (3) I’ve read that it’s good for people with insulin resistance (me) and other “overweight” maladies because it doesn’t cause the sugar spikes and drops that regular sweeteners do. :)
Thanks Jules!
What do you know….the smoothie wasn’t bad. And for Lili, I found Agave syrup at Target right in with the honey.
Your Red Devil has agave?! Sheesh!
What did you put in your smoothie? I think tomorrow I’m going to load up on pineapples.
Thanks country girl!
That story is adorable. I loved reading the conversation :)
I’m crazy for green smoothies – I’ve been adding lots of cinnamon to them lately. Love cinnamon :)
So great to see your boys joining the force for green smoothies – very cool!
That story is adorable. I loved reading the conversation :)
I’m crazy for green smoothies – I’ve been adding lots of cinnamon to them lately. Love cinnamon :)
So great to see your boys joining the force for green smoothies – very cool!
That story is adorable. I loved reading the conversation :)
I’m crazy for green smoothies – I’ve been adding lots of cinnamon to them lately. Love cinnamon :)
So great to see your boys joining the force for green smoothies – very cool!
Ok, you win the award for the world’s most adorable children. You make beautiful babies!!! :)