Beet Greens Smoothie

I have been eating a great deal of beets lately and not by choice.  Well, that's only partly true.  My youngest son Dylan has some severe sensitivities to certain foods in my breast milk, so about three months ago, I began a total elimination diet.  Long story short, on the total elimination diet, you pretty much cut out all foods, and then slowly, painstakingly, add them back in one by one so you can figure out which ones are the offenders.  I didn't plan on doing something so extreme, but after I cut out the top 8, dairy, soy, wheat, etc. without much success, I decided to give the t.e.d. a try.  The first few weeks were torture, only being allowed to eat turkey, sweet and white potatoes, pears, rice, and zucchini, all with no spices except salt and pepper.  But low and behold, this diet worked!  Within two days Dylan was back to normal.  It was both a blessing and a curse because as much as I wanted to heal my baby, I was really beginning to miss food.  I started to dream about all the forbidden food I wasn't able to enjoy. I can't tell you how many times I became enraged watching my husband eat dark chocolate in front of me.  Oh ya, those first few weeks were excruciating.  Did I mention that I started this the week before Christmas?  I never knew how much self control I had until I was faced with holiday gatherings overflowing with decadent treats, baked breads and mashed potatoes and wasn't able to eat any of it.  None.  Zero.  Zilch.  I don't think I could have done it by myself, but us mommy's will do anything for our babies and so I refrained from enjoying and savoring the many goodies that the holidays have to offer.   Days turned to weeks, and weeks to months and I before I knew it I had been doing this diet for almost three months.  I had survived!  I could hardly believe I did it.  Of course, by the three month mark I had successfully added a whole plethora of delectable food to my once limited repertoire.

In addition to healing my baby, the total elimination diet had a surprising side effect on me.  It reintroduced me to foods I had sworn off because I was certain I didn't like them.  See, as you begin to add foods in, you start with the ones least likely to cause a reaction, and beets were high up on that list.  I always knew how nutritious beets were, but I just never liked them- or so I thought.  To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I had ever even tried a beet before this.  Like them or not, with such a limited, restricted diet, any new food was a welcome addition and so I decided to give them a try.  I began roasting them and loving them.  Pretty soon, I was eating beets almost everyday!!  I was thrilled with my new love affair with this almighty root vegetable but it always felt wrong to waste the beautiful greens sitting atop those crimson beets. 

Along with everything else, I had temporarily given up my morning green smoothie, until all the goodies I put in there had passed the Dylan test.  Finally, I had added enough foods back into my diet to begin drinking smoothies with the family again.  I can't tell you how hard it was to make my family green smoothies everyday and not be able to enjoy them too!  And while we're on that subject, I must tell you that I actually began to resent (gasp!) preparing delicious meals for them while I was eating plain turkey for the 23rd day in a row.  I never thought I could feel such a way, since preparing nutritious meals for my family brings me immense pleasure and satisfaction.  But, alas, the madness of the total elimination diet was coming to an end.  I could now enjoy a whole array of nature's bounty, and I couldn't wait to make a beet green smoothie.  Spinach and kale are our old standbys when it comes to greens for our smoothies, but kale was one of the foods that Dylan couldn't tolerate, and I hadn't added in spinach yet.  Technically, I hadn't actually eaten the greens of the beet yet either, only the root, but since that passed with flying colors, I figured the greens would be a success as well and I was curious to see how they tasted in comparison to the greens we were so used to.

Beet greens are rich in vitamins A, C, E, K and B vitamins, as well as calcium and iron.  They are a great source of dietary fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.  The beet root gets all the attention, but the greens are the real powerhouse and are actually more nutritious than the root.  Always opt for fresh, organic beets with greens attached. 

I was pleasantly surprised how palatable the beet greens were in our smoothie.  I can handle and actually enjoy a stronger vegetable flavor, but my four year old son will not drink it if he doesn't enjoy it.  And if he doesn't drink it, he can't reap all the benefits, so it has to taste good, not just be good for you.  The flavor of the beet greens are easily masked by the addition of fruit in the smoothie.  It has a slightly stronger flavor than spinach, but not nearly as robust as kale, and we use that all the time.  I can't tell you how happy I am not to have to waste these beautiful greens anymore.

If it can pass the Jayden taste test, you know it's good!!  "Tastes like Jamba Juice", is what he told me.  I'd say that is a green smoothie success!!

Beet Green Smoothie

1 banana

1 orange

1 organic kiwi *(skin left on if you have a Vitamix, otherwise peel)

5 organic strawberries

handful organic red grapes

1/2 c organic wild blueberries, frozen

4 slices organic peaches, frozen

10- 12 organic beet green stalks, thoroughly washed

Place in Vitamix (or other high powered blender) in order listed.  Blend and enjoy!  You will feel the power of the greens all morning long!!  This recipe made one big glass for mommy and a small, kid sized one for Jayden!

*Useful Info:

I leave the skin on my kiwi because I am fortunate enough to own a Vitamix.  This marvelous blender is powerful enough to pulverize the skin and transform it into a silky, smooth texture.  The skin of the kiwi, like the skin of many fruits and vegetables is where a majority of the vitamins and minerals lie.  Kiwi skin is rich is flavanoids, fiber, and folic acid.  It contains omega 3 fatty acids as well as alpha-linoleic acids.  The flavanoids in kiwi skin have profound antioxidant properties which protect tissues and cells from free radicals.  The folic acid contained in kiwi skin is beneficial in red blood cell production, maintenance of the nervous system, and involved in metabolism.  I recommend buying organic kiwi if you are going to consume the skin, for that is where 99% of the pesticides reside.  If you are going to peel it instead, choosing organic is not crucial, I would opt for the conventionally grown and save your money.  I never buy organic for things I am going to peel, ie: bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, etc.  Choosing organic produce is most critical when the skin cannot be peeled or for produce in which you want to consume the skin, like apples, peaches, and pears.

Green Smoothie Revolution

It has been said that "nature needs no help- just no interference".  There are plenty of things in today's crazy world that interfere with our health; water that's not pure, air that's not clean, lack of exercise, not enough rest, poor diets- the list goes on.  I have found that the best way to teach about clean eating and living is to be an example.  That is what I strive to be, a living example.  It may not always be easy (holiday parties, anyone?) but it is vitally important.

When I first added green smoothies to my family's diet, we were already living an extremely healthy life.  I wasn't sure if the addition of blended fruits and veggies that we were already eating was going to have a major impact on our health, if any impact at all.  I was already eating most of these things in my daily salad, so how could this be any different? Well, first it enabled me to eat a wider variety of vegetables than I had previously been eating.  Kale and wheatgrass did not make their way into our salads too often.  And this was great because it meant that my son whose veggie intake consisted of broccoli, pickles, and an occasional avocado was now consuming all these wonderful leafy greens and sprouts that he wouldn't have otherwise.  He may prefer brown rice cakes to Goldfish crackers, but his veggie intake left much to be desired, as is the case with many two year olds.

Second, and here's the real kicker, blending the vegetables and fruit allows your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients out of the food. When we eat solid food, a large portion does not get fully digested due in part to the fact that we eat too fast and don't chew enough.  Every glance down in the porcelain princess to see a whole piece of lettuce floating around?  So although that salad you had at lunch was a great option, your body did not fully extract all the nutrients those veggies had to offer.  Blending, especially with a high powered blender such as Vita-mix actually breaks down the cell wall of the food allowing for maximum absorption. And, in contrast to juicing, when you blend, the pulp does not get left behind and this is where most of the fiber resides.   I am here to tell you that by starting your day with a green smoothie you will enjoy increased energy levels, improved skin and hair, better digestion ( better be prepared for this one- especially early on!), and you may finally be able to achieve your ideal weight.  I was amazed at how my energy levels soared from these little green glasses of goodness.

The more whole, raw foods we incorporate into our diets, the better our body functions.  This was the way we were intended to eat.  Long before fast food joints crowded our streets, and before food had an indefinite shelf life there was pure, raw, LIVE food.  The food that fueled us, nourished us, sustained us.  We have become so far removed from food in its natural state that the notion of eating and living off the land seems ludicrous to some.  Our society has become accustomed to food in a box, stripped of all nutrients, preservative filled, dye colored garbage.  My personal goal for my family and I is to eat food that my great grandmother would recognize.  To get back to the way we ate thousands of years ago,consuming the life sustaining food nature has provided for us- the way it was intended.

We all want to look and feel better.  We desire more energy, less disease, more confidence.  We want these things, but many of us don't know how to attain them.  I can honestly say that all these things and more are not only within your reach, but they are much easier to accomplish than you think.  It starts with simple changes.  Small steps for a better YOU.  A green smoothie to start your day.    Life is nothing but a series of choices.  We are faced with endless decisions in our lives and each one ultimately determines and shapes our life's path.  It can be overwhelming to wrap your head around all the choices you will be faced with over your lifetime.  The key to being successful at changing your lifestyle is to take it one tiny choice at a time.  Just get through today.  Make a choice to start each day the best way you possibly can. The best thing about green smoothies is they are easy, unbelievably healthy, and the variations are virtually endless.  You can tailor them to your specific taste and reap all the benefits along the way.  It may sound silly, but adding green smoothies to your diet can change your life.  Perhaps not all on their own, but once you start your day with a fresh, raw, nourishing smoothie, you will notice the difference in the way you feel.  Your cravings for junk will start to diminish which will  propel you down the path of total health and well-being.

I believe that negativity breeds more negativity.  That making bad choices leads to more bad choices.  Eating is the same way.  If you start the day with a doughnut, you're not likely to have a salad and salmon for lunch.  If you drink soda all the time, water doesn't quite do it for you.  Starting each day with a green smoothie sets the tone for the rest of your day, for tomorrow, for the rest of your life.  It's the little things that add up to a grand total.  So whether you're someone just starting their journey to a more healthy existence, or a seasoned health nut looking to incorporate more raw food into your diet- it doesn't get better or easier than green smoothies.

There are no rules when it comes to making green smoothies.  Basically, you can take any fruit and combine it with tons of different greens to find a flavor and consistency that appeals to you. No matter how good green smoothies are for you, not too many people would drink them everyday if they didn't taste good.  I know for a fact that my two year old son would never drink them if they weren't delicious, and he not only drinks them, he always asks for more!!  When I first began I wondered  how spinach and kale blended with pears and strawberries could taste good. The truth is- you can barely even taste the greens.  If it is too bitter for your taste- just add more fruit.   I like to change the greens we use in our smoothies every couple of days.  Spinach, kale, wheatgrass, and mixed lettuces are our go-to greens, but lately I've been experimenting with sprouts.  I hope you will find some recipes here that help you on your way to making green smoothies a part of your daily routine.  And remember, the only rule when making smoothies is- there are no rules!!    Green smoothies feed the soul and heal the body so blend, enjoy, and bask in their glory...