| I have been trying out new ways to get more green | | | | Over time I have tweaked this easy vegetarian recipe |
| vegetables into my diet in an easy vegetarian recipe. | | | | to match my taste and here is the recipe and advice |
| I'm doing this because there are numerous studies that | | | | on how to make it: |
| show adding green vegetables to your diet really helps | | | | Basic mix: |
| prevent all sorts of diseases, and additionally helps get | | | | 1/2 cup of frozen Broccoli |
| your power levels up. | | | | 1 banana |
| Of course, considering the human body evolved in a | | | | 1/2 cup of romaine lettuce |
| time where there were no processed foods, no dairy | | | | 1/2 cup of blueberries |
| farms, and no cereal factories, fruits and vegetables | | | | 1/2 cup of orange juice |
| were the only real source of food and the human | | | | 1/2 cup of chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, but fresh |
| body is well prepared to make the best of them. | | | | is better) |
| My issues with getting vegetables into my diet were | | | | One scoop of vanilla protein powder |
| two: | | | | I put it all in a blender on the highest settings for 1 |
| One, how should I say this... vegetables don't really | | | | minute. What comes out of this looks like a mix of |
| taste that great. I have tried adding non artificial | | | | green swamp juice, but tastes great. |
| sweetener to them in various forms (e.g. maple syrup), | | | | My adjusted mix adds the following: A few leaves of |
| but once I do that, the calorie value of what I eat | | | | radicchio lettuce, a couple of radishes to spice things |
| doubles so I don't get the filling effect with a low calorie | | | | up, a tablespoon of chia seeds, a few cubes of melon |
| dish that I was looking for. | | | | or cantaloupe |
| Two, no time. Even if I wanted to eat more | | | | I additionally alternate between spinach and broccoli, |
| vegetables, and make an effort to digest them despite | | | | and between strawberries, blueberries and cherries |
| their taste (e.g. eating them in a fruit salad) it still takes | | | | (Frozen, but fresh works great as well). |
| too much time to wash them, chop them, mix them in | | | | Advice: |
| a salad and eat them. | | | | If you put the lettuce on the bottom of the blender, you |
| My experimentation took me down an interesting road | | | | will sometimes find the lettuce gets cut up, but |
| and I have found an answer for all these issues that | | | | because the leaves are not dense, the things on top |
| changed my life. | | | | of them don't get mixed. Make sure the lettuce is |
| Presenting the breakfast smoothie. | | | | packed tightly if on bottom. |
| I have been vegetarian for over 20 years, and I | | | | I noticed that the chia and protein powder don't mix |
| always feel I'm missing protein in my diet. Over time, I | | | | well if you place them into the smoothie when you |
| developed a practice of having a protein smoothie | | | | prepare it so I wait until all the other ingredients are |
| daily. This adds about 40 grams of protein to my diet. | | | | liquefied, and while mixing on a low blender setting, I |
| One day, I started thinking about what would happen if | | | | open the top, and put the protein powder and the chia |
| I throw some vegetables into my smoothie. | | | | seeds into the mix, then close the blender and go back |
| My intuition told me that if I do so, they will just make | | | | to high for a few seconds. Additionally, this prevents |
| the smoothie chunkier, more bitter, and would not be | | | | the powder and chia seeds from sticking to the sides |
| as tasty as the protein smoothie I already have. I | | | | of the blender. |
| decided to give it a try anyway. Was I surprised? | | | | Another time saving piece of advice is to prepare the |
| The updated protein smoothie was delicious! It tasted | | | | vegetables the night before. Wash them well and put |
| like ice-cream and had the equivalent of a large salad | | | | them all in the blender in the refrigerator. That way, |
| in it. | | | | when you wake up in the morning, all you have to do |
| Not only did it taste great, but it had another incredible | | | | is start the blender up and you have your drink in no |
| effect. When I drink the smoothie, I feel a wave of | | | | time. |
| 'fresh' energy flowing through my body. At first, I | | | | Flavors: peppers and carrots usually have a strong |
| thought it was a mental effect of my telling myself that | | | | flavor, so unless you like them, keep them out. I tried |
| I am energized because what I read about vegetables | | | | adding tomatoes into this, with no real impact on the |
| and their energizing effect. | | | | sweetness. I additionally don't recommend including |
| Over time, having the smoothie for breakfast has | | | | edamame beans or peas because they impact the |
| become a practice, and the mental effect should have | | | | texture. |
| worn off, but I still feel energized. Additionally, when I | | | | One last piece of advice. If you put your vegetables |
| don't have the smoothie for breakfast and eat a | | | | into the blender right after you rinse them, some water |
| typical western breakfast, I feel not as invigorated as I | | | | will stay on the leaves. You can drain the water using |
| do when I have my smoothie. | | | | a salad strainer or just spill as much water as you can |
| The fullness that I get from eating this lasts for | | | | out of the blender before you start mixing. |
| approximately 4 hours, and by the time I start getting | | | | Feel free to experiment with this recipe and I'd love to |
| hungry again, it's lunch time. | | | | hear what you come up with. |