Day 8: Vegetables with Breakfast Challenge and Green Drinks

My friend Melissa didn’t intend to do this challenge, but found herself buying a fridge full of vegetables last Sunday evening and has juiced her vegetables almost every morning since. Go Melissa! She says she has a lot more energy and feels like she is really taking care of herself. Here’s one combination she recommends:  kale, cucumber, ginger, celery, lemon and apple.

One thing I don’t usually like about juices and smoothies is the large amount of fruit, particularly tropical fruit, that can find their way into them. So, they end up being loaded with fruit sugar. The juices I usually rely on are high in vegetables and if they have any fruit it’s usually only a little green apple. The sour taste aids the liver. I also like to warm it slightly. Have you tried this? It gets sweeter and is really relaxing. Try it this way in the afternoon. It can really help with sugar cravings.

Favorite combinations are:

  • carrot, green apple, beet, sometimes with lemon
  • kale and carrot
  • just carrot, sometimes with ginger

Susan Waxman wrote a wonderful post last Spring about green juices called Green Cocktails, Anyone? She has several recipes there as well.

kale, blueberries, almond milk
kale, blueberries, almond milk

 

For green smoothies I try to minimize the fruit as well. I pack the blender with kale. Whir in a little unsweetened oat milk and amasake. The fruits I use are ones local for me in Seattle, like berries. I also use pear and peach in season. I haven’t tried plums. Sometimes I will add a dried date. I also try to let the smoothie sit out for a bit if I have used frozen fruit so it’s not quite so cold. Digestion actually works better when we swallow foods close to body temperature.

This is a little off topic, but I will add it anyway. I have had vegetable success with some children if I feed them pureed soups in a cup instead of a bowl, even when they resist vegetables prepared other ways. You can even add a straw. Pureed soups and smoothies have some similarities in this way. Just a tip for those of you wanting your children to eat more vegetables.

What are your favorite ways to drink your vegetables?

If you are just joining us for the vegetables with Breakfast Challenge start here for the first post.

 

6 Responses

  1. Crissie

    I’m a big advocate of a morning smoothie and/or juice. I usually use berries as my fruit, and spinach and/or kale as my greens. I know I’m going to have a good day when it starts with a green smoothie.

    There are also a few afternoon savory smoothies I love that are full of tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, parsley, etc No fruit, but very tasty too!

    • sweetveg

      I have never made a savory smoothie. I’ll have to try it with those super ripe end of summer tomatoes! Sounds delicious.

  2. Melissa

    My other new favorite juice is:
    2 carrots
    1 apple
    3 celery ribs
    1/2 beet with green top
    1 inch of ginger
    a handful of cilantro
    a handful of parsley

    Yum!

    it’s been really great taking part of this challenge! 🙂 Some of the best things come to us when we least expect them.

    • sweetveg

      Yum. I am so glad you joined us!!

  3. luminousvegans

    I love morning smoothies. I typically make fruit-only smoothies. I’m a little nervous to try making my own green smoothie. I’ve had store bought green smoothies and I love them, but am not sure I could make my own taste “not green”.

    • sweetveg

      Well, here’s a suggestion: Just add a little at a time and work your way up? That way you give your taste buds time to adjust. I know what you mean, though. The kale smoothies I get from the local raw place is super smooth and creamy. I just don’t have a high power blender like that. I have gotten used to my smoothies being a little rough around the edges. 🙂