For me, the challenge has helped me get back into the routine of starting my day with a green smoothie. I have noticed I have a more energized morning when I start that way. My husband has also been enjoying them!
In the hopes that you will continue with green smoothies, here are a few tips and a few new things I've started doing this past month that I'd like to share with you.
Keep it simple, but also switch it up.
Don't worry about a recipe. Just throw in whatever you have on hand for veg (spinach, kale, lettuce, cucumber, celery, fresh mint, cilantro, parsley...), for protein and healthy fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butter, coconut milk, coconut oil...) for sweetness and antioxidants (banana, any fresh fruit, frozen fruit...).
Prepare beforehand.
If I wake up and none of my vegetables are washed, I am much more likely to skip the smoothie. Once or twice a week I wash up all of my greens and other veg and have them in a large ziplock bag or container. You can have your morning smoothie ready in about 2 minutes this way; just throw in the blender, blend and enjoy!
Use nuts and seeds with water instead of a store bought nut milk or regular milk.
I like to throw some nuts and/or seeds in a bowl with a bit of water the night before. When I'm ready to make my smoothie in the morning, I drain and rinse the nuts/seeds and throw in the blender with my other smoothie ingredients. Soaked nuts are more easily digested, meaning more absorption of nutrients. Store bought almond milk really doesn't have that many nuts in it. It's a lot of water and also includes fillers and preservatives. I still use nut milks occasionally but for a daily green smoothie, whole food source is my preference.
Soak your chia seeds.
I throw some chia seeds and about double the amount of water in a jar to soak overnight (can last a few days in the fridge soaked). Similar to nuts, chia seeds are better digested when pre-soaked. They will also blend up a bit better.
Stay tuned for the August challenge!