We consider ourselves pretty healthy eaters here at Style Files. We try our best to stay away from processed foods, refined sugars, and eat our veggies. But there is just one thing that we find a bit harder to do than stave off the bad stuff, and that is to stuff ourselves with those dark green things. You know, spinach, broccoli, kale, collard greens, etc.
On the other hand, we are huge fans of juicing and making smoothies, so we were excited when Refinery29.com put out “The Ultimate Guide To Green Smoothies.” You mean we can get in our greens without having to chew on grass like a cow or nibble like rabbit? And it might actually taste good? And it will make us look better from the inside out? We are in!(Plus Kate Upton drinks them) Here are the two recipes we’ll be trying:
The Starter Green
This delicious is called The Starter, not only because it’s a great way to kick-off your morning, but because for newbies to the green-smoothie realm, this is one to get you hooked. With a Swiss chard base, it’s a powerhouse of phytonutrients, folate, and necessary vitamins. The flavor is light, and the additions of melon and pineapple give it a dose of tropical sweetness. The green smoothie comes off more like a beachside cocktail (minus the booze, sugar, and tiny umbrella.)
Ingredients:
3 large leaves of Swiss chard
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1/4 cup fresh honeydew melon
These ingredients are all relatively soft, so you should be able to combine these well with just a traditional blender, immersion blender, or food processer. Add water as needed, and drink up!
Drink This For: Vitamins A, K, C, B6, and E, Manganese, Iron, Folate, Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, and Pantothenic Acid.
The Classic Green
Kale, apples, and lemon. It doesn’t get much better than that (at least that’s what your skin, hair, immune system, and internal organs think). This traditional combo is one of the best ways to benefit your bod, prevent illness, and glow from the inside out. For those phobic of the hearty kale flavor, toss in some green grapes, which pack a punch of sweet-and-tartness that make this health-bomb a real treat. If you’re not yet sold, just put it to the test. Try this knockout green smoothie every morning for two weeks. If you don’t notice a change in your appearance, energy, and digestion, get back to us. You may be a robot.
Ingredients:
3 large kale leaves, plus stems
1/2 Red Delicious apple
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup green grapes
Chop everything into manageable pieces, throw it all in a powerful blender or smoothie maker, and add additional water or juice if you have trouble breaking the stems down. Kale is a particularly tough green so you may need to let it run for an additional minute (tip: Stop and start a few times to let it settle and incorporate).
Drink This For: Omega-3 and 6, Folic acide, Fiber, Protein, Carotenoids, Glucosinolates, Vitamins K, A, and C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Copper, Manganese, Calcium, Iron, Phytonutrients, Antioxidants, Selenium, Citric Acid, Flavanoids, and Folate.
