Green Smoothies

At our last Relief Society Enrichment Meeting one of the sisters and her 3 little girls taught us how to make green smoothies. The main ingredient of this drink is green vegetables (they used mostly fresh spinach in theirs, packed to the top of their blend-tec blender). They also added a few frozen berries, frozen bananas, an apple, some kale and water. Everyone in this family, except the baby, drinks one of these concoctions every morning before breakfast. The girls each drink a pint and the parents drink a quart each. The mom says then she knows her family has gotten their minimum fruit and vegetable intake taken care of for the day. We were all given a sample taste and I didn't think it tasted half bad, but I was pretty sure it would be a tough sale with my family members.
After the youngest son donated blood I was looking for a good way to rebuild his iron. I joked that if he didn't figure out something healthy to eat I was going to make him drink green smoothies. He surprised me by saying "You make it and I'll drink it." So, I made it. I followed the same basic recipe that we received in Enrichment, minus the kale and the apple, which I didn't have. I also added a quarter of a lemon, peel and all, because the actual recipe we received at Relief Society included one. This is what it looked like when I handed it to the son.

This color is suppose to be purple, but it doesn't really look purple to me.
This was the son's face after the first drink.

He drank the entire glass, commenting non stop, "I can't believe I'm drinking this even though I know what's in it." "This looks like the scum we cleaned off of the bottom of our swimming pool." "This doesn't taste nearly as bad as I thought it would." When he finished he informed me that I was making him a green smoothie every morning from now on
and I have.
I have done a little experimenting with different fruits and we both have decided that we like the pineapple, strawberry, mango, papaya frozen mix from Costco the best. We also like it a lot better with frozen bananas than fresh ones. I can live without the lemon, but the son insists it is the key ingredient. This combo actually does make a very green smoothie.

This is the son's special green, green smoothie glass. It doesn't quite hold a quart, but I'm still thinking it's better than nothing. The son believes that this "radioactive green" smoothie must enhance dormant super powers. I guess we'll find out sometime if that's true. Now I need to start experimenting with a wider variety of green veggies and convince the rest of the family that they are really missing out on something wonderful. It actually tastes pretty good if you don't look at it while you're drinking.

Today I am thankful for

all my past experience with copy machines, paper cutters, packing tape and laminators. It came in handy today.
99 degrees at 6:00 PM.
a dinner date with my hubby.

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